All About Rhodiola Rosea
What is Rhodiola Rosea?
Rhodiola rosea is a small plant used as a health supplement that grows in places with cold climate. It belongs to the Crassulaceae plant family and is found in the Arctic, Central Asian Mountains, Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, The Alps, Scandinavia, Great Britain, Iceland, Altai Mountains, Pyrenees and Ireland. Rhodiola rosea also known as Golden Root, Siberian Root, Roseroot, Arctic Root, Aaron’s Rod and Rhodaxon is a dioecious perennial plant which means it may live for more than two years and has both male and female plant. The plant reaches a height of 5 to 35 centimeters on areas that are elevated up to 2000 meters.
Rhodiola rosea produces small bright yellow flowers and a thick root that is highly sought after because of its health benefits. This prized plant’s roots, when cut, will emit a fragrant scent similar to a rose flower, hence the name “Rosea “. There are over 200 species of Rhodiola plants but only the Rhodiola rosea has been used as a health supplement because it is the only one to show significant health benefits.
Rhodiola Rosea Usage
The Rhodiola rosea has been used as far back as 77 AD. This is when the medicinal plant was first documented by a Greek physician named Dioscorides. The plant has been used as staple energy drink by the early Vikings. This provides them with the energy, endurance and stamina needed for their long journeys. Chinese emperors would frequently send expeditions to the remote Siberian Mountains to harvest Rhodiola rosea which they called the Golden Root. The Russians so highly prized the Rhodiolas growing in the Siberian Mountains that they once made it illegal to trade it outside of their territory. They needed the Rhodiola rosea to survive the harsh winters of Siberia.
The Rhodiola rosea is branded as an Adaptogen by a Russian Scientist named Dr. Lazarev because it easily passes the qualifications needed for a medicinal herb to be considered one. The following standards must be met to be considered an adaptogen: Must be nontoxic and cause very few, if any, side effects, produce nonspecific resistance in the body to all kinds of stress which include physical, chemical and biological stress, produce a normalizing influence on the body.
roots of rhodiola rosea
Benefits from Taking Rhodiola Rosea
The Rhodiola rosea contains powerful chemicals and antioxidants that produce positive effects on the body to keep the body in top condition.
• Rhodiola rosea energizes free radicals (uncharged molecules) and protects the body against oxidative damage.
• Rhodiola rosea limits the release of excess cortisol. Excessive cortisol in the body will ultimately lead to poor tolerance to stress.
• Rhodiola rosea minimizes the consumption of oxygen in a cellular level thereby making efficient use of the body’s stored nutrients.
• Rhodiola rosea increases the production of protein in the body that is used in repairing damaged cells that comprises the organs.
• Rhodiola rosea promotes the production of neuro-transmitters like serotonin and dopamine. These substances contribute to a person’s feeling of happiness and of general well-being.
• Rhodiola rosea stimulates the production of the body’s natural defensive cells that protect against infections.
• Rhodiola rosea improves metabolism to break down fat and convert it to energy.
Why use Rhodiola rosea?
As with many other herbal health supplements, Rhodiola rosea has managed to collect an impressive list of medical conditions that will show positive effects from taking the supplement. The herbal supplement being all-natural, is a better alternative to laboratory synthesized medications that are dangerous if misused.
• Improved Mental Performance
Rhodiola rosea’s active components help in improving an individual’s Focus, attention span, concentration, memory retainment, mental acuity and other healthy cognitive functions. It increases an individual’s mental alertness by pumping the brain with healthy levels of blood supply.
• Improved Physical Performance and Conditioning
The ATP-CP also known as the Phosphogen system is the system that continuously provides energy for body energy on a cellular level. Rhodiola rosea aids in the production of more ATP and CP to provide the body with more fuel for difficult tasks that calls for physical labor. The rhodiola rosea also triggers the production of protein which repairs cell and keep them in their peek working condition.
• Stress Reduction
The body naturally has a set limit when dealing or coping with stress. Rhodiola rosea pushes the body’s tolerance to stress even higher for us to be able to adapt to the increased stress that comes from living in these modern times. The human body should not be in constant exposure to stress, be it mental or physical. When under a lot of stress, the body releases huge amounts of cortisol. Cortisol is a steroid hormone that is released as a response to stress but too much of it produces unwanted side effects like Decreased bone formation, Reduced bone mass, Cushing’s syndrome, Diabetes, Depression and High blood pressure.
• Alleviate Depression
Recent studies made in Sweden shows that Rhodiola rosea has anti-depressant qualities and may prove beneficial to people under mild or moderate stress. Because Rhodiola rosea prevents massive production of cortisol (also known as the “stress hormone”), it helps the brain produce more serotonin and dopamine which are the foil to cortisol. Serotonin and Dopamine are the Happy hormones that chemically induces happiness and positive mentality in the brain.
• Proper Functioning of the Endocrine
Rhodiola rosea improves the all-too-important endocrine glands, the glands that are responsible for the production of various hormones that act as key players in the body’s various functions. These hormones include Oxytocin, Dopamine, Serotonin, Testosterone, Estrogen, Adrenaline, Noradrenalin and Insulin to name a few.
The Right Dosage to Take
How much Rhodiola rosea extract can one handle? Rhodiola rosea supplements usually come in capsules or tablet form. Before taking the supplement, be sure to read directions on the products label first. The standard daily dosage on most rhodiola rosea products is twice a day for 200 milligram capsule or thrice a day for 100 mg capsules. But whether to give herbal supplements to obvious special cases like babies, seriously sick patients and pregnant women, ultimately depends on professional advice from licensed Physicians.
