Rhodiola Rosea – golden root use in sport

Rhodiola rosea, or golden root, is a plant belonging to the Crassulaceae family, found naturally in cool, mountainous and rocky areas. It is found in northern Europe, Asia and areas with harsh climates, where vegetation must adapt to short growing seasons, low temperatures and difficult environmental conditions. It is this characteristic growth pattern that has long attracted the interest of botanists, herbalists and producers of plant materials.

1. Where does the interest in Rhodiola rosea come from?
2. Which parts of the plant are used in supplements?
3. Extract or powdered raw material?
4. What does standardisation mean?
5. How to read the label of a Rhodiola rosea product?
6. Single ingredient or multi-ingredient formula?
7. Why is a trade name not enough?
8. Summary

Where does the interest in Rhodiola rosea come from?

Rhodiola rosea has long been used in herbal traditions in northern and eastern regions. Its name is sometimes translated as "golden root" or "Arctic root", which refers to both its appearance and the environment in which it grows. Historical descriptions refer to it as a plant used in ancient folk practices, especially where local species adapted to harsh climatic conditions were used. Today, interest in Rhodiola rosea stems primarily from the growth of the herbal preparations market and the increased popularity of botanical extracts. With this growth, there has also been an increase in trade names, marketing terms and multi-ingredient products in which Rhodiola is one of the main ingredients.

Which parts of the plant are used in supplements?

In the case of Rhodiola rosea, the underground parts of the plant are of key importance. They are the raw material used to prepare powder, extracts and essences. Product descriptions may refer to the root, rhizome or both parts at the same time. In practice, this is important because the exact designation of the raw material used allows for a better assessment of the care taken in preparing the product.

Not every form of the plant is the same. The raw material looks different when it is only dried and ground, and different again when it is an extract obtained through more advanced processing. For this reason, two preparations with the same name on the front of the packaging may differ significantly in character. Therefore, it is important for the quality of the description not only that the product contains Rhodiola rosea, but also that it is known which part of the plant has been used and in what form it is present in the preparation.

Extract or powdered raw material?

This is one of the most important distinctions when evaluating a supplement containing Rhodiola rosea. Powdered raw material is simply a crushed part of the plant. This form preserves the natural character of the plant material, but at the same time is less concentrated than the extract. The extract is produced by extracting specific groups of compounds from the raw material using an appropriate technological process. As a result, it can have a more orderly profile and be more accurately described on the label.

This is why Rhodiola rosea products should be compared not only by name but also by form. A preparation containing extract can be described more precisely than one that contains only powder from the root or rhizome. This does not automatically mean that every form of extract will be better than powdered raw material, but it certainly provides a greater opportunity to accurately characterise the product.

What does standardisation mean?

The term "standardised extract" often appears in connection with Rhodiola rosea supplements. This means that the manufacturer declares a specific content of selected compounds characteristic of a given raw material. In the case of Rhodiola rosea, rosavins and salidroside are most commonly mentioned. These compounds are regularly referred to in the description of this plant in quality documents and scientific studies.

Standardisation organises the product description. Thanks to this, the supplement is not presented only with the general name of the plant, but contains more specific information about how the extract used is characterised. This is important for comparing products, as two preparations may contain the same amount of extract, yet be described with completely different levels of accuracy. The more transparent the label, the easier it is to understand what is actually in the serving.

How to read the label of a Rhodiola rosea product?

When choosing a Rhodiola rosea supplement, it is worth starting by checking the full name of the plant. The Latin name Rhodiola rosea provides greater certainty than the common name alone. The next step is to assess whether the manufacturer specifies the part of the plant used in the product. Then, it is a good idea to check whether it is a powder, extract or concentrate and whether there is any information about standardisation.

The extraction ratios, sometimes marked as 10:1, 5:1 or similar, are also important. These markings refer to the relationship between the amount of raw material used and the amount of extract obtained. In practice, they help to better understand how a given ingredient was prepared. It is also worth noting whether Rhodiola rosea is the only active ingredient or one of many components in a complex blend.

Single ingredient or multi-ingredient formula?

Rhodiola rosea is very often found as a single ingredient, but it is equally often combined with other plant extracts. Both solutions have different characteristics. A single ingredient product has a simpler, more transparent composition and allows for a more accurate assessment of Rhodiola rosea itself. A multi-ingredient formula is more complex and may contain several different botanical ingredients, vitamins or other additives.

However, in the case of multi-ingredient products, it is more difficult to compare the quality of a specific raw material. The focus then shifts to the recipe as a whole, and Rhodiola rosea itself becomes just one of many elements of the composition. Therefore, when first encountering this plant, simpler products based on a single raw material with a precisely described extract tend to be more transparent.

Why is a trade name not enough?

On the supplement market, it is easy to find products with catchy names that sound impressive but do not always provide specific information about their composition. In the case of Rhodiola rosea, it is particularly clear that attractive packaging does not replace a detailed specification of the raw material. The quality of the description is not determined by terms such as "premium", "forte", "max" or "ultra", but by whether it is known which part of the plant has been used, in what form, and whether the extract has been clearly characterised.

This is why two products may appear similar, yet present completely different levels of transparency. One may be limited to the general name and weight of the ingredient, while the other may precisely indicate the type of extract, the extraction ratio and standardisation. The more specific the information, the more organised the entire description becomes.

Summary

Rhodiola rosea, or golden root, is a plant with a clearly defined origin, characteristic structure and wide presence in herbal supplements. Its rhizome and root are most commonly used, and both powdered raw material and extracts of varying degrees of processing can be found on the market. It is the form of the product, the description of the extract and the clarity of the label that play the most important role in assessing the quality of a supplement.

Sources:

• The Effectiveness of Rhodiola rosea L. Preparations in Alleviating Various Aspects of Life-Stress Symptoms and Stress-Induced Conditions-Encouraging Clinical Evidence https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35745023/
• Rhodiola rosea as an adaptogen to enhance exercise performance: a review of the literature https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37641937/
• The Impact of Rhodiola Rosea Extract on Strength Performance in Alternative Bench-Press and Bench-Pull Exercises Under Resting and Mental Fatigue Conditions: A Randomized, Triple-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Trial https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40289957/