Four weeks of Rhodiola rosea supplementation enhanced high-intensity intermittent performance and decision-making under fatigue in competitive football players, with findings suggesting improved performance maintenance rather than increased peak sprint capacity.
Key Findings
Results
Yo-Yo IR2 performance significantly improved following four weeks of Rhodiola rosea supplementation and was superior to placebo.
Within-group improvement in the RHO group was significant (p = 0.012)
Between-group comparison showed RHO was superior to placebo post-intervention (p = 0.046)
Study design was randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled with 24 male competitive football players
Intervention duration was four weeks
Results
Repeated-sprint ability mean sprint time improved significantly in the RHO group but not in the placebo group.
Mean sprint time improved significantly from pre- to post-intervention in the RHO group (p = 0.017)
No significant change was observed in the placebo group over the same period
Post-intervention mean sprint time was significantly better in RHO than placebo (p = 0.041)
No between-group difference was observed at baseline
Best sprint time showed no between-group difference (p = 0.723), suggesting improved performance maintenance rather than increased peak sprint capacity
Results
Post-exercise blood lactate concentrations were significantly lower in the RHO group compared to placebo at all measured time points following RSA.
Blood lactate was measured at 0, 3, and 5 minutes post-RSA
Lactate concentrations were significantly lower in RHO than placebo at all three time points (all p < 0.05)
This finding suggests altered lactate metabolism or clearance with Rhodiola rosea supplementation
Results
Under fatigue conditions, the RHO group demonstrated faster reaction time and higher decision-making accuracy than the placebo group.
Reaction time under fatigue was significantly faster in RHO than placebo (p = 0.042)
Decision accuracy under fatigue was significantly higher in RHO than placebo (p = 0.049)
Performance was assessed using a video-based decision-making task
Results
Football-specific technical performance in passing and shooting improved significantly within the RHO group, with a between-group difference observed only for short-pass performance.
Significant pre- to post-intervention improvements in both passing and shooting were observed in the RHO group (p < 0.05)
Between-group differences were observed only for short-pass performance, not for all technical measures
Tests were described as football-specific technical tests
Results
GPS-derived match running metrics showed higher total and high-speed running distances in the RHO group compared to placebo.
Match total running distance was higher in the RHO group
High-speed running distance was also higher in the RHO group
These metrics were derived from GPS tracking during matches
Results
Haematological markers haemoglobin and haematocrit increased significantly in the RHO group.
Both haemoglobin and haematocrit showed significant increases in the RHO group (p < 0.05)
Changes in haematological markers may partially explain improvements in aerobic and high-intensity intermittent performance
These were among the outcome measures assessed at pre- and post-intervention
Dou Y, Wang Y, Zhang W, Jiang Y, Zhang J, Yang T, et al.. (2026). Effects of Rhodiola rosea on Physical and Decision-Making Performance in Football Players: A Randomised Controlled Trial.. Nutrients. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18050724