Older adults often complain to their physicians about the lack of energy they experience more and more as they age. This is not something that is caused by stress and should not be dismissed so easily. In fact, this feeling of being tired all the time is a symptom of fatigue.
Now you know that stress you have been having for days or possibly months is not something that you can chalk up to the drawbacks of “aging”. When this fatigue is left untreated, it slowly starts to build up into a health weakening condition called chronic fatigue syndrome. So, all you people out there suffering from this, it’s time to seek the right therapy for your ailing condition.
Rhodiola Rosea
Known as the Golden root, the herb Rhodiola Rosea belongs to the Crassulaceae plant family. The herb is mostly found in Asia and Europe, in their mountainous regions. This herb has been used for a long time to enhance mental performance and treat fatigue traditionally.
Rhodiola Rosea increases a person’s ability to get accustomed to increasingly stressful situations. Some of the active compounds found in the herb are Rosavin, rosarin, ρ –tyrosol, salidroside, rosin, rosiridin and rosarian. Amongst these, the former 5 are the important ones.
These compounds not only reduce fatigue but also prevent exhaustion, and improve cognition and mental health. It lowers inflammation and elevates antioxidant defenses.
The two extracts that help in treating chronic fatigue syndrome are:
- WS® 1375 (Vitano)
- SHR-5 extract
Vitano is the root extract and SHR-5 is the standardized extract. The former is a little hard to find and can be very expensive.
1. Can Reduce Stress
As mentioned earlier, the biggest benefit of this herb is that it can reduce stress. A Phytotherapy research on Rhodiola Rosea proved in its study that people suffering from fatigue due to work-related stress if given 400 mg of Rhodiola Rosea supplement, they are less likely to burnout. The study concluded that the WS® 1375 extract, if taken for four weeks, twice a day, people can handle stressful situations more easily.
2. Can Reduce Symptoms of Depression
When a chemical in your brain known as neurotransmitters gets unbalanced, the body experiences a low level of energy, which often leads to depression. A study published in Nordic Journal of Psychiatry showed that a high dose of the SHR-5 extract not only helps people get rid of depression but also gives them emotional stability and the ability to deal with insomnia.
3. Improves Brain Function
Where there’s depression and chronic fatigue, you are bound to experience a decline in brain functionality. A study published in Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopharmacology tested the effects of Rhodiola Rosea on physicians, who were working night duty. A controlled dose of the herb’s extract not only helped them get rid of that tired feeling but also allowed them to sleep peacefully. Moreover, it improved their work performance.
So, there you go… these benefits are backed up by medicine, that prove how valuable this herb is in treating chronic fatigue syndrome.
