Rhodiola rosea
Summary
NCCIH says there is not enough reliable evidence that rhodiola helps any health purpose. Small trials suggest a single amount before exercise may slightly improve endurance, and one trial found less stress-related fatigue, but a 30-day marathon trial found no benefit. In one study it reduced the activity of CYP2C9, an enzyme that processes several drugs.
Key facts
- Standardised Rhodiola rosea root extracts (for example SHR-5, or extracts standardised to rosavin and salidroside)[4][7]
- No head-to-head human data between extracts in our sources[9]
- Exercise performance: acute endurance ↑, chronic endurance no effect (C); post-marathon muscle damage and soreness: no effect (C); fatigue and attention scores ↑ in one trial (D); self-reported anxiety and stress ↓ in a trial without placebo (D)[2][3][4][5]
- Possibly safe for up to 12 weeks; side effects may include dizziness, headache, insomnia, and dry mouth or excess saliva[1]
- Sold in the US as a dietary supplement, which FDA does not approve before sale[1]
- 4 graded human outcomes on this page
- October 9, 2026
How it works
ProposedRhodiola is described as an adaptogen, a plant proposed to modulate cell signalling and increase heat shock protein expression. In a marathon trial, it did not change heat shock protein 72 or inflammation markers in people (proposed).[3]
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form column shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
At a glance: strongest evidence per outcome
| Outcome | Grade | Effect | Strongest evidence | Rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance | Grade C | Mixed | Systematic review · n = 263 · 2023 | 2 rows |
| Stress | Grade D | Improved | RCT · n = 80 · 2015 | 1 row |
| Energy | Grade D | Improved | RCT · n = 60 · 2009 | 1 row |
Every graded row
| Outcome | Effect | Grade | Best evidence | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exercise performance | Mixed | Grade C | Systematic review · n = 263 · 2023 Healthy men and women aged 18–65 in 13 randomized controlled trials Form: Rhodiola rosea · Dose: Varied; acute and chronic protocols · Duration: Single amounts to several weeks Results were heterogeneous: 11 studies found some positive effects and 2 found none. A single amount before exercise improved endurance and perceived exertion; longer use improved anaerobic but not endurance performance. | 37495266 (opens PubMed)Source [2] |
| Muscle damage, soreness and inflammation after a marathon | No effect | Grade C | RCT · n = 48 · 2014 Experienced marathon runners Form: Rhodiola rosea extract vs placebo · Dose: 600 mg/day · Duration: 30 days before, the day of, and 7 days after the marathon No difference from placebo in race time, loss of jump height, muscle soreness, muscle-damage markers, cytokines or heat shock protein 72. | 24055627 (opens PubMed)Source [3] |
| Self-reported anxiety, stress and mood | Improved | Grade D | RCT · n = 80 · 2015 Mildly anxious adults Form: Rhodiola rosea extract (Vitano) vs no treatment · Dose: 200 mg twice daily (400 mg/day) · Duration: 14 days Self-reported anxiety, stress, anger, confusion and depression scores fell and total mood improved versus no treatment; cognitive performance did not differ. | 26502953 (opens PubMed)Source [5] |
| Fatigue and attention scores | Improved | Grade D | RCT · n = 60 · 2009 Adults aged 20–55 meeting Swedish criteria for stress-related fatigue syndrome (burnout) Form: Standardised extract SHR-5 vs placebo · Dose: 576 mg extract/day · Duration: 28 days Both groups improved (placebo effect), but SHR-5 beat placebo on a burnout scale and several attention measures and changed the cortisol response to waking. No serious side effects attributed to the extract were reported. | 19016404 (opens PubMed)Source [4] |
Forms
| Form | Elemental % | Absorption (human data) | GI tolerance | Studied for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standardised Rhodiola rosea root extract (capsules, tablets) | Varies[7] | No head-to-head human data[9] | Possibly safe for up to 12 weeks; dizziness, headache, insomnia, dry mouth or excess saliva reported. Systematic review: only few mild adverse events.[1][9] | Exercise performance, fatigue, stress |
Studied doses
Doses studied in human trials ranged from 200 to 600 mg of rhodiola extract a day, from a single amount before exercise to about 5 weeks; NCCIH describes rhodiola as possibly safe for up to 12 weeks.[7][3][4][1]
Interactions
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
Who should be careful
- People taking prescription medicines
- Rhodiola modestly inhibited CYP2C9, which could matter for drugs processed by this enzyme with a narrow safety margin.[6]
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Little is known about whether rhodiola is safe during pregnancy or breastfeeding.[1]
- Low mood
- NCCIH notes depression can be a serious illness and advises consulting a health care provider if you or a family member may have depression.[1]
- Before you start
- Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before adding this supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a chronic health condition.[1]
Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.
Articles about Rhodiola rosea
Plain-English answers to common questions, built on the evidence above.
Frequently asked questions
Does rhodiola reduce stress?
Evidence is limited. In a 14-day trial without a placebo group, 400 mg/day lowered self-reported anxiety and stress. NCCIH says there isn't enough reliable evidence to determine whether rhodiola helps any health purpose.[5][1]
Does rhodiola improve exercise performance?
A review of 13 small trials found mixed results: a single amount before exercise improved endurance and perceived effort, while longer use helped anaerobic but not endurance performance. Most trials had unclear or high risk of bias. In one crossover trial, 3 mg/kg an hour before a 6-mile cycling time trial cut finishing time from 25.8 to 25.4 minutes.[2][8]
Does rhodiola help with fatigue?
In a 28-day trial of 60 adults with stress-related fatigue, SHR-5 extract (576 mg/day) improved a burnout scale and attention measures more than placebo.[4]
Does rhodiola interact with medicines?
It reduced CYP2C9 enzyme activity by 21% in a 14-day study, and NCCIH notes reported interactions with losartan.[6][1]
Is rhodiola safe?
NCCIH calls it possibly safe for up to 12 weeks. Reported side effects include dizziness, headache, insomnia, and dry mouth or excess saliva.[1]
Sources
- [1]Rhodiola (last updated April 2025). National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, 2025. fact-sheet
- [2]Rhodiola rosea supplementation on sports performance: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.. Phytother Res, 2023. systematic-review
- [3]Evaluation of Rhodiola rosea supplementation on skeletal muscle damage and inflammation in runners following a competitive marathon.. Brain Behav Immun, 2014. RCT
- [4]A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study of the standardised extract shr-5 of the roots of Rhodiola rosea in the treatment of subjects with stress-related fatigue.. Planta Med, 2009. RCT
- [5]The Effects of Rhodiola rosea L. Extract on Anxiety, Stress, Cognition and Other Mood Symptoms.. Phytother Res, 2015. RCT
- [6]Effect of commercial Rhodiola rosea on CYP enzyme activity in humans.. Eur J Clin Pharmacol, 2016. crossover-RCT
- [7]Acute Rhodiola rosea intake can improve endurance exercise performance.. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 2004. crossover-RCT
- [8]The effects of an acute dose of Rhodiola rosea on endurance exercise performance.. J Strength Cond Res, 2013. crossover-RCT
- [9]The effectiveness and efficacy of Rhodiola rosea L.: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials.. Phytomedicine, 2011. systematic-review
What changed
- First draft. Every evidence-row PMID checked with NCBI E-utilities (esummary + efetch abstract) and re-read in an independent adversarial pass.