Rhodiola Rosea: Benefits, Side Effects and How to Read the Label

Rhodiola rosea is a flowering plant from cold, high-altitude regions whose root is sold as an adaptogen, a supplement said to help the body cope with stress. Some small trials suggest it may ease feelings of fatigue or improve exercise endurance, but reviews rate much of the research as low quality, and the NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says there is not enough reliable evidence to know whether it helps with any health purpose. Dizziness, dry mouth and headache are reported side effects, it may interact with some medicines, and lab tests have found many products contain the wrong species. Here is what the research shows and how to read a rhodiola label.

Peptide Labs sells supplements that contain rhodiola, but this article does not recommend any of them. It is general information, not medical advice.

What is Rhodiola rosea?

Rhodiola rosea belongs to the stonecrop family (Crassulaceae) and goes by names such as golden root, arctic root and roseroot. NCCIH says it grows in cold, high-altitude parts of Europe, Asia and North America and was traditionally used in Russia and Scandinavia for work performance, endurance, fatigue and altitude sickness, among other purposes. Supplements use the root and rhizome, the underground stem.

Two groups of compounds get the most attention. Rosavin, rosarin and rosin are found only in R. rosea and one close relative, while salidroside occurs in all Rhodiola species, according to a 2018 analysis in Frontiers in Pharmacology. The same paper notes that extracts are usually standardized to 3% rosavin and 1% salidroside, but that marker content alone does not show whether a product works. Other species, such as Rhodiola crenulata used in traditional Chinese medicine, have different chemistry. Researchers at University College London report that both R. rosea and R. crenulata are becoming endangered in the wild, which raises the risk of substitution.

What does adaptogen mean?

According to a 2021 review in Nutrients, the term adaptogen was introduced in 1947 by the Soviet scientist Lazarev for substances said to raise the body’s resistance to stress. Plants usually placed in the group include Panax ginseng, eleuthero, Schisandra and Rhodiola rosea, and athletes began using them about 50 years ago. The review also notes that human clinical trials are limited. Ashwagandha is often marketed the same way; our ashwagandha guide reviews that evidence. In short, calling a plant an adaptogen describes a claimed effect, not a proven one.

Rhodiola benefits: what the research shows

Fatigue and stress

A 2012 systematic review from the University of Alberta screened 206 articles and included 11 controlled trials. Two of six trials on physical fatigue and three of five on mental fatigue reported a benefit, but every study had a high or unclear risk of bias. The reviewers called the research “contradictory” and asked for a rigorous, well-reported trial. A 2017 multicenter study gave a branded extract (WS 1375) to 100 adults with prolonged or chronic fatigue symptoms for eight weeks. Fatigue scores fell, with the largest change in the first week, and most side effects were mild. Because everyone knew they were taking rhodiola and there was no placebo group, the study cannot separate the extract’s effect from expectation or natural recovery.

MSK describes the data as preliminary, saying rhodiola may improve endurance and mental performance and reduce fatigue and stress, while calling for better-quality studies. Rhodiola has also been studied for low mood; NCCIH stresses that depression needs evaluation by a health professional and that supplements are no substitute.

Exercise

A 2025 meta-analysis pooled 26 randomized trials in 668 healthy participants with an average age of 22, taking rhodiola for about a month on average. It found improvements in maximal oxygen uptake, time to exhaustion and time-trial results, and lower blood markers of muscle damage, with no change in inflammation markers. The authors advised cautious interpretation because results varied widely between studies.

Traditional use in Europe

The European Medicines Agency’s herbal committee first published a monograph on rhodiola root in 2012 and revised it in March 2024. It accepts specified ethanol extracts as a “traditional herbal medicinal product for the relief of symptoms of stress, such as fatigue and exhaustion,” based exclusively on long-standing use rather than proof from trials. The monograph does not recommend use under 18 or during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and advises seeing a doctor if symptoms last longer than two weeks or get worse. In the United States, rhodiola is sold as a dietary supplement, which the FDA does not approve before sale.

Quality problems: mislabeled species and adulteration

In a 2016 study in Phytomedicine, University College London researchers tested about 40 rhodiola products. About one in five that claimed to be R. rosea contained no rosavin, some appeared to contain no salidroside, and about 80% of the rest had less rosavin than registered herbal medicines and appeared to be mixed with other Rhodiola species. Co-authors included staff of an analytical equipment company and a German herbal medicine maker. A follow-up found 30% of rhodiola samples bought on the Chinese market were adulterated with other species, often at the collection stage. Our guide to third-party tested supplements explains what independent seals check. On any label, look for:

• The species: Rhodiola rosea, another named species, or just “rhodiola”.
• The plant part: root or rhizome.
• The extract type: a stated rosavin and salidroside percentage, or only a ratio such as 5:1, which describes how much raw root went into the extract, not its marker content.
• Blends: a proprietary blend may not show how much rhodiola it contains.

Three products we carry show how much labels differ. ZOROAHER GLP-1 Activator lists a Rhodiola rosea 5:1 root extract alongside berberine, Akkermansia, L-theanine, chromium and saffron, which our saffron guide covers; despite its name, it is a dietary supplement, not a GLP-1 medicine. Foodology Coleology Cut PRO lists “rhodiola extract powder” with green tea extract, without naming the species, and green tea extract naturally contains caffeine. Zantrex Blue lists Rhodiola crenulata, a different species, inside a high-stimulant blend with yerba mate, guarana and caffeine. None of the three states its rosavin or salidroside content, and because each is a multi-ingredient formula, rhodiola research does not tell you what these products do.

Rhodiola side effects and drug interactions

NCCIH describes rhodiola as possibly safe for up to 12 weeks and lists dizziness, headache, insomnia, and dry mouth or excess saliva as side effects. The European monograph adds nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea, skin rash and itching, with frequency unknown. Check with a clinician or pharmacist first if any of these apply:

• Antidepressants: MSK cites a case of a fast, irregular heartbeat in a person taking rhodiola with antidepressants.
• Warfarin: MSK says rhodiola may affect how it works.
• Phenytoin and other seizure medicines: MSK warns of a higher risk of side effects.
• Losartan: NCCIH notes a documented interaction with this blood pressure drug.
• Other prescription drugs: lab studies show rhodiola blocks liver enzymes CYP3A4 and CYP2C9 and the P-gp transporter, which handle many medicines.
• Pregnancy, breastfeeding or under 18: NCCIH reports limited safety data, and the European monograph does not recommend use.
• Stimulant formulas: blends that add caffeine or guarana bring their own heart-rate and sleep effects.

Fatigue that lasts for weeks can have medical causes that a supplement will not address, so see a clinician rather than trying one herb after another. Our article on cortisol and stress supplements covers other products sold for stress. Seek urgent care for chest pain, fainting or a racing or irregular heartbeat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting any supplement, especially if you take medicines. 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.

Last reviewed September 2026.

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