One vegetarian capsule of Rhodiola rosea root extract, 500 mg, standardized to at least 3% total rosavins and 1% salidroside; 60 capsules to a bottle; made by NOW Foods.
A single botanical ingredient with no Daily Value, its standardization printed as minimums. The other ingredients are a cellulose capsule, microcrystalline cellulose, stearic acid and silicon dioxide, with kosher, halal and factory-GMP marks.
Adults who want to try a single-herb, standardized rhodiola capsule for a defined period of a few weeks, with modest expectations, and who are not pregnant, nursing or on regular medicines without a clinician's okay.
The evidence is small and mixed. Possible side effects include dizziness, headache, dry mouth and trouble sleeping, so late-day doses are worth avoiding. An interaction with the blood-pressure medicine losartan has been reported. Non-returnable on Amazon.
What the label shows
We read the Supplement Facts panel from the label image on the Amazon listing (ASIN B005P0U7TY) and from NOW's own product page, both opened on September 30, 2026. They match line for line.
| Ingredient | Amount per serving | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Rhodiola extract (root) (Rhodiola rosea), standardized to min. 3% total rosavins and min. 1% salidroside | 500 mg — no Daily Value established | "Min." means at least: each capsule carries no less than 15 mg of rosavins and 5 mg of salidroside, the two marker compounds used to standardize this plant. The extract ratio (how much raw root went into each milligram of extract) and the solvent used are not disclosed on the label. |
| Other ingredients | — | Hypromellose (the cellulose capsule), microcrystalline cellulose, stearic acid (vegetable source), silicon dioxide. No gelatin. |
The label states the product is "not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients" and is "produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens." It is marked vegetarian/vegan and carries NOW's non-GMO mark, a kosher mark (Triangle K), a halal mark and a "GMP Quality Assured" seal; NOW's website names Intertek as the GMP certifier. A GMP certification audits the factory and its processes; it is not an independent test of what is inside this bottle, which is what a USP Verified or NSF Contents Certified mark would mean, and neither appears here. Directions on NOW's page: "Take 1 capsule 1 to 2 times daily on an empty stomach." The Amazon listing's text instead says "preferably with food"; the two disagree, and the bottle in your hand is the one to follow. The printed caution reads: "For adults only. Not recommended for pregnant/nursing women. Consult physician if taking medication or have a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children." The front says "3% Standardized Extract" and "Helps Body Adapt to Stress of Daily Life*," the seller's structure/function claim with the standard FDA disclaimer. NOW item number 4754.
What the evidence shows
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) updated its rhodiola summary in April 2025. It notes that the herb is promoted for athletic performance, mood, thinking, energy and stress, and then says plainly: "There isn't enough reliable evidence to determine whether rhodiola or its components are useful for any health-related purpose. Most of the research in people is of low-to-moderate quality" [1]. That is the frame for everything below.
Fatigue and mental performance. A 2012 systematic review, the most thorough independent look at the fatigue question, found 11 controlled trials [3]. Two of six trials on physical fatigue in healthy people reported a benefit; three of five trials on mental fatigue did. Every included study had either a high risk of bias or reporting flaws that prevented the reviewers from judging it. Their conclusion was that the research is "contradictory" and that a rigorous, well-reported trial is needed; NCCIH's 2025 summary, quoted above, suggests the picture has not changed much since.
The trial most often cited. In 2009, 60 adults aged 20 to 55 who met a Swedish diagnostic definition of stress-related fatigue took either a proprietary extract called SHR-5 at 576 mg a day or placebo for 28 days [4]. Both groups improved on most measures, which the authors themselves label a placebo effect. The extract group did better on a burnout questionnaire, on several indices of a computerized attention test, and on a morning saliva stress marker; no serious side effects were reported. The cautions are the usual ones: 60 people, four weeks, self-reported and laboratory measures rather than everyday function, and a specific extract that is not the one in this bottle.
What the 3% / 1% figures buy you. Rosavins and salidroside are marker compounds; standardizing to them tells you the extract was checked against a chemical fingerprint rather than sold as ground root of unknown strength. The 3% / 1% pairing is a common commercial specification for Rhodiola rosea extracts, and a standardized product is easier to compare than a plain "rhodiola root powder." A matching specification does not make it the extract used in any particular trial, though, and we found no published trial of this specific product. The seller calls rhodiola an "adaptogenic herb"; that is the seller's word, one NCCIH does not use as a category of evidence, and we treat it as marketing vocabulary.
Safety. NCCIH describes rhodiola as "possibly safe for up to 12 weeks" and lists dizziness, headache, trouble sleeping, and either dry mouth or excess saliva as possible side effects [1]. It reports an interaction with losartan, a blood-pressure medicine, and says little is known about use during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Because trouble sleeping is on that list, taking the capsule earlier in the day is the sensible default; the label itself does not specify a time of day.
Safety data cover up to 12 weeks; beyond that little is known. If you take losartan or any other regular medicine, ask a pharmacist or physician before starting; NOW's own label says to consult a physician if you take medication. Not recommended during pregnancy or nursing, per the label.
Who it may suit, and who should look elsewhere
This is a single-ingredient herbal capsule from a large, long-established manufacturer, sold on an evidence base that is thin. That suits a specific kind of buyer: one who wants to try rhodiola for a limited period, on purpose, and is prepared to find that it does nothing noticeable.
- May suit adults who want a standardized, single-herb rhodiola capsule to try for a defined period of, say, four to eight weeks, with a note of how they felt before and after.
- May suit people who want a vegetarian capsule with kosher and halal marks and a clear allergen statement, taken in the morning.
- Look elsewhere if you are pregnant or nursing, or under 18; the label rules both out.
- Look elsewhere, or ask a pharmacist first, if you take losartan or any regular prescription medicine.
- Look elsewhere if you are prone to trouble sleeping, or if you expect a clear, proven effect; the trials do not support one.
- Look elsewhere if you want the exact extract used in a particular published trial; this is a different product.
What a steadier morning depends on before any herb comes into it is set out in our morning routine briefing.
Price, size and where it is sold
On the Amazon listing opened September 30, 2026, the 60-capsule bottle was $18.96, shown as $0.32 per count, and marked "In Stock," shipping from and sold by Amazon.com. At one capsule a day that is 60 days; at the label's maximum of two a day it is 30 days at about $0.63 a day. The listing states the item is "non-returnable due to Food safety reasons" as an ingestible product, with a refund or replacement available only if it arrives damaged or defective, so Amazon's general 30-day return window does not apply here. NOW also makes a 120-capsule size (item 4767, per NOW's product page); we did not price it. Prices and stock change; treat these figures as observations for that date only.
Sources
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Consumer summary on rhodiola: what it is promoted for, the state of the evidence, safety and interactions. Last updated April 2025. link
- NOW Foods. Product page for Rhodiola 500 mg Veg Capsules: Supplement Facts, other ingredients, suggested usage, caution, certifications and sizes. Opened September 30, 2026. link
- BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2012. Systematic review of 11 controlled trials of Rhodiola rosea for physical and mental fatigue, with risk-of-bias assessment. PubMed record. link
- Planta Medica, 2009. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 28-day trial of the SHR-5 rhodiola extract in 60 adults with stress-related fatigue. PubMed record. link
- Amazon.com product listing, ASIN B005P0U7TY: label images, price, availability, seller and return terms as displayed on September 30, 2026.
This report is educational and is not medical advice. Ask a qualified clinician before starting any supplement, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or take medication.