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Rhodiola

Reviews of small trials report mixed results for fatigue, with all trials in one review at high or unclear risk of bias. Two meta-analyses disagree on VO2 max gains. It did not prevent acute mountain sickness in healthy adults. In mild to moderate depression, it did not differ from placebo. Product testing found frequent adulteration with other species.

Add to Bio HackChecked 2026-11-09
Status
Dietary supplement in the US. Registered as a traditional herbal medicinal product in the UK for stress-related fatigue.
Also called
Rhodiola rosea, golden root, arctic root, roseroot, rosavin, salidroside, SHR-5, Rhodiola crenulata
Taken for
fatigue, stress, burnout, focus, endurance, VO2 max, recovery, mood, depression, altitude sickness

Strong several reviews agree · Moderate one review or consistent trials · Limited one or a few small studies · Untested no study in people, listed with what it rests on

Shown to help1

Reported risks4

What people take it for, and what was found

Shown to help1

Limited

Focus and reaction time

Small trials found faster reaction time and better focus test scores in young athletes and active adults, with trivial to small effects in one placebo trial.

The numbers and sources
Effect
In 24 male football players, 4 weeks of rhodiola gave faster reaction time and higher decision accuracy under fatigue than placebo [7]. In 24 female taekwondo athletes with premenstrual syndrome, 500 mg a day for 10 days shortened visual reaction time by 60 ms against placebo [8]. In 27 resistance-trained adults, 7 days at a low or high dose improved Stroop scores against a no-capsule control [9]. In 18 young adults, 4 days of rhodiola had trivial to small effects on mental fatigue and visual cognitive processing against placebo [10].
Population
Young athletes and active adults, 18 to 27 per trial, 4 days to 4 weeks [7][8][9][10].
Sources
[7], [8], [9], [10]
Caveats
Small trials with different tests and doses. The Stroop gains in [9] were reported against no capsule, not against placebo.

Mixed results3

Limited

Mental and physical fatigue

Limited evidence: some trials found less mental or physical fatigue, but reviews disagree on trial quality and independent replication is lacking.

The numbers and sources
Effect
Of 11 controlled trials, two of six found an effect on physical fatigue in healthy people and three of five found an effect on mental fatigue. All had high risk of bias or reporting flaws [1]. A separate review of 11 placebo-controlled RCTs rated most trials of moderate or higher methodological quality and found possible benefits on physical and mental performance, with a lack of independent replication [2]. In 60 adults with stress-related fatigue, 576 mg a day of SHR-5 for 28 days improved a burnout scale and some attention measures over placebo, and both groups improved on several measures [3].
Population
Healthy and clinical populations [1][2]; adults aged 20 to 55 meeting Swedish diagnostic criteria for fatigue syndrome [3].
Sources
[1], [2], [3]
Caveats
The two reviews disagree on trial quality. The abstract of [3] gives no funding statement.
Moderate

Endurance performance

Mixed results: a review of 26 trials found better VO2 max and endurance in healthy young adults, and a later review of 9 trials found no VO2 max effect.

The numbers and sources
Effect
Across 26 RCTs (668 healthy participants, mean age 22), rhodiola improved VO2 max (11 studies, ES 0.32), time to exhaustion (7 studies, ES 0.38) and time trial performance (5 studies, ES -0.40). Creatine kinase (ES -0.84) and lactate fell, and IL-6 and CRP did not change. VO2 max gains were larger above 600 mg a day [4]. A systematic review of 10 papers reported less pain and muscle damage after training and improved explosive power [5]. A 2026 meta-analysis of 9 RCTs (424 healthy adults) found no significant effect on VO2 max (95% CI -0.91 to 2.99) [6].
Population
Healthy young adults, mean intervention 33 days [4]; exercise studies [5]; healthy adults [6].
Sources
[4], [5], [6]
Caveats
The two meta-analyses disagree on VO2 max [4][6]. The 2025 abstract reports no confidence intervals and notes heterogeneity [4]. Reference [5] is narrative.
Moderate

Altitude sickness

Not shown to prevent altitude sickness in healthy adults. Shown to raise blood oxygen more than placebo in patients treated for altitude illness in China.

The numbers and sources
Effect
In 9 RCTs of healthy adults, rhodiola did not prevent acute mountain sickness (OR 1.02, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.52) [6]. In 19 RCTs (1,690 people with acute high altitude illness in China), Rhodiola crenulata extract raised blood oxygen saturation and partial pressure and improved overall clinical response more than placebo, and did not differ from conventional Western medicine. Blood pressure and heart rate did not change [11].
Population
Healthy adults [6]. Patients with acute high altitude illness in China [11].
Sources
[6], [11]
Caveats
The reviews answer different questions, prevention in healthy people [6] and treatment of illness [11]. The abstract of [11] reports no effect sizes.

Not shown to help1

Limited

Depression

One small trial found depression scores did not differ from placebo or sertraline in adults with mild to moderate depression.

The numbers and sources
Effect
In 57 adults with mild to moderate major depression over 12 weeks, HAM-D, BDI and CGI scores did not differ between rhodiola, sertraline and placebo. HAM-D fell by 5.1 on rhodiola, 8.2 on sertraline and 4.6 on placebo. The odds of improvement versus placebo were 1.39 (95% CI 0.38 to 5.04) for rhodiola [12].
Population
57 outpatients, phase II trial [12].
Sources
[12]
Caveats
A small proof-of-concept trial.

Doses studied

The fatigue trial used 576 mg a day of SHR-5 extract for 28 days [3]. VO2 max gains were larger above 600 mg a day, with a mean intervention of 33 days [4]. The CYP study gave a commercial product (Arctic Root, Swedish Herbal Institute) for 14 days [13].

Risks

Reported risks4

Limited

Adverse events in trials

Limited evidence: adverse events were reported by 30% on rhodiola against 17% on placebo in one small trial. A review found few, mild adverse events.

The numbers and sources
Effect
In the depression trial, adverse events were reported by 30.0% on rhodiola, 63.2% on sertraline and 16.7% on placebo [12]. A review of 11 RCTs found few mild adverse events [2].
Population
Trial participants [2][12].
Sources
[2], [12]
Caveats
Small trials with short follow-up.
Limited

Adulteration and wrong species

One study found about one fifth of European products labeled Rhodiola rosea lacked its marker compound, and most of the rest appeared mixed with other species.

The numbers and sources
Effect
Of about 40 commercial products sold in Europe, roughly one fifth labeled as Rhodiola rosea contained no rosavin, the marker that distinguishes it. About 80% of the rest had less rosavin than registered products and appeared adulterated with other Rhodiola species [14].
Population
Product testing [14].
Sources
[14]
Caveats
One study of products bought online and from other sources.
Limited

Interaction with CYP2C9 drugs

One small study found 14 days of rhodiola lowered CYP2C9 enzyme activity about 21%. The authors flag warfarin and phenytoin as CYP2C9 drugs. Clinical outcomes were not measured.

The numbers and sources
Effect
In 13 healthy volunteers, 14 days of a commercial rhodiola product lowered the losartan metabolic ratio by 21%, indicating reduced CYP2C9 activity. CYP1A2, 2C19, 2D6 and 3A4 did not change. The authors name warfarin and phenytoin as narrow-margin CYP2C9 drugs [13].
Population
13 healthy adults, crossover [13].
Sources
[13]
Caveats
A single-dose probe study. Clinical outcomes were not measured.
Limited

Liver injury

Case reports: rhodiola was named a possible co-cause of liver injury in one patient, with ashwagandha the main suspect.

The numbers and sources
Effect
In a case series of ashwagandha-induced liver injury, rhodiola was named as a possible co-causative agent in one patient [15].
Population
One case [15].
Sources
[15]
Caveats
Ashwagandha was the primary suspect in that case.

Claims tested and not found

  1. That rhodiola eases mild to moderate depression. Depression scores did not differ from placebo over 12 weeks [12].
  2. That rhodiola lowers inflammation markers after exercise. IL-6 and CRP did not change in pooled trials [4].
  3. That rhodiola prevents acute mountain sickness. In 9 RCTs of healthy adults, the odds of acute mountain sickness did not differ from control (OR 1.02) [6].

Sources

  1. Ishaque S, Shamseer L, Bukutu C, et al. Rhodiola rosea for physical and mental fatigue: a systematic review. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2012. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-12-70
  2. Hung SK, Perry R, Ernst E. The effectiveness and efficacy of Rhodiola rosea L.: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Phytomedicine. 2011. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2010.08.014
  3. Olsson EM, von Schéele B, Panossian AG. 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 Medica. 2009. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0028-1088346
  4. Wang X, Yang X, Gao Z, et al. The effect of Rhodiola rosea supplementation on endurance performance and related biomarkers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2025. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1645346
  5. Lu Y, Deng B, Xu L, et al. Effects of Rhodiola Rosea Supplementation on Exercise and Sport: A Systematic Review. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2022. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.856287
  6. Mou J, Yin J, Fan L, et al. Antioxidant but not ergogenic or altitude-protective: a meta-analysis of Rhodiola species in healthy adults. Frontiers in Physiology. 2026. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2026.1908897
  7. Dou Y, Wang Y, Zhang W, et al. Effects of Rhodiola rosea on Physical and Decision-Making Performance in Football Players: A Randomised Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2026. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18050724
  8. Yarahmadi Y, Tayebi SM, Bassami M, et al. Short-term Rhodiola rosea supplementation improves premenstrual symptoms, reaction time, and perceived exertion in female taekwondo athletes: a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1080/15502783.2026.2743154
  9. Koozehchian MS, Newton AT, Mabrey G, et al. Dose-Response Effects of Short-Term Rhodiola rosea (Golden Root Extract) Supplementation on Anaerobic Exercise Performance and Cognitive Function in Resistance-Trained Athletes: A Randomized, Crossover, Double-Blind, and Placebo-Controlled Study. Nutrients. 2025. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17233736
  10. Marcos-Frutos D, Leban Ž, Li Z, et al. The Impact of Rhodiola Rosea Extract on Strength Performance in Alternative Bench-Press and Bench-Pull Exercises Under Resting and Mental Fatigue Conditions: A Randomized, Triple-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Trial. Nutrients. 2025. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17060940
  11. Gao Z, Liu Y, Liao W, et al. Efficacy and safety of Rhodiola crenulata extract in the treatment of acute high altitude disease, based on studies involving populations in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2025. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2025.1595953
  12. Mao JJ, Xie SX, Zee J, et al. Rhodiola rosea versus sertraline for major depressive disorder: A randomized placebo-controlled trial. Phytomedicine. 2015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2015.01.010
  13. Thu OK, Spigset O, Nilsen OG, et al. Effect of commercial Rhodiola rosea on CYP enzyme activity in humans. European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 2016. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00228-015-1988-7
  14. Booker A, Jalil B, Frommenwiler D, et al. The authenticity and quality of Rhodiola rosea products. Phytomedicine. 2016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2015.10.006
  15. Björnsson HK, Björnsson ES, Avula B, et al. Ashwagandha-induced liver injury: A case series from Iceland and the US Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network. Liver International. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1111/liv.14393

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