Rhodiola 
(Rhodiola rosea)

Rhodiola, also known as Golden Root, has many traditions in herbal medicine that spans thousands of years – these ancient traditions have been confirmed by modern clinical research across the globe, but mostly in Russia. There is a modern and traditional medical usage of Rhodiola in Tibet, Russia, China, France, Germany, Iceland, Ancient Greece and Finland. Rhodiola has a very exciting future, not only with its application in the field of herbal medicine, but in general medicine and is being researched further in many countries in relation to treatment for diverse conditions. From 1960 to the present day over 180 studies, including numerous impressive clinical trials, have been published demonstrating Rhodiola’s ability to resist both physical and emotional stress.

​Dr Lazarev in Russia, 1949, first coined the term adaptogen. Rhodiola is categorized as an adaptogen herbal medicine. The definition of an adaptogen is “a new substance of plant origin which increases non-specific resistance” (Brekhman & Dardymov, 1968). These two Russian pharmacologists surveyed the medical literature on over 180 herb species and identified five, including Rhodiola rosea that met the three defining criteria for an adaptogen. Nearly forty years on further botanical medicines have since been incorporated in the list. However, the criteria remains as this:

• They should be a neutral substance, in as far as causing minimal disturbance of the normal physiological functions, basically non-toxic.

 

• The action of an adaptogen should be non-specific and should increase the resistance to a broad spectrum of adverse influences from potentially harmful factors and extremes of weather, physical, environmental, emotional, mental, chemical or biological involving multiple systems of the body. – psychoneuroendocrinoimmunology (PNEI)

 

• Adaptogens should help to normalize all functional capacity – they should modulate and promote balance. If a system or organ is underactive or hyperactive – then the same adaptogen can modulate these parameters​

​Oxygen – Rhodiola extract has been shown to increase intracellular oxygen diffusion and efficiency of oxygen diffusion.
 
Rhodiola extract improved characteristics of urothelial (urinary tract lining) tissue integration parameters of leukocytes and T-cell immunity in bladder carcinoma in a Russian study. Some other studies showed that Rhodiola extract could enhance tumor inhibition with chemotherapy, whilst diminishing the potential side effects.
 
Rhodiola extract was used at a low dose and was shown to improve the physical and mental performance of medical doctors working night shifts. Rhodiola formed part of the famously researched Russian herbal formula ADAPT – which also contained adaptogens Schizandra and Eleutherococcus, which was researched by Dr Victor Baranov and his team and in relation to the effect of supporting the nervous system and improving performance with athletes and cosmonauts.
 
One study treating patients with a combination of Rhodiola extract and prescription tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) found that the patients began to improve with their symptoms right across the board, the presence of the Rhodiola reduced the incidence of the side effects expected with TCAs and many of the patients were able to stop the TCAs and just take the Rhodiola alone.

Applications:

• Supports healthy pancreas 
• Normalizes blood pressure
• Improves neurological functions
• Supports Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis (HPA Axis)
• Modulates Cortisol secretions
• Increases beta-endorphins in acute situations
• Increases dopamine and noradrenaline in cerebral cortex
• Increases exercise capacity
• Assists in increased fat metabolism
• Reduces leptin resistance (when your leptin is high, you're overweight, but your brain can't see it)
• Reduces mental fatigue
• Reduces physical fatigue
• Supports adrenal functions, thus helping to reduce chronic fatigue
• Physical fitness
• Improves muscle mass
• Can enhance various types of sports performance – even up to Olympic standard according to many trials
• Can improve associative thinking, increases cerebral functions
• Improves short-term memory – appears to help reduce age-related memory loss
• Can improve concentration levels
• Enhances speed of audio-visual perception
• Cooling detoxification
• Improves circulatory system
• Acts as a cardio protective
• Antioxidant
• Inhibits oxidative stress
• Traditional use in treating inflammation of the intestines
• painful periods
• promotes fertility in women
• Low libido
• Counters altitude sickness
• mood swings
• Increasing serotonin in the Hypothalamus 
• Headaches
• Improving work activity
• Poor appetite
• Trouble sleeping
• General anxiety
• Panic attacks
• Helps to counter examination stress and has been shown to improve exam performance (possibly because students were more relaxed and less agitated)
• Menopausal balance

You can find Rhodiola Root in Good Herbs Hypothalamus Support

Good Herbs Hypothalamus Support is made with pure, unaltered, chemical-free natural herbs that provide hypothalamus health support. The hypothalamus is responsible for a wide-range of functions in the body. Hypothalamus Support contains a proprietary herbal blend of organic or wild-crafted herbs that help support a healthy hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal glands, plus feeds the endocrine system and provides glandular support.

Proprietary Herbal Extract Blend
ASHWAGANDHA, ELEUTHERO, BILBERRY FRUIT, RHODIOLA, SCHIZANDRA BERRY.