At Living Alchemy, we are committed to creating superior symbiotic blends for your daily needs. We cultivate herbs and ferment them in approximately a month-long process so that they are more bioavailable and your body is able to use the thousands of active nutrients in each herb. We turn superfoods into super, superfoods.
One herb we use is Rhodiola, an adaptogenic herb from Europe and Asia (especially popular in Russia). It has been used for centuries to help our bodies adapt to physical stress. Rhodiola is known to improve athletic performance, combat fatigue from prolonged stressors, and prevent burnout symptoms. Another wonderful side effect of Rhodiola is that it regulates cortisol levels and improves mood by calming anxiety. Because of its positive cognitive effect, Rhodiola makes exercise more enjoyable. Olympic athletes and astronauts use Rhodiola for its supportive anti-stress and anti-fatigue effects. In this modern life of constant and energy-depleting stress, Rhodiola provides the perfect support.
The demands of life can cause chronic illnesses that can worsen without effective treatment. Fatigue has become a common chronic condition that many people live with every day. Unfortunately, the medical community has few treatment options for fatigue and so, people are left to find what works best for them. One of the primary causes of fatigue is stress because it is taxing on our bodies. Fortunately, Rhodiola can be used to minimize fatigue by reducing stress. It brings stability to our body’s natural responses to stress and modulates the production of cortisol.1
Anxiety is another disorder that affects many people in the Western world. Anxiety causes increased activity in our sympathetic nervous system (SNS) which is the automatic fight or flight response. Many people experience rapid heart rate, nausea, dizziness, shaking, and fatigue when their SNS is activated. Rhodiola calms the SNS and activates the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), which is the automatic rest, digest, and sleep response. Rhodiola is used to bring our automatic responses back to homeostasis and it is an excellent herb for those suffering from anxiety.
Rhodiola has been shown to be effective in preventing oxidative damage, a key element of chronic disease. Oxidative damage is caused by an imbalance between free radicals and our body’s inability to combat them with antioxidants. Free radicals steal electrons from other atoms and causes damage to cells, proteins, and DNA. There are several contributing factors to oxidative damage: chronic stress, lack of exercise, and a poor diet.2 Key compounds to prevent oxidative damage are Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Glutathione (GSH-PX). Fermented Rhodiola is found to be significantly more effective than a Rhodiola extract in increasing SOD and GSH-PX. In addition, Malondialdehyde (MDA) is the key marker for oxidative and tissue damage. Fermented Rhodiola is more effective in reducing MDA than a Rhodiola extract. Fermented Rhodiola is a useful adaptogen in reducing oxidative damage and can help prevent chronic illnesses.
Rhodiola can increase athletic performance. In a restful state, our bodies prefer generating energy through oxygen. However, during exercise, oxygen is limited and our bodies require energy through another source. As a backup, our muscles will acquire energy through glycogen stores. Glycogen directly increases endurance and gives our muscles the fuel they need to carry through a workout. Another essential compound is lactate which metabolizes glycogen into energy.3 Fermented Rhodiola has been shown to be more effective than a Rhodiola extract in increasing lactate and glycogen levels. It’s only natural that the more glycogen and lactate that is in our system, the more our body’s energy level and efficiency will increase.
When Living Alchemy ferments whole Rhodiola, the full spectrum of nutrients are activated and the effects become far more impactful. Our fermented, certified organic RHODIOLA Alive has been the subject of some impressive studies including a 300% greater effect than Rhodiola extract after 7 days on both stress & anxiety. See clinically study charts below that outline the results. Also important to note that after 14 days RHODIOLA Alive remains effective as opposed to regular Rhodiola extract, which plateaus in effect on anxiety and stress.
Living Alchemy teamed up with Rico Morneau, a medal-winning Canadian Paralympic athlete. In 2004, Rico was paralyzed from the waist down in a car accident. Since he was an athlete, he decided to join competitive cycling as a Paralympian. He has already won a few medals!4 Rico will be joining team Canada at the Para Pan Am Games 2019 in Peru. After trying our RHODIOLA Alive, Rico said, “It provides me with more energy. Faster recovery. I started it 3 weeks ago.” Rico is already experiencing the benefits of RHODIOLA Alive!
RHODIOLA Alive can be effective within the first week of taking it and the benefits will continue to grow as time goes on. RHODIOLA Alive has won a silver Alive Retailer Choice Award 2018 for best new supplement. If you are interested in trying Living Alchemy’s RHODIOLA Alive please visit our website and learn more about our fermentation activated herbals in our Alive Series here. All of our products are certified organic, non-GMO, and vegan friendly.
References:
1. Rogers, Susan. “Rhodiola quickly combats fatigue.” Life Extension. December 2017. https://www.lifeextension.com/Magazine/2017/12/Rhodiola/Page-01 Accessed 26, July 2019.
2. Kresser, Chris. “What Really Causes Oxidative Damage?” Kresser Institute. 14, June 2018. https://kresserinstitute.com/what-really-causes-oxidative-damage/ Accessed 26, July 2019.
3. Roth, Stephen M. “Why Does Lactic Acid Build Up in Muscles? And Why Does It Cause Soreness?” Scientific American. 23, January 2006. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-does-lactic-acid-buil/ Accessed 26, July 2019
4. Montreal Gazette. “Morneau’s Hardwork Pays Off”. Press Reader. 7, May 2008. https://www.pressreader.com/canada/montreal-gazette/20080507/282226596457399 Accessed 26, July 2019.