# Rhodiola Rosea?



## Sharkie32

Anyone tried this for anxiety or depression?


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## Beggiatoa

YES! This supplement is amazing and you know what? IT WORKS! I swear by it and take this daily. Try to use a quality supplement. I use Gaia herbs. I'm happy someone else found this miracle herb. It raises your energy levels, gives you mental clarity and concentration all without stimulatory effect. So, like caffeine does, it wont give you a quick high then a low.


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## andrewcubbie

Beggiatoa, what dosage are you taking it at? I've been taking 500mg once a day for about 2 weeks, and I feel nothing.


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## Beggiatoa

What brand are you using? I've tried the Gaia hebs liquid version with good success. There's also a company that makes it in a a product called arctic root.

http://www.proactivebio.com/viewproduct ... _product=5

I've never tried it but all the studies done on rhodiola have used this brand, so it must be good. I take about 400 mg/day.


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## chrisforrest

ive tried new chapter's 'rhodiola force 100'. i dont think it had any effect on me, maybe when i first started taking it. 
im going to buy another brand and see if it works.


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## CoconutHolder

I am going to buy this stuff tomorrow. I have read numerous awesome benefits of this stuff. I'm really excited to try it!!!!!!!!!!

Here is a part of some info I found on it:

Rhodiola rosea has been shown effective in improving mood and alleviating depression and anxiety. Research from Russia has shown that it improves both mental and physical performance, prevents sickness in high altitudes, and reduces fatigue. Rhodiola rosea’s effects are attributed to its ability to optimize serotonin and dopamine levels and its influence on opioid peptides like beta-endorphins.


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## ANCIENT

i'm going to give this a try!


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## Polar

Seems interesting. Let us know if it works for you, Coco!


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## CoconutHolder

Okay I'll let you know, for sure. :yes 

I bought the GNC brand, although that is not really what I wanted to do.

I wanted to find a brand that I knew was harvested the plant in Siberia/Russia because from what I read, that is what contains most of the active ingredients and stuff from China is not the same at all. I checked/emailed "Nature's Way" and theirs is from Northern China. I'm not saying theirs doesn't work, I'm just going by what I read on the internet. If I read it on the internet it must be true, right?  :b 

I went to the local health food store to ask if they had one from Russia there but they changed their hours and were closed when I got there. 

Because I wanted it so badly, I just went to GNC.......hesitantly.......but did it anyway. Of course the sales lady did not know where their brand was harvested and I couldn't get all the info I wanted on their brand but I bought it anyway.

So, if it doesn't work at all or doesn't work well, I'll probably attribute it to the brand and order a good one online.

Either way, I'm going to try it tomorrow morning.

If you google it, you'll find TONS of good things about it. It seems very promising so I am hopeful.

I am wondering/considering weaning off of my Lexapro if it works because I think I'm experiencing "ssri poop out" and am generally disgusted with antidepressants anymore. I'm not saying for sure what I'm going to do about my Lexapro but time will tell. I'm also not swearing off all antidepressants forever.....I'm just not so happy with them and their side effects so I'm in limbo about them at this point.

This herb is supposed to have no side effects and no known interactions. So thats good.

Anywho, I'll let you know what happens. :yes


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## FairleighCalm

I hope it does work and let us know. I wouldn't mind trying some for maintenance. I know what you mean by SSRI poop out. They get to be grind after a while.


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## Polar

I found an online store (norwegian) that offers one month's worth of free samples of this. I'm not sure if it's the 'good' kind of brand, but won't hurt to try it I suppose! It's probably harvested here in Norway since the plant apparently grows a lot around here.

I ordered the free sample so I guess I'll be trying it as well.


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## CoconutHolder

Yay! How exciting! I bet its a good one. Good luck!

This one looks very promising. But I'm a little confused as to why the price is so low with how good it apparently is:
http://www.americannutrition.com/store/ ... tract.html

From what I read, quality Rhodiola rosea extract should contain at least 3% rosavins and 1% or less salidroside. So that is something to look out for when purchasing. 2% rosavins is also do-able but the dose is just a little higher dose than what you would take for something with 3%.


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## CoconutHolder

I also read many places to take it for 4 months and then take a 2 week break before taking it again.


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## Beggiatoa

Try the Gaia Herbs liquid gels. I've been using this label for a while with good results. I switched to the Life Extension brand but I didn't feel the same effects and I had to double up on the dose. So, I'm going back to Gaia. I couldn't go a day without it. It helps me study and It also increases my stamina in the gym.

Please, post results.


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## CoconutHolder

^thanks^

I just took my first pill so we'll see.

If I don't think I'm getting optimum results from this brand I'll try a better one. Probably the one you reccomend.

The kind I have is 3% rosavins the serving size is 340 mg. once a day.


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## Polar

For the one I ordered, the recommended serving size appears the be only 6mg (1%) rosavins per day (2 capsules at 300mg).

The dosages of the active ingredients seem to vary a lot between different brands. I looked at the Gaia Herbs one and that contains 12mg of rosavin per 2 capsules.

Hm, I'm thinking when I start up with the brand I ordered maybe I should try taking 3 or 4 capsules a day for a more prominent effect?


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## CoconutHolder

On Thursday I'm going to my local natural foods store to buy the Gaia brand.

I'm sick today.  Stuffed up, coughing, pain in upper back. I think I may have an upper respiratory infection or something. I feel like complete hell.

So, I don't know if this brand is helping or not because I feel like **** anyway. 

But I'm buying the other brand tomorrow and I'm going to give it a couple days to see if I see any effect.

So, I'm thinking I'll know if either is working by Monday.


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## Polar

Aw, sorry to hear that. Feel better soon! :squeeze


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## CoconutHolder

Thanks, Polar. 

Well I called my local store and they are out.

So I just ordered the Gaia brand online:
http://www.centerfornaturalhealing.com/

The price isn't bad at all.


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## CoconutHolder

Although I speculated that I got a not-so-good brand, I have noticed quite a few differences today once I finally REALLY ( I think I've been getting a sort of Melatonin hangover, so I'm going to quit that) woke up for the day. 

I had more energy, definitely, and feel like I'm thinking clearer. Also, I feel more "stable" in general. I didn't feel depressed at all - all day, which was a definite change from the last couple of days. :yes 

Yeah, I feel pretty good.

So if this stuff is doing pretty well like I think it is, I bet the good stuff will be even better.

I'll let you all know how tomorrow goes.


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## CoconutHolder

Don't know if anyone is reading this anymore

heeh its kind of like my own little rosea blog.......cool..

anyway, I had really vivid (good not nightmarish) dreams last night.......woke up feeling good and AWAKE! for once.

And I still feel pretty good.

Like, a lot better than I've been.

This stuff is a keeper. :yes


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## CoconutHolder

I can't wait to get the Gaia brand though.


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## ANCIENT

CoconutHolder said:


> Don't know if anyone is reading this anymore
> 
> heeh its kind of like my own little rosea blog.......cool..
> 
> anyway, I had really vivid (good not nightmarish) dreams last night.......woke up feeling good and AWAKE! for once.
> 
> And I still feel really good.
> 
> Like, a lot better than I've been.
> 
> This stuff is a keeper. :yes


are you using the GNC brand? i was thinking about going to GNC today and getting some.


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## CoconutHolder

Yeah that is the brand I am using as of right now but I am waiting on the Gaia brand to come in the mail. I believe that is going to work even better than this one.

I have also bought the GNC "Gingko Biloba Plus" it has Gingko, gotu kola and Siberian ginseng in it. So I started taking that too on occasion. It says take 1-2 but I only take one.....I don't want to be too stimulated if ya know what I mean.




GL!!


Everyone should at least give it a try if you are moody or get depressed too much or stressed too much, etc.....
at best, you may find something that really helps.
at worst, maybe it won't do much for you
but I think this one is definitely worth a try. :yes


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## ANCIENT

was this the site you bought it from?

http://www.centerfornaturalhealing.com/


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## CoconutHolder

Yep that is it!

I'm really looking forward to getting that stuff.

I got the liqui-phyto tablets or whatever its called.


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## childofsolitude

Thanks for the updates. Please keep us updated!!


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## ANCIENT

i just bought the gaia brand. now i wait... :time


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## CoconutHolder

I ordered mine yesterday and it shipped out yesterday. 

They have it on sale for the month of April for 19.99.


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## ANCIENT

yeah. i ordered two of them (for two months).


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## CoconutHolder

That was a good idea. I really should have done that myself.

If it works well, I'll have to order another before April is over.


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## Beggiatoa

I'm happy this is working for you! I swear by it! Funny though, I never realized that when I awake in the morning, I get up with less hassle. Thanks for pointing that out! About the dreams, I also found I have "nicer" dreams. I enjoy them more anyways. 

Btw, how much are you taking and at what time of the day? 

There's one brand called Arctic root, it's supposed to be the best. I'm outside the states right now and I can't get my hands one some. I'm dying to get some feedback on that label. Any volunteers?


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## CoconutHolder

Right now I'm taking 340 mg in the morning around 8:30 - 9:00.

BUT good news!!! I just got in the Gaia brand today! I'm excited to try it. You said that one was really good, right Beggiatoa?

So I'll take 200 mg of that tomorrow. I'm going to wait it out a couple days to see if I need the second dose they say to take before lunch.

Even though the GNC brand I'm taking right now isn't the best, I'm excited that I've notice a lot of positive changes.

Beggiatoa, do you take breaks from taking it and how often? They say 3-4 months of use followed by a 2 week break before resuming.


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## Beggiatoa

They say to give yourself breaks. I don't actually take it everyday. Sometimes the effect will last for a couple of days. So, let's say I take it 5 or days of the weeks instead of everyday. But since you're starting off, everyday should be ok.

Good luck, let us know how this worked for you!


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## childofsolitude

I just got my Beyond a Century brand Rhodiola Rosea in the mail today. I got it in powder form. It tastes pretty bad but I took some before lunch so the bitter taste has disappeared. I took 1/2 a scoopful (which is just about 300 mg. I'll keep you guys updated on my results.


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## childofsolitude

Just posting a little update. I've been taking 300-600 mg a day for the past four days (I've been varying the amounts to see the effects) and I haven't noticed anything positive. If anything, I'm a bit more anxious than normal. I'll continue taking the rest of it until it's all gone as I'm hoping that with time it'll work better.


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## Beggiatoa

Change brands. If one doesn't work for you, don't give up on the product, just use a different maker. I suggest GAia herbs or arctic root.


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## WhatsThePoint

hey, have you guys that just started taking it noticed any results? after reading this i decided to give it a try as well. ive only been taking it a couple days (the gaia herbs one), cant say ive noticed anything yet.


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## CoconutHolder

Yeah, I don't know.
Its kind of iffy if you ask me.
I'm not sure its doing much either.


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## Beggiatoa

I had a huge scare the other day. I thought I had ran out of Rhodiola. I searched around my apartment and luckily found another bottle hidden in the closet. It's the Life Extension brand. (I'm in school abroad in the Dominican Republic and this stuff in not available here) 

I've sugggested the Gaia herbs brand to many people (I used it with great success) but I notice that it doesn't work for everyone. Recently, I bought a bottle for my friend, she said she felt the same but noticed that she was more productive and got things done. Also, her sex drive went up. Maybe we're expecting rhodiola to boost us up like Caffeine, but the effects are different. 

In the bottle, it says to take with a glass of warm water to help dissolve the pill ?? Anyone doing this??

I searched Consumerlab.com to see if they've tested Rhodiola products to see if they have the right amount of active ingredients...but they haven't tested it yet. 

I guess we keep searching for a brand until we find one that works.


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## ANCIENT

WhatsThePoint said:


> cant say ive noticed anything yet.





CoconutHolder said:


> Yeah, I don't know.
> Its kind of iffy if you ask me.
> I'm not sure its doing much either.


 :ditto

i'm going to take them for a while longer.


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## ANCIENT

CoconutHolder said:


> That was a good idea. I really should have done that myself.


aren't you glad that you didn't do it now... :rofl ... :rain ... :sigh


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## CoconutHolder

ANCIENT said:


> CoconutHolder said:
> 
> 
> 
> That was a good idea. I really should have done that myself.
> 
> 
> 
> aren't you glad that you didn't do it now... :rofl ... :rain ... :sigh
Click to expand...

 :lol yes, now I'm glad. :sigh


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## Beggiatoa

Any updates from those using the rhodiola? I hadn't taken it in a few days. I was studying the other day and took one to wake me up....wow! I felt awsome right away. However, in pill form, it took about 30-40 min. before I felt the effect. Maybe I should try a liquid extract placed under the tongue for faster absorption.


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## bling

Do you think this stuff could get me off the coffee?


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## Beggiatoa

it wouldn't hurt to try....coffee sucks! think of it as a drug.


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## bling

Can i take rhodiola with other herbs, i think you said it would help counteract valerian herb which is in my formula, but is it okay? What about passionflower? Is their anything that is not advisable to take with it?

I took my first rhodiola rosea this morning and felt a bit spaced out, but i took on empty stomach. My son is jokingly calling it ectasy, cos apparently people use it as a safe alternative to keep awake at raves, we read. He has his GCSE's exams (uk)over the next few weeks, and is trying it out, to keep alert and help concentration. He is not into caffiene at all, drinks only water or juices, any other tips for what to take whilst studying, exams etc.

Thanks.


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## bling

update. Rhodiola Rosea does indeed help coffee cravings. From 4-5 mugs of coffee, last two days i've had 2 and today only one. And that is on only one a day.


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## mouse pad

So does rhodiola actually help with SOCIAL anxiety? Or just depression, or anxiety?


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## Beggiatoa

They don't recommend rhodiola for people with manic or bipolar disorder....maybe it has something to do with increasing dopamine? Not sure.

I'm mostly marketed for depression and stress. Whenever I take it, I don't know, I just feel more production. Along with my depression I have become lazy...Very. Whenever I take rhodiola, I get up and do stuff. It's an interesting "side effect." jeje


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## CoconutHolder

I find it works best for me when I take it every couple of days or so.


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## Beggiatoa

CoconutHolder said:


> I find it works best for me when I take it every couple of days or so.


Hey, It's been a while since you started taking it. Any thoughts, advice, comments? What brands, methods, dosage do you take?


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## CoconutHolder

been just taking the gnc brand, actually. I think it works better for me. 

Like I said, for me, I find it works better to take it for like 2 or 3 days then take a break for about 2-3 days and start up again.

I like when I do feel the producivity part. Helps endurance while exercising which is awesome.


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## Martinaix

Hello
I think Rhodiola Rosea is better then all supplement I highly recommend supplements that contain Rhodiola Rosea its good for you CoconutHolder. 

Thanks


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## CopadoMexicano

I bought the solaray brand and has helped with my mood.


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## jmfritsch

I have been taking an oral adaptogen spray that contains Rhodiola Rosea along with 9 other adaptogen herbs all harvested in the Tunguska River Valley in Russia. I have had great success with decreased anxiety, I take a few sprays several times a day and take it with me on interviews for jobs and even got out to a social mixer this week. My energy levels have increased I am rearing and ready to go when I awake in the morning, I have more mental clarity, and when I went to do a very physically demanding temp job, I ended up having energy afterward, despite the exhaustion of those I was working with. I'll attach a link to some rearch findings on Rhodiola.


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## proximo20

Hey Coconutholder, are you still using Rhodiola?

How much are you taking? How are you taking, with warm water? empty stomach? 

Did you get some jittery effect from it? 

Thanks


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## 40watta

anyone know what potency this one is? never seen it before
http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=SL-2645


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## styler5

Resurrecting the thread........

I got a bottle of this extract today. The directions say 30-40 drops, 3-4 times a day, but no info on how many mg per ml is in it. Should I assume it's roughly equivalent to the dosage of liquid capsules?


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## racingmind

I have BPII and so far RR has helped with my anxious mind. I'm so ****ing relaxed at times and every breath is clear instead of choppy. I noticed it allows you to manage your anxiety, so once you notice your heart beat is picking up you can take a deep breath and you can relax.

This is definitely useful to use to prepare for a speech, debate, or when you just wanna let go on a vacation.


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## Giraffe

I've been taking RR for about 4 days now and I'm not sure if I'm feeling it yet. My mood has been mostly quite good, though I haven't felt as noticeable an effect as some other folks are talking about. Should I up my dosage or wait a while to see if it builds up in my system?


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## Madam

Does anyone know if you can take this together with St John's Wort?


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## ssalamone

Which website do you guys buy off of? I'm considering to buy the Gaia brand but dont know which websites are reliable.


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## csrpj

Madam said:


> Does anyone know if you can take this together with St John's Wort?


even though technically MAOIs (rhodiola) ans SSRIs (SJW) don't mix safely, they're both weak in these properties so it shouldn't be a problem. i'm actually going to add rhodiola to my SJW regimen in a couple weeks.


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## CrazyDavi

*How to use r. rosea*

I noticed no one here has pointed out a very important fact about rhodiola. I can look up the scientific info behind it if someone would like because I know it exists, but I've read in multiple places and experienced myself that the effects only REALLY work if you take the golden root in CYCLES. This is very very important, because I've noticed that r. rosea does strange things to my personality, slightly positive things, but mostly just subtle odd things. But the real difference comes when I STOP taking it, and I feel amazing, any anxiety about people not liking me, not being interested in my personality, etc.... all go away.

Now I haven't figured out what works best for me, but what is suggested on most other forums and what worked very well for me as a starting dose is 2 capsules daily for three days (I did Wednesday, Thursday, Friday) and then none for the rest of the week. Try it, I can guarantee that it will help you. There's a Siberian scientist that is the absolute expert on r. rosea, and he recommends - no, he actually states that to feel a significant effect you MUST do this. I forget his name, but again, I can try to look it up if somebody really wants.


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## robtyl

CrazyDavi said:


> [Interesting information]


Thanks for the post. Please post where you read that information - I noticed that I felt a bit different (positive) when taking Rhodiola... and after I stopped taking it (I ran out), I felt quite tired - this could have been the meds I was on, though.

I'm keen to try it again and post some feedback.

x


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## zodiac55

As far as anxiolytic HERBS, this is one to look at, definitely. Glad there's a nice little thread on it here.

One thing, though, I wouldn't worry too much about trying several different brands if one doesn't affect you too noticeably/ideally... there's a very low chance that a certain company's production is actually THAT much worse that the effect will vary greatly -- it's far more about your biochemistry. If it works for you (at varying dosages and with a certain schedule / breaks), great.. if it doesn't, I recommend just moving on. ; )

And of course capsules will be a bit slower-onset than liquid form, but that doesn't make that route any worse.

Cheers,
-z


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## cuyo

*High-end rhodiola for anxiety, mood and stress*

The quality of Rhodiola varies from brand to brand. I first tried a the Jarrow brand- one capsule was good for increased energy and reduced anxiety, but more than 1 made me feel a bit weird.

I recently tried a higher end brand (New Chapter) and there is quite a difference- it's both smoother and stronger. It picks up my mood seems to push me towards healthy stress-response-I find myself being more positive in situations where I was previously grumpy. I take the 300mg capsules once or twice a day. If you want to buy it on iherb.com, you can get a $5 discount with the coupon code TUD658.

Best of luck!


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## PuRex

Well, I've been taking the NOW brand of Rhodiola rosea for about a week now. They are 500 mg tablets taken once a day when I wake up in the mornings. Seems to have 0 effect on me whatsoever. Do you guys think it can be the brand or is it just that this herb does not click with my body.


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## owiej

Does anyone know if mine are good or not? they are boots own brand and on the back they say:

"One tablet contains 200mg of Rhodiola rosea L. root and rhizome extract (1.5-5:1), which is equivalent to 300-1000mg of Rhodiola rosea whole root and rhizome. Rhodiola contains many active parts, including rosavin, salidroside and other polyphenols."

Doesn't say anything about the percent of salidrosides or anything so not sure what it means.

I took one pill yesterday and two today and both times didnt notice anything. Im wondering the the effect is more subtle in that maybe you don't notice when your concentration and focus is better necessarily?


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## sleepytime

Did nothing for me.


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## Guiwynn

*My Experiences*

OK this will be a bit lengthy.. I was depressed as a teenager and I started lashing out in fits of anger and frustration as I grew older. I'm now 27 and have been taking Rhodiola daily since just before Christmas. My results with it were vague I noticed almost no difference in myself at first. I've now been taking it for about a month (300mg 1/day) and it has taken much introspection to really notice all the very subtle differences in my life. I no longer have fits of frustration or a short fuse. My depression has stayed very mild and I have been less inclined to have mood swings. The effect (should it work for you) is subtle and may not be noticed. It may take time for the Rhodiola to build in your system or perhaps a second dose at lunch would help. Also most of the reading I've done suggests that the very best species of this particular herb to go after is the Siberian specimen as most of the research I've come across dealing with the mental health aspect were from the Siberian derivative done by Russian scientists. I believe Gaia and/or Nature's Way brands are Siberian Rhodiola. One last point, I strongly recommend you get whole herb (meaning the use of the whole herb instead of extracts or parts such as root, leaf, etc.) supplements as I believe they are much more likely to give the intended effect. I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone suffering from depression, anxiety, mood swings, or just a bad temper as it was recommended to me by a psycholgist. Thanks for the forum.


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## samia

*rhodolia russian herb*

I have the russian whole root in liquid form by a company called Herb Pharm. It is amazing and imore effective than pill forms I have taken! Good luck!


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## mummyjls

hi everyone I am currently on Rhodiola Rosea 500mg from lamberts health care and they are just perfect for me ,I was very low and I suffer from depression since the loss of my husband I was widowed with three children ,I recently startd getting a lot of anxiety so I purchased these which I have before and they have lifted my mood straight away I love these .


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