Anxiety and stress can make it tough to get through the day. But a study has found that supplementing with an extract of roseroot (also called Rhodiola rosea or just rhodiola) may help. Rhodiola is a perennial flowering plant that grows in the arctic regions of Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional medicine to treat fatigue and depression, among other ailments. The study was published in Phytotherapy Research and included 80 participants with self-reported mild anxiety. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups and received either no treatment or 200 mg of a rhodiola supplement twice daily. Participants performed cognitive tests and reported on aspects of their mental state and mood, including anxiety and stress, four times throughout the 14-day study. At the end of the study, here is what the researchers found:

• Participants taking the rhodiola extract reported a statistically significant decrease in anxiety, stress, anger, confusion, and depression, and an improvement in overall mood, compared with those not receiving treatment.
• Taking rhodiola did not affect cognitive function during the study.

This study may come as welcome news for people interested in managing mild anxiety and stress with natural therapies. However, the study did not include a placebo group for comparison, so more research is needed to establish a causal relationship between rhodiola and reduced symptoms of anxiety and stress. It’s also important to note that this study was funded by the manufacturer of the rhodiola extract used in the study, so more research from unaffiliated parties is needed. If you think rhodiola might help lift your mood, talk with your healthcare practitioner before adding it (or any new supplement) to your health regimen.

Source: Phytotherapy Research