★★★☆☆
BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
Rhodiola is one of the best supplements in my product arsenal!! It has helped me tremendously with my depression, physical stamina, fatigue, anxiety, and with my skin.
I suffer from Hashimoto's thyroiditis and have very low energy reserves. One of the biggest problems that I had was that I could barely get through the day without taking a nap. In addition, although I exercise every day, I had to exercise at night because after 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, I would be completely wiped out (if I could get through 30 minutes at all).
After taking rhodiola (and oil pulling) every day, I noticed that I no longer needed to take a nap during the day anymore. Since taking rhodiola and oil pulling, I feel alert, energized, and refreshed all day - After 6 years of suffering with low thyroid, I finally feel like a "normal" person again. The difference in my physical stamina is just incredible. I feel like I can accomplish almost anything physically - now I can run for 30 minutes with extra energy to spare!
Another wonderful benefit is that rhodiola is great for your skin. I take it with vitamin E and now my acne-prone skin is much clearer, even-toned, and has a wonderful "glow".
The only side effect/drawback of rhodiola that I experiencd was with my anxiety. At first, rhodiola really helped me with my mild anxiety, but after a few weeks, my anxiety became very severe to the point where I was starting to get panic attacks and a constant feeling of dread, so I discontinued use. (I had the same anxiety "rebound" problem with 5-HTP and Acetyl L-Carnitine when I was taking those too). Now, I take a teaspoon of ionic magnesium citrate every day, which has cured my anxiety. With the magnesium, I can finally take the rhodiola again without any anxiety problems.
