Herbal Spotlight: Rhodiola

An Adaptable Herb

Rhodiola rosea (also known as “golden root”, or “roseroot”) is a herb which is native to the Arctic regions of Europe and Asia. Rhodiola has been used medicinally throughout history in Asia, Russia and Eastern Europe to treat depression, anxiety, weakness, fatigue and mental stress. Rhodiola is classified as an “adaptogen”, which means that it is a herb which can assist the body in dealing with stress, help to maintain vitality and improve strength in general.

How Rhodiola Works

Rhodiola has several active constituents, including rosavin and salidroside, among others, which are believed to give Rhodiola it’s stress-fighting properties1. Rhodiola’s mechanism of action is suspected to be largely through neurotransmission, including serotonin, dopamine and adrenaline modulation2. My experience has been that this herb has a balancing effect on mood, energy, stress and can be a helpful adjunct to stress management techniques in people who are feeling the pinch of stress or exhaustion.

rhodiola rosea

Conditions Treated

There has been encouraging clinical research performed on Rhodiola over the past two decades, including trials showing beneficial effects on fatigue3,4,5,6,7,8, general well-being9, mild to moderate depression10, generalized anxiety disorder11, muscle damage during exercise12 and improved endurance exercise performance13. The available research has been quite supportive of the traditional uses of the herb and has even found some new clinical uses.


There are no known major adverse effects of Rhodiola and the reported adverse effects, including dry mouth and dizziness, have been mild at standard doses10,11. Rhodiola should be not be used during pregnancy due to a lack of safety data in pregnancy. As with all herbal medicines, interactions with medications are possible. Please consult with your naturopathic doctor before starting any new herbal treatment.


  1. Petkov VD, Yonkov D, Mosharoff A, Kambourova T, Alova L, Petkov VV, Todorov I.
    Effects of alcohol aqueous extract from Rhodiola rosea L. roots on learning and memory. Acta Physiol Pharmacol Bulg. 1986;12(1):3-16.
  8. Spasov AA, Mandrikov VB, Mironova IA. The effect of the preparation rodakson on the psychophysiological and physical adaptation of students to an academic load. Eksp Klin Farmakol. 2000 Jan-Feb;63(1):76-8.

Dr. Colin MacLeod ND

Dr. Colin MacLeod ND

Naturopathic Doctor at MacLeod Naturopathic
Dr. Colin MacLeod ND

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