Rhodiola for Hair: Stress, Evidence & What to Know

Rhodiola is an adaptogenic herb studied for stress and fatigue, not for hair. People link stress to hair shedding, which is why it comes up, but we found no study of Rhodiola for hair. The stress research is early and mixed, and product quality is a real concern.

Here's what the research shows about Rhodiola, stress and quality.

I LOVE MY HAIR NOW

FullyVital hair serum and hair vitamins made tremendous improvements in my hair. I truly love my hair now.

Dorit S.,

Shop Hair Products 

Key Takeaways

• In a double-blind crossover trial of 56 young physicians on night duty, a standardized Rhodiola rosea extract significantly improved mental performance tests over the first two weeks, with no side effects reported.
• A systematic review of 52 trials of plants and their effects on stress-hormone (HPA-axis) activity found the effect was unclear for most, including Rhodiola. Ashwagandha showed the most consistent cortisol-lowering effect.
• A DNA survey of commercial Rhodiola crenulata decoction pieces found only 40% of the sequences were the authentic species, which the authors said may indicate a safety issue.
• We found no study of Rhodiola for hair.

What Is Rhodiola?

Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea) is a root used in herbal products. It is often sold as an adaptogen, meaning a substance thought to help the body cope with stress.

Does Rhodiola Help Hair?

No evidence says so. The only link is the indirect idea that stress affects hair, and Rhodiola's effect on stress hormones isn't established.

Our Best Sellers

Hair Growth Serum

$44.25

Shop Serum

Anti-Gray Serum

$44.25

Shop Serum

Using Rhodiola Carefully

• Treat hair benefits as unproven.
• Check product quality. A survey of one type of Rhodiola product found many adulterated samples.
• Ask your doctor first if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, have a condition or take medication.

Our Best Sellers

Hair Vitamins

$44.25

Shop Vitamins

Anti-Gray Vitamins

$44.25

Shop Vitamins

What The Research Shows

Stress And Fatigue

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study, 56 young, healthy physicians took a standardized Rhodiola rosea extract (SHR-5) or placebo for two weeks during night duty. The treated group had a statistically significant improvement in a combined fatigue index of mental performance tests during the first period, and no side effects were reported (Darbinyan et al., 2000).

Stress Hormones

A systematic review of 52 randomized human studies of plants and their effects on cortisol and related hormones found the overall effect of phytonutrients on HPA-axis activity was unclear, with the most consistent finding being a morning cortisol-lowering effect from ashwagandha. Rhodiola rosea was among the plants examined (Lopresti et al., 2022).

Product Quality

A DNA-barcoding survey of commercial Rhodiola crenulata decoction pieces from drug stores and hospitals found only 36 sequences (40%) were authentic R. crenulata. The rest were adulterants, including R. serrata (35 sequences) and R. rosea (9), which the authors said may indicate a potential safety issue (Xin et al., 2015).

Tulsi is another herb we have reviewed; see tulsi for hair.

See also: Ashwagandha for Hair: What the Research Shows · Does Brushing Your Scalp Make Hair Grow? What the Research Shows

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Rhodiola help hair growth?

We found no study showing that it does.

Does Rhodiola reduce stress?

In one small trial it improved mental performance during night duty, but a systematic review found its effect on stress hormones unclear.

Is Rhodiola safe?

No side effects were reported in the trial, but product quality varies. Talk to your doctor first.

References

1. Darbinyan V, Kteyan A, Panossian A, et al. Rhodiola rosea in stress induced fatigue--a double blind cross-over study of a standardized extract SHR-5 with a repeated low-dose regimen on the mental performance of healthy physicians during night duty. Phytomedicine. 2000. PubMed
2. Lopresti AL, Smith SJ, Drummond PD. Modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis by plants and phytonutrients: a systematic review of human trials. Nutr Neurosci. 2022. PubMed
3. Xin T, Li X, Yao H, et al. Survey of commercial Rhodiola products revealed species diversity and potential safety issues. Sci Rep. 2015. PubMed