Rhodiola Rosea for Shift Work Adaptation
Rhodiola showed promise for shift-related fatigue in one small physician study.
Overview
Verdict
How It Works
Dosing & Protocol
Typical dose
- Recommended dose
- 200-400mg/day at shift start
- Expected timeframe
- 2-4 weeks
Protocol
- form
- Rhodiola rosea root extract standardised to 3% rosavins and 1% salidroside
- duration
- The Darbinyan trial ran 2 weeks with a 2-week washout crossover
- co factor
- Evidence is insufficient. Darbinyan and colleagues studied 56 physicians on night duty and found 170 mg/day improved a composite fatigue index covering associative thinking, short-term memory, calculation and concentration during the first two weeks, with the effect not sustained in the second period. This is the only directly relevant trial and it measured cognitive performance during night work, not circadian adaptation, sleep quality, shift tolerance or health outcomes. No trial has examined rotating shifts, sleep timing or the metabolic and cardiovascular risks associated with shift work.
- titration
- Not applicable - no dose-response has been established for shift work
- starting dose
- Not established. The relevant trial used 170 mg/day of SHR-5 extract in physicians on night duty
Evidence
What the studies say
Rhodiola rosea for physical and mental fatigue: a systematic review
Ishaque S, Shamseer L, Bukutu C +1 more
Two of six trials examining physical fatigue in healthy populations report R. rosea to be effective as did three of five RCTs evaluating R. rosea for mental fatigue.
Rhodiola rosea for physical and mental fatigue: a systematic review of randomised clinical trials
Ishaque S, Shamseer L, Bukutu C +1 more
Trial quality was low and results inconsistent, so efficacy for fatigue could not be confirmed
Rhodiola rosea for physical and mental fatigue: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials
Ishaque S, Shamseer L, Bukutu C +1 more
Trial quality was low and results inconsistent, so efficacy for fatigue could not be confirmed
Safety
Caveats
Stimulating; do not take near intended sleep. Caution in bipolar disorder.
Less likely to help if
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