Rhodiola...the new wonder Herb?

[Guest guest]

I'm tincturing this right now...haven't tried it yet but have heard

some great stuff...

 

Here and article:

 

Green Blessings!

Stephen

 

By Richard P. Brown, M.D., and Patricia L. Gerbarg, M.D. with Barbara

Graham

 

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Only a small number of clinical trials have evaluated Rhodiola rosea

as a treatment for depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress

disorder. But we have seen so many patients respond remarkably well

to the herb that we consider it an important addition to the

pharmacopoeia for mood and anxiety disorders.

 

Until we began working with Rhodiola rosea, we were troubled by the

fact that many patients taking prescription antidepressants never

seemed to get as well as we believed they could. Even if they did

improve, all too often they couldn't tolerate the side effects of the

drugs. We continue to use medications in our practice because they

can help to manage the symptoms of mood disorders so people can

reclaim their lives. What bothered us is that while symptoms may

subside, they seldom go away completely. Our patients described

themselves as not exactly depressed or anxious, but not really happy

either.

 

This is where Rhodiola rosea can make a dramatic difference. The herb

seems to add spice to life -- feelings of joy, pleasure, and

excitement. Many formerly depressed or anxious patients have told us

how Rhodiola rosea has enabled them to be happy again, to connect

with other people, to feel grounded. The side effects, if any, tend

to be extremely mild; in our experience, very few people are unable

to tolerate them.

 

Although more research is necessary, the positive effects of Rhodiola

rosea on depression and other mood disorders are not surprising. To

begin with, by helping to calm an overactive stress response system

and replenish depleted energy reserves, the herb enhances our ability

to tolerate stress -- the primary cause of depression and anxiety.

And just like conventional antidepressants, Rhodiola rosea boosts the

levels of neurotransmitters that play a critical role in regulating

mood, energy, and the ability to enjoy life -- only without the

negative side effects.

 

In recent studies, scientists have determined that besides acting on

neurotransmitters, antidepressants affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-

adrenal axis -- an essential component of the stress response system.

Rhodiola rosea does the exact same thing. So it stands to scientific

reason that the herb and its pharmaceutical counterparts would share

many of the same benefits.

 

What the Research Shows

 

In the 1970s and 1980s, a few studies of Rhodiola rosea as a

treatment for depression were published in the Soviet Union. Although

these studies don't meet all the modern criteria for scientifically

rigorous research, they do provide valuable clinical observations

about the herb's therapeutic value.

 

For example, in a group of 128 adult patients with depression and

neurasthenia (a general term for patients with fatigue, weakness, and

the inability to recover by resting), treatment with 150 milligrams

of Rhodiola rosea three times a day significantly reduced or

eliminated symptoms in 64 percent of the study participants. And

among a group of patients hospitalized for depression, the addition

of Rhodiola rosea to a treatment regimen of tricyclic antidepressants

reduced the length of hospital stays -- as well as improved the

patients' mood, thought processes, and motor activity. Even better,

the herb not only appeared to reduce the troublesome side effects of

antidepressants, but it also proved effective in treating less severe

forms of depression without other medications.

 

So why have so few studies examined Rhodiola rosea as a treatment for

depression and other mood disorders? We don't know for sure, but we

suspect that in the former Soviet Union -- where the government

controlled all the scientific research -- the priority was to improve

physical and mental performance, especially in competitive fields

such as science, space exploration, and military development. Mental

illness simply wasn't on the radar screen. So despite the very

promising results of early studies, scientists didn't pursue this

aspect of research until after the collapse of the communist regime.

 

Since the 1990s, renewed interest in reducing psychological stress

finally has pushed Rhodiola rosea to the forefront of scientific

exploration. In all of the studies to date, the herb has

significantly lessened mental stress and anxiety while enhancing mood

and intellectual performance. For example, in one study of Indian

students -- 90 percent of whom experienced difficult adjustment

periods and overwhelming fatigue during their first year in Russia --

those taking 50 milligrams of Rhodiola rosea twice a day reported

significantly improved mood and motivation compared with those taking

a placebo.