What side effects do people report with Rhodiola?

Most often: jitteriness, insomnia, drowsiness, irritability, tolerance.

What else do people take for performance?

Creatine (98% of 542), Testosterone (98% of 180), Whey Protein (100% of 51), Phenylpiracetam (100% of 47), RAD-140 (93% of 371).

Supplement

Does Rhodiola help with performance?

Q: Does Rhodiola help with performance?

Yes, for most people. 92% of 25 people who reported on Rhodiola for performance say it improved; 0% noticed no change and 8% say it got worse.

Yes, for most people. 92% of 25 people who reported on Rhodiola for performance say it improved. 0% noticed no change and 8% say it got worse. That is about the typical result for performance (93% across 41 options).

Performance: what users report

92%better25 reports · medium confidence

23 better0 no change2 worse

Ranked #30 of 41 for performance.

What people say about Rhodiola and performance

“Recently I've felt even more tired, and my back muscles hurt, so I'm considering stopping some of them because I'm not sure whether they're contributing to the fatigue.”

Read the discussion ↗

What the research says

AResearch: Strong18 meta-analyses · 45 trials on PubMed

Front Nutr · 2025

The effect of Rhodiola rosea supplementation on endurance performance and related biomarkers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Conclusion: In conclusion, RR supplementation is an effective ergogenic aid for enhancing endurance performance and improving physiological biomarkers related to oxidative stress, muscle damage, and metabolic efficiency, though heterogeneity across studies warrants cautious interpretation. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, PROSPERO CRD42024619014.

BMC Complement Altern Med · 2012

Rhodiola rosea for physical and mental fatigue: a systematic review

Conclusion: Research regarding R. rosea efficacy is contradictory. While some evidence suggests that the herb may be helpful for enhancing physical performance and alleviating mental fatigue, methodological flaws limit accurate assessment of efficacy. A rigorously-designed well reported RCT that minimizes bias is needed to determine true efficacy of R. rosea for fatigue.

Phytother Res · 2023

Rhodiola rosea supplementation on sports performance: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Side effects people mention

jitteriness 10insomnia 8drowsiness 8irritability 8tolerance 4

What else is Rhodiola used for?

Energy 90%of 363 Mood 87%of 219 Anxiety 78%of 200 Focus 85%of 102 Sleep 41%of 17 Libido 88%of 8 Memory 80%of 5 Heart & lipids 40%of 5

Information only — not medical advice. How we count