Menopause Menu: Rhodiola Rosea
May 13, 2022
My “MENOPAUSE MENU” series is dedicated to exploring foods that can be easily assimilated into your diet and can have a positive effect on menopause-related symptoms. Today’s Menopause Menu is all about Rhodiola rosea. The menopausal transition can be considered one of the most stressful phases in a woman’s life. It is marked by constant and often severe hormonal fluctuations that can create a continuous environment of stress. Your body’s ability to respond efficiently to the increased and often long-lasting stress caused by menopause can be severely compromised. Adaptogens are a class of herbal medicines commonly used to assist in chronic stress response and Rhodiola rosea is one of these adaptogens. It has received quite a bit of attention due to its potential benefits on cognitive function, fatigue, and depression, all of which are known symptoms of menopause. According to Gerbarg & Brown (2015) “Known to have neuroprotective, cardio-protective, anti-oxidative and anti-carcinogenic effects, Rhodiola rosea extracts have also been shown to improve energy, mood, cognitive function, and memory.”
Because Rhodiola rosea has stimulatory and energizing properties, it seems to be best taken in the morning. From a dosage perspective, it seems that the minimum for effectiveness is 150 mg twice a day. This is based on a review of the literature. By no means is this to be taken as medical advice or nutritional guidance. My advice is always to be careful when adding new supplements or herbs to your diet because they could interact with your medication/medical condition. It is always an excellent idea to reach out to your physician to confirm that adding any new food/supplement will not harm your health.
