Dietary Supplements for Use in Extreme Sports
Datta Sourya, Debasis Bagchi in Extreme and Rare Sports, 2019
Rhodiola rosea (R. rosea) is a plant grown in mountainous regions of the northern hemisphere whose extract is used for medicinal purposes in various regions of Europe and Asia.123 Though its effects on cognitive performance are not well researched in humans, proponents of R. rosea extract suggest it is capable of enhancing mental performance, particularly during stressful situations. At least three studies support this claim.124,125Recently, Jowko et al. reported that 26 healthy male students improved simple and choice reaction time during a battery of psychomotor tests following 4 weeks of R. rosea supplementation (600 mg/day), relative to placebo.126 However, equivocal evidence exists with regard to R. rosea’s possible effects on cognitive performance. Of particular relevance to athletes, two studies have reported that R. rosea does not improve cognitive performance during or after exercise.127,128This equivocal evidence, in combination with the questionable quality of supporting research, has prompted several recent reviews to conclude that R. rosea is not efficacious for improving cognitive performance.115,123,129 Thus, though future research is warranted, R. rosea is not currently recommended for athletes looking to improve mental performance.
Rhodiola rosea
Linda M. Castell, Samantha J. Stear (Nottingham), Louise M. Burke in Nutritional Supplements in Sport, Exercise and Health, 2015
Rhodiola rosea is an herb from the Crassulacae family and is also known as arctic root, rose root and golden root. It grows in the mountainous and arctic regions of North America, Europe and Asia (Brown et al., 2002). Though belonging to a completely separate botanical family, supplements from Rhodiola species are purported to have many of the same ergogenic outcomes attributed to ginseng, with a supposed source of bioactivity being a subclass of glycosides (in this case, rosavins). It is purported that Rhodiola possesses several ergogenic properties such as increasing physical and mental performance (Abidov et al., 2003) and enhancing cognitive and neural function (Spasov et al., 2000). Also, members of genus Rhodiola have a high polyphenol content, including quercetin, and so may also play a role in free radical mitigation (see section on antioxidants). It has been described as an adaptogen because of its cardioprotective effects (De Sanctis et al., 2004).
Herbs with Antidepressant Effects
Scott Mendelson in Herbal Treatment of Major Depression, 2019
Rhodiola rosea acquired its classification as an adaptogen through its apparent ability to relieve stress and buffer the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. These effects of Rhodiola rosea were evaluated in human adults suffering “fatigue syndrome” or “other reactions to severe stress,” as defined by the ICD criteria. Extract of Rhodiola rosea containing salidroside, tyrosol, rosavin, and triandrin, or placebo were administered over 28 days. Rhodiola rosea produced a significant lessening in symptoms of “burnout” as measured by the Pines Burnout scale. The herb also caused a substantial decrease in the levels of salivary cortisol upon awakening.18 A similar study, albeit without a control group, also found Rhodiola rosea to provide significant relief from symptoms of burnout. Subjects received daily doses of an ethanolic extract of Rhodiola rosea that was high in rosalin. Substantial improvements were seen in the exhaustion and depersonalization scales of the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Treatment improved symptoms of anxiety, exhaustion, feeling of heteronomy, impaired concentration, irritability, loss of zest for life, and somatic symptoms. It also increased sexual interest, frequency, and enjoyment of sex, and improved overall sexual function and satisfaction. In general, Rhodiola rosea led to more alertness, calmness, and “good mood.”19
Salidroside represses proliferation, migration and invasion of human lung cancer cells through AKT and MEK/ERK signal pathway
Published in Artificial Cells, Nanomedicine, and Biotechnology, 2019
Rhodiola rosea is a medicinal herb that is widely distributed at cold and high altitudes regions in Asia, eastern North America and Eastern Europe [6]. Salidroside (p-hydroxyphenethyl-β-d-glucoside, C14H20O7: 300.30) is extracted from dried roots, stems or whole grass of Rhodiola rosea. Sachalinensis is used as an antidepressant, anti-aging, antiviral, anti-inflammatory agent, resisting anoxia and preventing high-altitude sickness [7–12]. Especially, salidroside has been found to exert anti-cancer functions in breast cancer [13], bladder cancer [14], colon cancer [15], fibrosarcoma [16], neuroblastoma [17] and glioma [18] in vitro. In the regard of lung cancer, despite two recent reports showing that salidroside reduces cell viability and ROS generation, and induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human lung cancer cells [19,20], the potential effects of salidroside on migration and invasion of lung cancer cells have not been fully clarified. Moreover, the underlying anti-cancer mechanisms of salidroside remain largely unknown.
The Acute Effects of a Multi-Ingredient Herbal Supplement on Performance Fatigability: A Double-Blind, Randomized, and Placebo-Controlled Trial
Published in Journal of Dietary Supplements, 2021
Eric D. Ryan, Gena R. Gerstner, Jacob A. Mota, Eric T. Trexler, Hayden K. Giuliani, Malia N. M. Blue, Katie R. Hirsch, Abbie E. Smith-Ryan
There is a growing number of herbal extracts that are marketed as ergogenic aids. Rhodiola rosea is an herb found at higher altitudes throughout Europe, Asia, and North America, with various applications dating back hundreds of years (Panossian et al. 2010). Recent studies (De Bock et al. 2004; Noreen et al. 2013) have reported positive improvements in aerobic cycling performance (e.g. time trial and time to exhaustion) following an acute supplementation of Rhodiola rosea extract (RRE). These studies (De Bock et al. 2004; Noreen et al. 2013) have suggested that improved performance is due to an altered perception of effort, which may be linked to altered endogenous opioid production. This was supported by Duncan and Clarke (2014) who reported lower RPE values during exercise and improved perceptions of arousal, pleasure, and vigor following 30 min of submaximal cycling. Studies examining the influence of acute RRE supplementation on anaerobic performance is limited. A very recent paper (Ballmann et al. 2019) indicated that mean power output and total work, but not the fatigue index, was improved during repeated Wingate assessments. However, the acute supplementation (500 mg) was preceded by three days of supplementation (1,500 mg/day). Thus, future studies are needed to determine the influence of an acute only RRE supplementation strategy on anaerobic performance.
Stress management and the role of Rhodiola rosea: a review
Published in International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice, 2018
Ion-George Anghelescu, David Edwards, Erich Seifritz, Siegfried Kasper
The authors reviewed the current literature to identify and assess prevention strategies and treatment options for stress-related symptoms and thus established criteria for an adequate and holistic pharmacological approach to stress. The aim of this process was to propose a consensus for prevention and treatment of symptoms of persistent stress as well as for prevention of health consequences of stress such as burnout and secondary diseases. In this review article we have outlined current understanding of the pathophysiology of stress and identified the areas of greatest clinical need for intervention, which occurs at two stages: as a preventive treatment for a patient with stress to avoid the development of chronic stress and for those already suffering from persistent stress, an appropriate therapy to avoid burnout and secondary diseases. Assessment of prevention and treatment strategies identified some non-pharmacological approaches and some pharmacological approaches which have shown limited efficacy targeting the symptoms of stress and these are outlined below. The literature review process identified a significant amount of data on the clinical effects of Rhodiola rosea extract (RRE) on stress and stress-related disorders and mechanistic studies allude to the ability of RRE to normalise stress and boost energy levels. Thus, in the latter part of this review article we have focused our attention on RRE as a specific pharmacological approach to stress management.
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