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Evidence-Based Supplement Research
Evidence-Based Supplement Research
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Rhodiola and Reduced Perceived Exertion

Research synthesisLow evidenceSmall effect3 studies · 1 beneficial · 2 neutral · 0 harmful

Across 3 studies, 1 reported a small beneficial effect on reduced perceived exertion, while 2 found neutral (small) effects, resulting in mixed findings overall. The only beneficial study was a 28-day RCT in 48 male volleyball athletes using Rhodiola combined with caffeine, which showed significantly lower RPE scores. The median study duration was 16 days, and the limited evidence base precludes a firm conclusion.

  • Studied populations: athletes

Caveats: Evidence base is small (only 3 studies) — conclusions should be considered preliminary. Many of the included studies did not reach statistical significance — effect may be smaller than the predominant direction suggests. The single beneficial study used a combination of Rhodiola and caffeine, making it difficult to isolate Rhodiola's independent effect on perceived exertion.

Generated Jun 13, 2026
Time to effect
Median: 2.3 weeks · IQR 10 days–3.1 weeks · Range 4 days–4 weeks — Reported in 2 of 3 studies
3 of 3 papers
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