Rhodiloa rosea (gold root or rose root) is an herb best known for its ability to improve mood, relieve depression, reduce fatigue, and improve physical and mental performance. However, it can have a dramatic benefit for women trying to get pregnant and struggling with female infertility.
Rhodiola grows in cold climates around the world and has been used for centuries in Russian and Scandinavian folk medicine to help its users cope with cold winters. Rhodiola has been used to improve physical endurance and work productivity and for the treatment and prevention of altitude sickness, depression, anemia, nervous system disorders, fatigue, impotence, depression, infections and gastrointestinal ailments. This helpful plant is commonly known as an adaptogenic herb. Adaptogenic herbs have broad effects that help the body respond to physical, emotional, and chemical stress. They have toning effects that balance endocrine hormones and the immune system.
Emotional stress has detrimental effects on a woman’s fertility. Chronic stress in women can lead to menstrual irregularities, hormonal changes, impaired ovulation, weight gain, and increased levels of cortisol and prolactin, all factors that interfere with conception. For naturopathic practitioners, properly managing stress has always been a key aspect of treating many conditions, including infertility. Adaptogenic herbs, such as Rhodiola, have been the secret weapon of naturopathic doctors and herbalists in helping their patients overcome the negative physical and emotional consequences of stress.
The effect of Rhodiola extract was examined in women suffering from amenorrhea (loss of menstrual cycles). Rhodiola was administered to forty women with amenorrhea (either 100 mg of the extract orally twice a day for 2 weeks or 1 ml of an injectable preparation intramuscularly for 10 days). Normal menstruation was restored in 25 women, 11 of whom became pregnant. Additionally, it was noted that one of the study authors has treated several women in his practice who have been unable to conceive with standard fertility drugs and who become pregnant several months after starting Rhodiola extract.
More than 60% of the women had a normal return of menstruation, which is quite impressive. More than a quarter of women who get pregnant is just as impressive, if not more. To put that in perspective, recent research shows that commonly prescribed fertility Clomid is effective 16% of the time for unexplained infertility. When comparing this Rhodiola study to advanced reproductive techniques like in vitro fertilization (IVF), which can cost $ 15,000 per treatment cycle, Rhodiola breaks with IVF leading to pregnancy 26% of the time in a recent study. This little-known and often overlooked herb has dramatic benefit in helping women improve fertility and become pregnant, even when compared to the most advanced techniques available.