Rhodiola Rosea Benefits for Stress and Fatigue: What the Evidence Shows

Short answer: The best studied rhodiola rosea benefits are less fatigue and better concentration during periods of stress, plus possible small gains in endurance. The strongest single trial, in 60 adults with stress-related fatigue, found that 576 mg a day of a standardized extract for 28 days beat placebo on a burnout scale and on attention tests. Overall, though, human studies are small, mixed and often flawed, so NCCIH says there is not enough reliable evidence to confirm that rhodiola helps any health condition.

Key Takeaways

• Rhodiola rosea (golden root, arctic root, rose root) is a plant from cold, high altitude regions with a long history of use for fatigue, endurance and work capacity.^[1]
• A 2012 systematic review of 11 controlled trials found benefit for mental fatigue in 3 of 5 trials and for physical fatigue in 2 of 6 trials, but every study had a high risk of bias or unclear reporting.^[5]
• In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, 576 mg a day of the SHR-5 extract for 28 days reduced burnout scores and improved attention in people with stress-related fatigue.^[6]
• Rhodiola is considered possibly safe for up to 12 weeks. Reported side effects include dizziness, headache, insomnia and dry mouth or excess saliva.^[1]
• Talk to a doctor first if you take antidepressants, blood thinners, diabetes or blood pressure drugs, or immune suppressing medication.^[2][3]

What Is Rhodiola Rosea?

Rhodiola rosea is a flowering plant that grows in cold, mountainous parts of Europe, Asia and North America. Its root has been used for generations in Russia and Scandinavia to improve work performance and endurance and to fight fatigue, low mood and altitude sickness.^[1] Today it is sold mainly for stress, energy, mood, focus and athletic performance.

Rhodiola is usually described as an “adaptogen,” a traditional label for herbs said to help the body handle stress. That word is a marketing and historical term, not a medical one. It does not mean the herb has been proven to protect against stress.

What is in the root

The root contains many active compounds, but two are treated as the main ones: rosavin and salidroside.^[4] Supplements are sold either as plain root powder or as standardized extracts, which Examine notes are often standardized to 1 to 5% salidroside.^[4] Lab research on salidroside suggests antioxidant and nerve protecting activity, and some researchers think rhodiola may inhibit monoamine oxidase (MAO) enzymes, which is one proposed reason for its mood effects.^[2] Those findings come from cells and animals, not from people.

Rhodiola Rosea Benefits: What Human Studies Show

Most of the evidence on rhodiola concerns fatigue, stress and mental performance. Here is what the better known human research actually found, with the limits stated plainly.

Mental and physical fatigue

A systematic review by Ishaque and colleagues, published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine in 2012, screened 206 articles and included 11 controlled trials (10 randomized).^[5] Results were split:

• Mental fatigue: 3 of 5 randomized trials reported a benefit.
• Physical fatigue: 2 of 6 trials in healthy people reported a benefit.

The authors described the evidence as contradictory and noted that all included studies had either a high risk of bias or reporting problems serious enough to make their validity unclear. Their conclusion: rhodiola may help physical performance and mental fatigue, but a large, well designed trial is still needed.^[5]

Stress-related fatigue and burnout

The most cited controlled trial comes from Sweden. Olsson and colleagues randomized 60 adults aged 20 to 55 who met diagnostic criteria for fatigue syndrome to either the SHR-5 rhodiola extract (four tablets a day, 576 mg of extract) or placebo for 28 days.^[6]

• Both groups improved, which the authors attributed partly to the placebo effect.
• Compared with placebo, the rhodiola group did better on the Pines burnout scale and on several attention measures.
• The morning cortisol response to waking changed differently in the rhodiola group.
• No serious side effects were attributed to the extract.

This is encouraging but it is one small, four week study, so it cannot settle the question on its own.

A larger 2017 study by Kasper and Dienel gave 118 outpatients with burnout symptoms 400 mg a day of a different extract (200 mg twice daily) for 12 weeks.^[7] Most stress and burnout measures improved, some within the first week, and clinicians rated 41.9% of patients as markedly improved. However, there was no placebo group and the trial was sponsored by the extract maker, so the authors themselves call the results preliminary and hypothesis generating.^[7]

Mood, anxiety and endurance

Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) lists preliminary human data for physical endurance, mental performance, fatigue, stress, a small pilot study in generalized anxiety, and mild to moderate depression.^[2] In one comparison with the antidepressant sertraline, rhodiola was better tolerated but less effective.^[2] The MSD Manual reaches a similar view: possible benefits for endurance, fatigue under stress, anxiety and depression, but from small, poor quality studies with conflicting results.^[3] Depression and anxiety disorders are medical conditions that need a clinician, not a self-selected herb.

Evidence at a Glance

The independent verdict is cautious. NCCIH, part of the US National Institutes of Health, states that there is not enough reliable evidence to determine whether rhodiola is helpful for any health purpose, and that most human studies are of low to moderate quality.^[1]

How Much Rhodiola Was Used in Studies

There is no official dose for rhodiola. The amounts below are what researchers used, not a prescription.

Practical points

• Look for a standardized extract. Trials used specific extracts, so results do not automatically transfer to any root powder. Labels that list salidroside content are easier to compare.^[4]
• Keep courses short. Safety data cover roughly 6 to 12 weeks.^[1][3]
• Take it earlier in the day. Insomnia is a reported side effect, so morning or midday use is a sensible choice.^[1]
• Check quality. Supplements are not approved by the FDA before sale.^[1] A third-party tested product lowers the risk of a mislabeled bottle. Our guide to third-party tested supplements explains what to look for.

Rhodiola Side Effects and Safety

Rhodiola is generally well tolerated in short studies, but it is not risk free.

Common side effects

• Dizziness^[1][2]
• Dry mouth or, less often, excess saliva^[1][3]
• Headache^[1]
• Insomnia^[1]

Drug interactions

• Antidepressants: MSK reports a case of a fast, irregular heartbeat in a woman who took rhodiola with an antidepressant for three days, and lists possible added serotonin related effects.^[2]
• Blood thinners and anti-seizure drugs: rhodiola may affect the liver enzymes that clear warfarin and phenytoin, both drugs with a narrow safety margin.^[2]
• Blood pressure medication: an interaction with losartan has been reported, and rhodiola may lower blood pressure.^[1][3]
• Diabetes medication: rhodiola may lower blood sugar, which adds risk with insulin or other glucose lowering drugs.^[3]
• Immune suppressants: rhodiola may stimulate the immune system and work against these drugs.^[3]

Who Should Avoid Rhodiola or See a Doctor First

• People with autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis.^[3]
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women and children, since safety has not been studied.^[1][3]
• Anyone taking antidepressants, blood thinners, anti-seizure drugs, diabetes drugs, blood pressure drugs or immune suppressants.^[2][3]
• Anyone whose fatigue is persistent, severe or unexplained. Ongoing exhaustion can come from sleep apnea, thyroid problems, anemia, depression, low testosterone and many other causes that need testing. Our article on signs of low testosterone covers one of them.

Before reaching for any supplement, the basics usually do more for stress and energy: consistent sleep timing, regular exercise, less alcohol and limiting caffeine late in the day. See our sleep routines for men for a practical starting point.

Where Ultra Bann Fits

To be clear about our own product, here is the full picture. Rhodiola is not one of the ingredients in Ultra Bann. Ultra Bann is a natural male vitality supplement by DL Bioproducts, taken as one capsule every 2 days. Each 800 mg serving contains seven botanicals with every amount on the label and no proprietary blend: Thai Butea superba 345 mg, Panax ginseng 110 mg, Cynomorium songaricum 85 mg, black ginger (Kaempferia parviflora) 85 mg, tongkat ali 85 mg, epimedium (horny goat weed) 45 mg and reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) 45 mg.

If you are interested in traditional herbs with a similar reputation, our guides to Panax ginseng for men and reishi mushroom review their research with the same evidence-first approach. You can read the full label on our ingredients page or see the product in the Ultra Bann shop. First orders ship free in the US and come with a 60-day money-back guarantee.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is rhodiola rosea good for?

It is mainly used for stress-related fatigue, mental tiredness and endurance. Some small trials found less fatigue and better concentration, but NCCIH considers the overall evidence insufficient to confirm any health benefit.^[1][5][6]

How long does rhodiola take to work?

In the placebo-controlled burnout trial, results were measured after 28 days. In the 12 week open-label study, some scores improved after one week, but that study had no placebo group, so early changes may partly reflect expectation.^[6][7]

What are the main rhodiola side effects?

Dizziness, headache, insomnia and dry mouth or excess saliva are the most reported. More serious risks come from interactions, especially with antidepressants, blood thinners, diabetes and blood pressure drugs.^[1][2][3]

Can I take rhodiola every day?

Studies used daily doses for 4 to 12 weeks, and NCCIH rates it possibly safe for up to 12 weeks. Long term daily use has not been well studied, so check with a clinician before continuing beyond that.^[1][7]

Is rhodiola in Ultra Bann?

No. Ultra Bann contains seven botanicals (Butea superba, Panax ginseng, Cynomorium, black ginger, tongkat ali, epimedium and reishi) and nothing else. The full label is on the ingredients page.

References

1. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Rhodiola. NIH.
2. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Rhodiola. About Herbs, updated April 2026.
3. MSD Manual Consumer Version. Rhodiola.
4. Examine. What is Rhodiola rosea?
5. Ishaque S, Shamseer L, Bukutu C, Vohra S. Rhodiola rosea for physical and mental fatigue: a systematic review. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2012;12:70.
6. Olsson EMG, et al. Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the SHR-5 extract of Rhodiola rosea roots in subjects with stress-related fatigue (abstract). Planta Medica. Thieme, 2009;75(2):105-112.
7. Kasper S, Dienel A. Multicenter, open-label, exploratory clinical trial with Rhodiola rosea extract in patients suffering from burnout symptoms. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment. 2017;13:889-898.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This article is for information only and is not medical advice.