Dose-Response Effects of Short-Term Rhodiola rosea Supplementation on Anaerobic Exercise Performance in Resistance-Trained Athletes: A Randomized, Crossover, Double-Blind, and Placebo-Controlled Study

Abstract

Background: Rhodiola rosea (RR) has garnered attention for its potential ergogenic effects on athletic performance. The mechanisms underlying these effects are believed to involve improved energy metabolism and reduced exercise-induced oxidative stress. Methods: Twenty-seven resistance-trained individuals (13 males, 14 females; 22±3y; 170.4±10.7cm; 75.4±21.9kg) underwent three conditions in a randomized sequence: a low-dose RR (LD: 200mg/d of RR combined with 1.3g/d of maltodextrin), a high-dose RR (HD: 1.5g/d of RR), and a placebo (PL: 1.5g/d of maltodextrin), following an initial baseline (BL) assessment. Participants took supplements for seven days and a 7-day washout before transitioning to the subsequent conditions. Data were analyzed using a two-way (within-within) analysis of variance (p≤0.05) with LSD's post hoc when appropriate. Results: Participants' strength was evaluated using the one repetition maximum (1RM) test at BL and after each treatment phase. In the bench press, both RR doses exhibited significant enhancements compared to BL and PL, with weights being BL (69.6±39.7kg), PL (69.8±39.1kg), LD (72.2±41.1kg), and HD (73.4±41.4kg; p=0.001). Similarly, in the leg press, weights for both RR doses showed marked improvements over BL and PL, registering at BL (314.4±113.5kg), PL (326.2±117.0kg), LD (350.1±136.1kg), and HD (362.1±134.6kg; p<0.001). Muscular endurance was further probed, with participants conducting three sets at 60% of their 1RM for both exercises. In the bench press, the HD treatment showed a significant edge over BL and PL, with weights being BL (42.5±22.9kg), PL (43.2±23.0kg), LD (43.8±23.1kg), and HD (44.7±23.6kg; p=0.007). In the leg press, both RR doses outperformed BL and PL, with weights being BL (188.6±68.2kg), PL (195.1±68.6kg), LD (209.1±80.2kg), and HD (218.6±79.1kg; p<0.001). Regarding total lifting volume, both RR doses surpassed the BL measurements, with the HD regimen exceeding the PL. The volumes were BL (9792.7±4962.7kg), PL (11019.6±5389.2kg), LD (11805.1±5086.2kg), and HD (15344.8±10878.1kg; p<0.001). During the bench press evaluations, a significant uptick in mean power was observed post-RR supplementation for both dosages when compared to BL and PL, with power outputs being BL (200.7±124.4W), PL (204.1±124.4W), LD (221.6±139.6W), and HD (230.5±145.9W; p=0.007). However, metrics such as peak power, average velocity, and the outcomes of the Wingate test remained statistically unchanged (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: RR supplementation can enhance anaerobic performance in athletes, especially at higher doses. While it improved strength and endurance, some metrics, like peak power, remained unaffected. Further research is needed to understand RR's benefits fully. This study was self-funded, with the researchers covering all expenses. This approach ensures the research's independence from potential biases associated with external funding or grants. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.