• Rhodiola rosea is an herb with multiple health benefits.viola herb image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com
  
  The use of rhodiola rosea dates back hundreds of years to Russia, and more recently Scandinavia where it has been used as a "tonic herb." Grown in the Alps, Carpathian mountains and the British Isles, this herb is said to have many health benefits for men and women. In clinical analysis, the herb is an adaptogen that helps the body to resist physical, chemical and biological stress.
  
  

Enhance Menal and Physical Performance

• This is a "cardio-protective" herb, meaning it helps normalize the heart rate after intense exercise. It also improves memory by increasing blood supply to the muscles and the brain. It increases protein synthesis as well. Protein synthesis, according to dictionary.com, is "the process by which amino acids are linearly arranged into proteins through the involvement of ribosomal RNA, transfer RNA, messenger RNA, and various enzymes."
  
  

Immune System Stimulation

• Rhodiola stimulates some of the most important immune cells in the body, NK cells, which destroy infected cells. In one Russian study, it also improves T-cell immunity. Rhodiola is best known for reducing stress, thereby strengthening the body's ability to resist illness.
  
  

Other "Known" Effects

• Many effects of this herb have been derived from studies in which researchers drew their conclusions without further evidence. Not all effects have been proven. For example, there are foreign studies that suggest rhodiola rosea could be helpful for preventing altitude sickness, and might protect the liver, thereby aiding in cancer chemotherapy. The basis for these claims are weak, at best. There are no known safety risks and clinical trials have produced no adverse effects. However, testing for side effects has been minimal. A women who is pregnant or breast feeding, and those with severe kidney disease, should be cautious with the herb.