Strength of the Vikings! Rhodiola Rosea

A herb which has been in use for centuries, growing in Siberia and Scandinavia it's uses were widespread from the Vikings using it as a strength and endurance / stamina enhancer to aid them in battle and their cold climate. All the way to China where Chinese emperor's had sent small groups of his subjects up to Siberia to collect the Rhodiola Rosea for his own personal use.

Reduces stress and treats depression, enhances energy with no crash like with caffeine, contains anti-oxidants so improves the immune system, raises endurance and stamina and even increases life-span by about 10% if not more.


A dose of Rhodiola rosea at the onset of a stressful situation can help you to manage the situation in a resourceful and healthy way. Athletes like to take a dose to shorten recovery time between workouts.

Rhodiola rosea helps the body manage and balance the stress that is brought on by intense physical exercise efficiently.

In one study, a group of students who were under the stress of important exams were given Rhodiola rosea extract. The results of the study proved to be positive. The students experience a significant improvement in areas such as psychomotor ability and physical fitness.

In Australia, test subjects that were given Rhodiola rosea showed improvement in their mental performance as well as their overall well-being. In addition, the motivation levels of the subjects given the extract rose drastically and the levels of concentration also improved.




Summing this up Rhodiola Rosea has the following benefits.

# A powerful antioxidant - helps quench free radicals and defend against oxidative damage in our body

# Increases cellular energy by stimulating the production of ATP and CP (the fuel for the body) leading
to an increase in strength, stamina and endurance

# Balances stress response system by limiting the excess release of the stress hormone Cortisol

# Calms the stress response system and supports the parasympathetic nervous system

# Elevates DNA and RNA in muscle cells, which in turn increasing the manufacture of proteins necessary for repair of cells and organs

# Reduces oxygen consumption on a cellular level

# Stimulates the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine

# Stimulates the production of natural killer cells (cells that protect against infection)

# Increases the metabolism of fat for energy, therefore increasing the muscle-fat ratio

Countless studies have been done coming to roughly the same conclusion, Rhodiola Rosea has also been proven to be more effective than all forms of Ginseng. Rhodiola is most likely the best adaptogen herb out there.

Now try to find a synthetic man-made drug which does that with near to no side effects

What negative side-effects does it have?

The most common rhodiola rosea side effects include restlessness, irritability, and insomnia. Essentially, these are the same common side effects often observed in any mild stimulant. To perceive these rhodiola side effects, you likely need to consume rhodiola in higher than usual doses or combine it with another stimulant, such as coffee. So taken by itself it is an extremely beneficial and safe herb

reply to post by Wulfric


Now we know what was in the potion that Asterix and Obelix were drinking!

I've often used this herb during strength training. I did notice a big difference as to my recovery time, and endurance. I didn't run it as long as I probably should have to get full benefits but thanks for sparking my interest again!

reply to post by chrismicha77


No problem mate! How long did you run it for and also along with the endurance gains and recovery times did you see any increase in strength?

I ran it for six months straight. Strength gains were pretty significant but I was also running a test boost as well.