Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who supplemented for 3 months with 500 mg per day of rhodiola significantly increased their lung capacity by 14.5% compared to placebo.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is defined as “a slowly progressive disease of the airways that is characterized by a gradual loss of lung function” and is the fifth-leading cause of death worldwide (1). While 12.1 million adults aged 25 and older were diagnosed with COPD in 2001, it’s estimated that another 24 million adults have evidence of impaired lung function. In 2001 alone, COPD cost our healthcare system over $32 billion (2).
Increased soy (3) and fiber intake (4) and even acupuncture (4) are alternative ways to help improve lung health in those with COPD. Now a new study (5) suggests Rhodiola, known to enhance endurance (6) and physical and mental performance in healthy people (7), may also be a benefit to those with lung disease. The study involved 57 patients (56 men, 1 woman) aged 62 to 78 and diagnosed with moderate to severe COPD. They were given either 500 milligrams of Rhodiola crenulata (250 mg twice daily = 38 subjects) or a placebo (19 subjects) in addition to their standard medication regimen.
After 12 weeks, the biggest benefit to lung health from Rhodiola supplementation was the significant increase in the amount of air inhaled and exhaled, called tidal volume. Specifically, those in the Rhodiola group had a 17.3% increase in tidal volume (1.21 to 1.42 Liters) compared to a 2.8% decrease in the placebo group (1.44 to 1.40 L, p < 0.05). In addition, Rhodiola improved the body’s ability to exhale carbon dioxide during an exercise test called the maximum cardiopulmonary exercise test (7). Specifically, those in the Rhodiola group had a 4.4% decrease in “Equivalent CO2” (46 to 44) compared to a 6.7% increase in the placebo group (45 to 48, p < 0.05).
For the researchers, “To the best of our knowledge, this is the first clinical trial of RC on the clinical performance of patients with COPD” and that “This study demonstrates that the adjunctive use of RC for patients with COPD is well tolerated and improves tidal breathing and ventilation efficiency.”
Source: Chuang M-L, Wu T-C, Wang Y-T, Wang YC, Tsao TC-Y, Wei JC-C, et al. (2015) Adjunctive Treatment with Rhodiola Crenulata in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – A
Randomized Placebo Controlled Double Blind Clinical Trial. PLoS ONE 10(6): e0128142. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0128142
© 2015 Chuang et al. Creative Commons Attribution License
Click here to read the full text study.
Posted November 16, 2015.
Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com.
References:
- Pauwels RA, Rabe KF. Burden and clinical features of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Lancet 2004; 364:613-620
- “Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease” posted on the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Website
- Hirayama F. Soy consumption and risk of COPD and respiratory symptoms: a case-control study in Japan. Res Res 2009; 10:56-63
- Varraso R. Prospective Study of Dietary Fiber and Risk of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Among US Women and Men. Am Jou Epidemiol 2010; doi:10.1093/aje/kwp455
- Suzuki M. A randomized, placebo controlled trial of acupuncture in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): the COPD-acupuncture trial (CAT). Arch Intern Med. 2012 Jun 11;172(11):878-86
- Chuang ML. Adjunctive Treatment with Rhodiola Crenulata in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease–A Randomized Placebo Controlled Double Blind Clinical Trial. PLoS One 2015 Jun 22;10(6):e0128142. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128142. eCollection 2015
- Chuang ML, Lin IF (2014) Clinical characteristics and lung function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease complicated with impaired peripheral oxygenation. Intern Emerg Med 2014; 9: 633–640
