Rhodiola rosea for stress-induced fatigue

Rhodiola Rosea: A Natural Boost for Mental Performance

A study published in 2000 aimed to figure out whether Rhodiola rosea, a plant known for its stress-busting properties, could help doctors who work night shifts. The study wanted to see if this plant extract could make a difference to their mental performance.

The researchers rounded up 56 healthy, young doctors and put them through a set of tricky tests. These tests were designed to measure their memory, problem-solving skills, concentration, and how quickly they could process what they saw and heard – all after a night of work.

The doctors were divided into three phases over six weeks: one where they took a Rhodiola rosea extract pill every day, a break phase, and then another where they took a placebo pill. The beauty of this “double-blind” study is that neither the doctors nor the researchers knew when the real or placebo pill was being taken.

The result? Those who took the Rhodiola rosea extract pill showed a significant improvement in their test scores during the first two weeks. The best part? There were no reported side effects.

This suggests that Rhodiola rosea might be a natural way to help combat fatigue, especially under stressful conditions like night shifts.

Find out more about this study here.