Rhodiola Rosea for Altitude Sickness

Preliminary evidence 11 studies

Research suggests that Rhodiola rosea and its close relative Rhodiola crenulata may offer protective benefits at high altitude, with the most directly relevant evidence coming from a 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis of 19 randomized controlled trials showing that Rhodiola crenulata extract improved arterial oxygen saturation and blood oxygen levels comparably to conventional treatments and better than placebo, with a favorable safety profile. Supporting this, laboratory and animal studies indicate that salidroside, the primary active compound in Rhodiola, may help the body cope with low-oxygen conditions by stimulating red blood cell development, protecting red blood cells from oxidative damage, and shielding cardiac cells from hypoxic injury through multiple molecular pathways. A 2022 preclinical study further found that combining Rhodiola with acetazolamide, a standard altitude sickness drug, produced stronger effects on oxygen-sensing pathways than either treatment alone, while broader reviews of the plant's adaptogenic properties lend indirect support to its traditional use among high-altitude populations. The evidence base is promising but notable limitations apply, including that the clinical trials were conducted exclusively in China and primarily involved one species variant, preclinical findings do not always translate to humans, and the exact mechanisms behind Rhodiola's protective effects remain only partially understood.

Related studies

Citations from PubMed and preprint sources. Match score (0-100) reflects automated search ranking, not clinical appraisal.

Title Type Year Direction Match
The combined use of acetazolamide and Rhodiola in the prevention and treatmen... Other 2022 Supports 100
Rhodiola rosea: a possible plant adaptogen. Review 2001 Supports 95
Pharmacological functions of salidroside in renal diseases: facts and perspec... Review 2023 Neutral 90
Rhodiola rosea L. Improves Learning and Memory Function: Preclinical Evidence... Other 2018 Neutral 85
Efficacy and safety of Rhodiola crenulata extract in the treatment of acute h... Systematic review 2025 Supports 80
Rhodiola rosea: A Versatile Adaptogen. Other 2005 Supports 75
Xinnaoxin capsule alleviates neuropathological changes and cognitive deficits... Other 2025 Supports 70
Salidroside protects human erythrocytes against hydrogen peroxide-induced apo... Other 2012 Supports 65
The application of proteomics and phosphoproteomics to reveal the molecular m... Other 2024 Supports 60
Salidroside promotes erythropoiesis and protects erythroblasts against oxidat... Other 2011 Supports 55
Protection of human cultured cells against oxidative stress by Rhodiola rosea... Other 2009 Supports 50

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