Rhodiola Rosea, Stress, And Mental Performance
Stress interferes with memory functions. Over time, stress causes deterioration in memory systems. Rhodiola rosea (R. rosea or rhodiola) appears to exert positive effects on memory and cognition by improving resistance to physical and emotional stress.
This dual action of cognitive stimulation and emotional calming creates benefits for immediate cognitive and memory performance, as well as for the long-term preservation of brain function.2 Calm and alert – you can’t be in a better mental state than that!
- Several studies have shown that rhodiola (again specifically: R. rosea) can dramatically reduce stress and simultaneously increase mental performance. One study found that a 170 mg/day dose of rhodiola countered the fatigue and stress experienced by young, healthy physicians on night duty.15 In this randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial, researchers measured rhodiola’s effect on five different measures of mental acuity: associative thinking, short-term memory, calculation, concentration, and speed of audiovisual perception. They found statistically significant improvements in all five of these mental performance parameters in the physicians who took rhodiola for two weeks.15
- In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted at a medical academy, young, healthy students were supplemented with either rhodiola (100mg/day) or a placebo for 20 days. The group that consumed the rhodiola extract experienced significant improvements in physical work capacity, coordination, and general well-being, along with decreased mental fatigue and situational anxiety. The supplemented students also scored higher on final exams!16
- A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical study was performed to measure the effect of a single dose of rhodiola extract on capacity for mental work against a background of fatigue and stress. Researchers administered a single dose of rhodiola to healthy young individuals (19 to 21 years of age) and measured the beneficial results using an anti-fatigue index. The study showed a pronounced anti-fatigue effect from that single dose that was statistically highly significant (p < 0.001).17
In summary: based on centuries of use – going back almost 2,000 years to its documented tradition as a remedy in classic Greek medicine, all the way to the many animal and human clinical studies mounted by modern scientists – we know that rhodiola has a wide array of documented health benefits. In fact, rhodiola is likely to become the next herbal superstar.
Rhodiola’s ability to increase mental energy points to tremendous potential for counteracting the mental fatigue so common with the aging process. And studies show that rhodiola can favorably support our minds and bodies as we deal with the stresses that seem omnipresent in our modern lives. Rhodiolais a valuable addition to any supplement program designed to boost mental performance and slow the aging process.
Richard P. Brown and Patricia L. Gerbarg, astute researchers who have worked tirelessly in bringing the science behind this unique herb to Western medicine, had this to say:
In the course of evolution, R. rosea has adapted to the harsh conditions of high altitude (extreme cold, low oxygen, little rainfall, and intense irradiation from the sun) by producing a group of powerful protective compounds that have diverse beneficial effects in animals and humans. One is struck by the versatility of R. rosea, from its description in Greek medicine, 2000 years ago to its use by 20th century cosmonauts. It is time for modern research, using controlled clinical trials, to develop the potential medical applications of this unique phyto-adaptogen.3,4
In their exhaustive review of the medical and scientific literature exploring the benefits of this wonderful herb, the authors go on to say that
…[m]ore scientific research is needed to confirm the preventive and curative benefits of R. rosea. Controlled studies are warranted to explore its use in antidepressant augmentation, disorders of memory and cognition, attention deficit disorder, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, protection against arrhythmias, sports performance, aviation and space medicine (enhancing physical and mental performance while reducing stress reactions), endocrine disorders (infertility, premenstrual disorder, menopause), sexual dysfunction, disorders of the stress response system (fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and post traumatic stress disorder), and enhancement of chemotherapy/radiation with amelioration of toxicity.2
more to come . . .
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