A supplement you may never have even heard of could do everything from increase your energy and endurance to reduce stress and anxiety to treat depression.
While it may not be on most Americans’ radar, Russians have long known about it — and the Soviet Union even gave it to their Olympians, cosmonauts, and soldiers to improve their performance, boost their moods, and up their energy.
In the 1970s, the USSR’s Ministry of Defense conducted top-secret tests in Siberia to find herbal solutions that would help their soldiers in Afghanistan, National Geographic reported.
One of the plants they tested and found success with was Rhodiola rosea, a succulent that grows in cold, high-altitude climates — and they found that soldiers taking it remained energized during sleep deprivation exercises.
“It stimulates you without making you crash and burn,” Patricia Gerbarg, an Assistant Clinical Professor in Psychiatry at New York Medical College, told National Geographic.
They went on to give it to cosmonauts at the Russian space station — who were put in better moods — and Olympic athletes, who saw their endurance and recovery improve.
“It was considered a Soviet military secret,” Dr. Petra Illig, the founder of Alaska Rhodiola Products, atold Slate. “Most of what was done back then was unpublished and hidden in drawers in Moscow. They used it for the physical and mental performance of their soldiers and athletes.”
Though no one was allowed to talk about the tests, one Russian researcher later smuggled confidential documents to the U.S.
More recently, Rhodiola has started to catch on more here, with countless brands selling versions at various strengths.
On Amazon, a $14.99 option from the brand Bronson has over 5,100 reviews, with shoppers calling it “so calming” and claiming “my overall energy has increased as well as my mood.” Another $17.94 bottle from the brand Now has over 3,200 ratings, with one reviewer calling it a “miracle” for her anxiety and saying it “drastically changed my life for the better.”
Though Soviets seemed impressed with the results, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health warns that only preliminary research points to benefits of Rhodiola, and more rigorous studies need to be performed.
Still, those preliminary studies seem promising: One conducted by Samford University in 2021 found that Rhodiola increased how fast men could bench press, concluding that it could “enhance explosive resistance training performance.” However, they also found that it might impair upper body strength-endurance.
Another study on women found that it led to better performance anaerobic exercise, like sprinting or weightlifting.
“Rhodiola rosea is classified as an adaptogen, which means it may help the body adapt to stress and promote overall resilience,” registered dietitian Chrissy Arsenault told Forbes.
As for moods, a 2017 study found that the plant eased people’s stress symptoms, while another study concluded that it might be effective to treat stress-related fatigue. Other research has indicated that Rhodiola may also reduce symptoms of depression, ward of fatigue, and enhance memory and concentration.
Possible side effects include dizziness, dry mouth, excessive saliva, low blood pressure, and low blood sugar.
