Whether it’s pressure to meet work deadlines, cramming for exams or just trying to accommodate all the demands of your day, stress is almost unavoidable in modern day life. In small doses, stress can actually be beneficial to drive us to perform. However, when stress becomes prolonged or overwhelming, fatigue, lack of mental energy and low mood can set in.

To keep up in this fast paced world, many of us need a helping hand to stay on top of our daily stress. The growing trend to reach for energy drinks, a caffeine hit or a sugar fix, can further compound the problem, as these products often leave the user feeling more drained once their short-lived effects have worn off.  

Fortunately, nature has provided a solution for us in the form of adaptogenic herbs. Herbs classified as adaptogens have a unique function of increasing the body’s resistance to stress by supporting the adrenals, the glands responsible for producing ‘stress hormones’. Unlike short-lived stimulants, adaptogens can help increase energy, endurance and mental alertness.

Our new improved product Rhodiola Relax, contains adaptogenic herbs to help combat stress-related fatigue and enhance performance.  Combining the same three herbs as in our previous formula Rhodiola Stress Adapt, Rhodiola Relax differs by using what Nature’s Sunshine Products regard as a superior amount of Rhodiola extract. This extract is equivalent to the concentrated material used in many of the clinical trials conducted on Rhodiola. This also produces a higher content of ‘rosavins’, the active components in Rhodiola reputed to give the herb its therapeutic effects.

Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea), also known as Golden Root or Rose Root, naturally grows in sub-Arctic and high altitude regions in China, Siberia, Russia and Tibet. As a plant, Rhodiola has developed ways to survive harsh environments, and it is this feature that may account for its usefulness as a herbal remedy to protect the body against stress. Traditionally, Rhodiola has a long history of use in helping to improve stress adaptation, being used to increase energy, endurance and work productivity as well as to help cope with the stress of cold climates and high altitudes.

The great beauty of Rhodiola is that it assists both physically as well as mentally. During times of extra demand, it helps enhance energy levels and stamina as well as mental alertness and concentration, resulting in improved physical and mental performance.  

Rhodiola helps prevent the excessive release of stress hormones and has been shown to influence key chemical messengers in the brain, including those affecting mood. Using Rhodiola can aid in the relief of nervous tension, and mild anxiety, promoting a calmer, more balanced state of mind and maintaining feelings of wellbeing during stressful periods.

Research on Rhodiola is growing, with studies being conducted on its use in low mood as well as its possible anti-ageing effect. It is clear that the modern world is still discovering the complete spectrum of benefits of this amazing herb.

Rhodiola Clinical Trial – Doctors on Night Duty

The aim of this study (double-blind, cross over, placebo-controlled) was to investigate the effect of repeated low dose (170mg extract) treatments with a standardised extract of Rhodiola rosea on the fatigue levels and mental performance of a group of 56 young healthy physicians. The five tests chosen, involved complex perceptive and cognitive cerebral functions that tested various perception, calculation and response time parameters. These were tested before and after night duty during three periods of 2 weeks each, using a single dose each night. Fatigue scores were reduced and cognitive abilities and total mental performance were increased at 2 weeks in comparison with placebo.¹

The stress-relieving properties of Rhodiola are supported in this formula by the addition of Withania and Gotu Kola. In traditional Ayurvedic Medicine, both Withania and Gotu Kola are regarded as Medhya Rasayana’s, remedies that are rejuvenating nerve tonics, specific to the brain tissues.

Withania (Withania sominfera)is also known as Indian Ginseng, Winter Cherry or Ashwagandha. Ashwaganhda is a Sanskrit name meaning “horse’s smell”, which not only relates to the odour of the root, but also to the belief that this herb has the strength of a horse. Like Rhodiola, Withania is considered an adaptogen and helps promote sustained energy levels and assist the body in coping with stress. Valued as a nerve tonic, Withania has also traditionally been used to support relaxation and induce feelings of calm.

The final adaptogen in this stress busting formula is Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica), a herb native to India and Sri Lanka. Gotu Kola is a key remedy used in Traditional Ayurvedic Medicine to support the nervous system and to help improve memory, mental calmness and clarity of thought particularly in the older population. Yogis have used this herb to aid concentration during meditation and as it is a favourite food of elephants, it is rumoured to contribute to their long memories and life span!

Evidence found in clinical trials conducted on Gotu Kola are impressive, with one such trial on cognitive function detailed below.

Gotu Kola Clinical Trial – Cognitive Function in the Healthy Elderly

In 2008, a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind study was conducted in Thailand, to investigate the effect of Centella asiatica on the cognitive function of twenty-eight healthy, elderly (mean age 65 years) volunteers. Using either 250, 500 or 750mg doses once daily for 2 months. Cognitive performance, subjective mood and quality of life scores were assessed before treatment, after a single dose and then at 1 and 2 months during and after treatment. The results showed that the higher 750mg dose enhanced working memory (accuracy) and improved reaction time (speed) to various computerised tests. The ‘calm factor’ significantly increased at both 1 and 2 months across all doses.²

Restore Your Inner Balance

This combination of herbal adaptogens in Rhodiola Relax helps enhance physical and mental performance, assist memory and learning and improve low mood during times of stress. When faced with challenging times and the associated symptoms of poor energy, low mood, anxiety, poor concentration and fuzzy thinking, Rhodiola Relax can help restore the body’s balance.

References:
Darbinyar V., Kteyan A. et. al. Phytomedicine. 2000, vol. 7. pp. 365-371.
Wattanathorn J., Mator L. et al. Jn. Ethnopharmacology. 2008,  vol 116. pp. 325-332.