Rhodiola reported to reduce stress-related fatigue
In a placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial, low-dose
treatment with a standardized extract of Rhodiola rosea
reduced symptoms of fatigue in 56 young, healthy male and female
physicians on night duty. Results were measured via a fatigue
index that took into account various aspects of total mental performance,
including associative thinking, short-term memory, calculation
and ability of concentration, and speed of audio-visual perception.
Although significant effects were seen during only one two-week
study phase (a change in performance of 20%), the investigators
concluded that the extract "possesses a clear anti-fatigue
effect without any reported adverse reactions or side-effects,
at the dosage used in our study in a situation of moderate level
of fatigue and stress." According to the authors, theirs
is one of the first Rhodiola anti-fatigue studies to investigate
the effects of repeated low daily doses of the herb over time
in a "nearly realistic work situation." Dosage used
in the verum groups during each two-week study phase was one 170
mg Rhodiola tablet daily. Each tablet was reported to contain
approximately 4.5 mg salidroside. Darbinyan V, Kteyan A, Panossian
A. Rhodiola rosea in stress induced fatigue-a double blind cross-over
study of a standardized extract SHR-5 with a repeated low-dose
regimen on the mental performance of healthy physicians during
night duty. Phytomedicine 2000; 7(5): 365-371.
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