Acute Effect of Rhodiola Rosea Supplementation on Lower Limb Anaerobic Performance in Female Taekwondo Athletes during PMS: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study

Document Type : Research Paper I Open Access I Released under (CC BY-NC 4.0) license

Authors

1 Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Allameh Tabatabaei University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Science, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Aim: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), with the occurrence of physical and psychological symptoms, can lead to a decline in athletic performance in women. Rhodiola rosea supplement, due to its adaptogenic properties, has attracted attention for improving athletic performance. This study aimed to investigate the effect of acute supplementation with RR (500 mg per day) on anaerobic performance of the lower limbs in female taekwondo athletes during this phase.

Methods: In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 10 female taekwondo athletes (age: 18 to 28 years) with regular menstrual cycles were randomly divided into two groups—RR supplementation and placebo—during days 16 to 26 of their menstrual cycle for 10 days. Anaerobic performance was evaluated using the 30-second Wingate test. Statistical analysis was performed using paired and independent t-tests (p < 0.05).
Results: In the RR group, peak power and mean power significantly increased compared to the pre-test (p = 0.002 and p = 0.004, respectively), while no significant changes were observed in the placebo group. Additionally, the improvement in performance in the RR group was statistically significant compared to the placebo group (peak power p = 0.01; mean power p = 0.02). The fatigue index showed no significant change (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Acute intake of RR supplement during the premenstrual phase can lead to improvements in peak and mean anaerobic power in female athletes without significantly affecting the fatigue index. This supplement can be considered an effective intervention for maintaining athletic performance in women during the sensitive premenstrual period.

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Main Subjects

References

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Research in Exercise Nutrition
Volume 3, Issue 4
January 2024
Pages 52-41

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History

  • Receive Date: 25 April 2025
  • Revise Date: 31 May 2025
  • Accept Date: 08 June 2025
  • First Publish Date: 08 June 2025

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