Rhodiola Rosea; The Natural Support for Managing Stress

Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea) is a plant that grows in cold parts of Europe and Asia. The root has a long history of use in traditional medicine. It has a wide array of potential health benefits shown in animal and human trails. Rhodiola is considered an adaptogen. Adaptogens are a class of natural substances that are believed to stimulate the body's resistance to physical, environmental, and emotional stressors. Stress is defined as an emotional or physical tension that can develop from events within our external environment or thoughts from our internal one. It can be recognized within the body by markers of an increase in cortisol levels, heart rate and blood pressure. All which at an acute level serve the body in different manners. Stress is considered to be a normal experience of our human condition. Although, chronic or long-term stress is recognized globally as a negative marker of well-being and is a leading cause in the development of many physical and mental diseases. Including depression, anxiety and neurosis for our mental health. As well as the development of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and gasto-intestinal disease for physical health. 

For a healthy lifestyle it is important that one is able to effectively manage stress in ways which improve our resilience and not damage one’s mind, body and soul. This can be done in many different ways including exercise, meditation and exogenous supplementation. Although a combination of all three solutions often works the best at combating stress, physical or mental impairments may prevent one from participating in physical activity. In these cases diet, supplementation and pharmacological interventions are the only solutions for overcoming stress and other adverse effects one experiences in life. As the pharmaceutical industry continues to develop new drugs to mask symptoms of diseases, it has also found itself at the center of many controversies. Oftentimes valuing profit margins over safety and efficacy. Thankfully many people are searching for more natural plant-based alternatives to pharmaceuticals. Rhodiola is one safe and exciting natural herbal supplement that has been shown in animal and human trials, to reduce one’s subjective experience of stress.

Rhodiola’s ability to reduce stress, combat fatigue, increase mental performance cannot be understated. In addition to our mental health it is oftentimes used to improve physical fitness, extend time to exhaustion and build resilience. The mechanisms for which this herbal supplementation is able to do so is still a bit unclear and complex. One factor enhancing the anti-stress effects of rhodiola may occur in part due to it being able to blunt cortisol release under stressful conditions. Another factor may be in its ability to reduce blood pressure and reducing one’s perceived exhaustion to exercise. All factors enable the person using a rhodiola supplement to perform more work in a positive manner.

Rhodiola has been proven to be a safe supplement in test subjects showing very little to any adverse side-effects at proper doses. Effective dosage for Rhodiola has been shown at as little as 50mg and has been proven very effective at managing fatigue and stress at a range of 288-680mg. One should not exceed the upper limit of 680mg per day as no additional benefits have been reported. It is important that relative body anthropometrics of each person will determine how any supplement relatively reacts. So it is important to always begin at a low level and work up until a tolerable and effective dose is reached for you. 

 Prolonged exposure to sources of stress can quite literally make you sick, and the effects on your body can be life-threatening if left unaddressed. There are many different positive ways to deal with stress that can help alleviate its adverse effect on the human mind and body. One such way is through supplementation and one exciting natural supplement which is gaining in prominence and shown to do so is the plant Rhodiola. Rhodiola rosea is one ingredient included in the supplement Mindful Mushroom produced by Pronoia Peaks. If you are looking for a natural way to support your body and mind, look no further than Pronoia Peaks’ Mindful Mushroom supplement and begin your journey to optimal health today!