Uses
Rhodiola rosea may be effective for improving mood and alleviating depression. Pilot studies on human subjects showed it improves physical and mental performance, and may reduce fatigue.
Rhodiola rosea's effects are potentially mediated by changes in serotonin and dopamine levels due to monoamine oxidase inhibition and its influence on opioid peptides, such as beta-endorphin, although these specific neurochemical mechanisms have not been clearly documented with scientific studies.
Rhodiola is included among a class of plant derivatives called adaptogens which differ from chemical stimulants, such as nicotine, and do not have the same physiological effects.
In Russia and Scandinavia, R. rosea has been used for centuries to cope with the cold Siberian climate and stressful life. Such effects were provided with evidence in laboratory models of stress using the nematode C. elegans, and in rats in which Rhodiola effectively prevented stress-induced changes in appetite, physical activity, weight gain and the estrus cycle.
The plant has been used in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is called hóng jǐng tiān (红景天).
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