International Journal of
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Research Article Volume 19 Issue 1
Effect of a selected adaptogen ergogenic aid on dynamic and static visual reaction time: a preliminary study
Bert H Jacobson, Steve Azzaro
Received: February 02, 2026 | Published: February 20, 2026
Citation: Jacobson BH, Azzaro S. Effect of a selected adaptogen ergogenic aid on dynamic and static visual reaction time: a preliminary study. Int J Complement Alt Med. 2026;19(1):53-55. DOI: 10.15406/ijcam.2026.19.00762
Abstract
Rhodiola rosea (R. rosea) is an herb found in the mountain regions in Asia and Europe with a long history of use as a traditional medicine. R. rosea and has been proposed to be an adaptogen associated with increasing performance, focus and simple and choice reaction time. The means by which R. Rosea is associated with these attributes is not fully understood, but it may be related to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis by stimulating neurotransmitters. The aim of this study was to determine if R. Rosea has an effect on dynamic (Dyn) and static (Sta) visual reaction time. The Dyn task placed the participant in a virtual computer generated driver’s seat of a moving vehicle. At random intervals a stop sign flashed and the participant was to tap the space bar as quickly as possible. The Sta task represented a traffic light. The participant was to click the mouse the instance the green light changed to red. Each assessment required five attempts which were averaged in msecs. Following pre-testing of the aforementioned assessments, participants were randomly given a seven-day supply of R. Rosea or placebo. After one week participants reported to the lab for post testing. For the Dyn reaction assessment the R. rosea group a slight, but not significant pre- to posttest improvement over the placebo. The placebo group recorded 0.364 ms and 0.338 ms for pre- and posttest respectively (0.015ms and 0.026ms respectively). The Sta reaction module yielded a slight but non-significant improvement (p>0.05) between groups with the R.rosea improving by.068ms from pre- and posttest and the placebo group only improving 0.008ms. Suggestions for further study included longer supplementation periods and increases in dosage.
Keywords: reaction time, vision, supplement, Rhodiola rosea
©2026 Jacobson, et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.