Rhodiola & The Limbic System

Rhodiola rosea (R. rosea) is a flowering plant that grows in the Arctic areas of Europe and Asia. R. rosea has a very long history as an herbal supplement; it first appeared in medical writings in 77 C. E. when the Greek physician Dioscorides wrote about it in his book "De Materia Medica." Sometimes called "goldenroot" and "roseroot," R. rosea is used in Europe and Asia as a remedy for fatigue and is a registered herbal medicinal product in Russia and Scandinavia. R. rosea affects the limbic system, an area of the brain that influences mood, attention, learning, memory and sleep.

Rhodiola's History

People in Europe and Asia have used R. rosea for hundreds of years to increase endurance and to treat altitude sickness, fatigue, depression, anemia, infections, gastrointestinal problems, pain, impotence and nervous system disorders. People in the mountains of Siberia still give engaged couples bundles of R. rosea to wish them a fertile marriage and healthy children. Vikings used R. rosea to increase their endurance, and R. rosea was listed in Sweden's first pharmacopoeia back in 1755.

The Limbic System

The limbic system is an area in the brain that is made up of several structures, including the thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus and amygdala. The hippocampus helps you pay attention to your surroundings, process information and store it in your long-term memory. Your "fight or flight" response comes from the amygdala, which also stores memories that are connected with emotions. The hypothalamus helps regulate your sleep cycle and your feelings of hunger and thirst, and the thalamus receives input from your senses and sends the information to other parts of the brain.

Rhodiola in the Limbic System

The limbic system functions using chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. Norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT) and acetylcholine (Ach) are neurotransmitters that are necessary for the limbic system to do its job. Some studies suggest that R. rosea increases the activity of these neurotransmitters in the limbic system. For example, R. rosea seems to reverse memory problem-causing blockages of Ach in the limbic system. R. rosea also seems to decrease mental and physical fatigue, stress, anxiety and depression by increasing NE, 5-HT and DA in the limbic system.

Other Effects of Rhodiola

R. rosea increases physical endurance and decreases the time you need to recover after exercise. For example, athletes who took R. rosea drops 30 to 60 minutes before a biathlon -- skiing followed by target shooting with a rifle -- were able to ski longer and shoot with steadier arms and greater accuracy, and took less time for their heart rates to return to normal following the biathlon. Doctors in Sweden give patients R. rosea to help them improve their mental work capacity during stress and to fight fatigue. R. rosea is thought to work as an antioxidant to protect nerve cells, and to help the body resist other stressful conditions, like altitude sickness and stress-induced heart damage. Studies also suggest that R. rosea helps thyroid function and improves fertility for some women.

Considerations

R. rosea causes some people to feel jittery; they usually need to reduce their dose. People with bipolar disorder should not take R. rosea because it can trigger manic episodes in bipolar individuals. It's best to take R. rosea early in the day, because its stimulant effects can interfere with sleeping. Check with your physician before you try R. rosea to make sure it is safe for you. To prevent an adverse interaction, before you start any new medication, remind your doctor and pharmacist that you are taking R. rosea.