What is Roseroot?

Roseroot is a hardy mountain plant from the cold parts of Europe, Asia and North America. The root and rootstock are dried and used as a herbal supplement. Cut root smells faintly of roses, which gives the plant its name.

It is sold as an "adaptogen". That word is used for herbs said to help you cope with stress. Most products aim at tiredness, low mood and poor focus.

The honest verdict on evidence: human trials are small, short and mixed, so nothing here is proven. Long traditional use is not proof that it works. It is not proof that it is safe either.

How does Roseroot work?

Nobody has shown how roseroot works in people.

In animal and cell studies, its marker compounds seem to shift stress hormones. Rodent work points to changes in cortisol, a stress hormone. Whether that happens in people at label amounts is not known.

In lab tests, extracts also act on serotonin and dopamine. These are two brain messengers linked to mood and drive. This is used to explain mood claims, but it stays an idea, not a proven path.

A few small human trials measured stress hormones or reaction times. Results were mixed and the groups were small.

What forms does Roseroot come in?

You will mostly meet roseroot as a capsule or tablet of dried root extract.

Other forms are sold as well. Dried root is brewed as a tea. Alcohol tinctures and loose root powder are also on sale.

Extracts are the form used in most trials. Labels often name a named extract or the 3:1 rosavin to salidroside ratio. Tea made at home has an unknown strength.

Roseroot also turns up in mixed "energy" blends with caffeine or ginseng. Blends make it hard to tell what caused any effect, good or bad.

Where it comes from:

Roseroot has a long record in the Nordic countries. The root was called rosenrot in Norway and Sweden, burnirót in Iceland and ruusujuuri in Finland.

Old accounts say Viking travellers took it for strength, though that story is hard to check. Linnaeus wrote about its use in 18th century Sweden. Folk use also covered headaches, sore skin and general weakness.

Sami and other northern peoples used the root as food and as a tonic. Russian and Soviet scientists studied it from the 1960s onward. Their work made it popular with athletes and soldiers, but much of it was never published in full.

What does Roseroot help with?

• Stress-related tiredness: Tradition held that the root restored strength on hard journeys. Small trials in night-duty doctors and in stressed students reported less mental tiredness. The studies were short and small. This is promising, not proven.
• Burnout-type exhaustion: Nordic and Russian use framed roseroot as a tonic for exhaustion. One 28-day study in people with stress-related fatigue reported better attention. Larger and longer trials are still missing.
• Mental focus during long shifts: Folk use linked the root to stamina for work in cold, hard conditions. A few short trials measured faster reaction times during night work. The gains were small. They did not show up in every study.
• Mild low mood: Older use treated the root as a pick-me-up rather than a mood medicine. In one 12-week trial it helped less than sertraline, an antidepressant, but caused fewer side effects. Roseroot is not a treatment for depression. Depression needs proper care from a doctor.
• Sense of effort during exercise: Soviet-era reports claimed better stamina in athletes and soldiers. Modern trials are small and disagree with each other. Some show a lower sense of effort. Others show nothing at all.

Which foods are rich in Roseroot?

Roseroot is not part of any normal modern diet. The root was eaten in parts of Scandinavia and Siberia in the past. Today you will only meet it as a supplement, tincture or tea.

What are the side effects of Roseroot?

• Jittery or restless feeling
• Trouble falling asleep
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Dry mouth
• Upset stomach or nausea
• Irritability
• Rare allergic reaction, such as rash or swelling
• Agitation or a manic high in people with bipolar disorder (a mood condition with highs and lows)

Good to know:

Side effects are usually mild and fade when people stop.

Jitteriness and poor sleep are the most common complaints. Serious reactions are rare.

Allergy is possible with any plant. Stop at once if you get a rash, wheeze or swelling.

How much Roseroot should you take?

• Recommended daily: Labels on standardised extracts usually state 100 mg to 600 mg a day. Most capsules use an extract set at 3 percent rosavins and 1 percent salidroside. That is what the market carries. It is not a plan for you. Any amount you take should be agreed with a doctor or pharmacist, above all if you take other medicines.
• Best time of day: Earlier in the day is the usual advice on labels. Some people find roseroot makes it hard to fall asleep. Taking it late can leave you restless at bedtime.
• With or without food: It can be taken with or without food. Some people get an upset stomach when they take it on an empty stomach. A small meal may help.
• Time to effect: In trials, changes in tiredness showed up within a few days to four weeks. Many people feel nothing at all. If three to four weeks pass with no change, it may simply not work for you.
• How long to take it: Trials have run from a few days up to 12 weeks. Safety beyond about three months has not been studied. Many labels suggest short courses with breaks. There is no solid evidence behind that pattern.