Exercise Performance & Recovery
What NCCIH and recent meta-analyses say about ashwagandha, rhodiola and ginseng for endurance, strength and recovery, where results disagree, and what to check in tested sport.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Safety first. Natural products can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read who should be careful, by situation before you use anything on this page.
If you compete in tested sport, check with your sport's anti-doping organisation before using any supplement. See adaptogens for athletes and doping rules and sports certification and banned-substance contamination.
What the claim is
Adaptogens are marketed to "boost stamina", "speed recovery" and "improve performance". "Adaptogen" is a contested word, and the results below come from different plants and trial designs. The question here: what did trials measure in exercising people?What research shows
| Ingredient and group studied | What the source found | Evidence label |
|---|---|---|
| Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng), NCCIH summary | The majority of research shows it does not improve athletic performance. [1] | No good evidence of benefit |
| Ginseng, 2016 meta-analysis of 12 trials (630 people) | No association with physical performance in eight trials; the authors judged evidence insufficient. [2] | No good evidence of benefit |
| Ginseng, 2024 review mostly of animal studies | Authors suggest ginseng may help endurance, noting most studies were in animals; one human study showed longer time to exhaustion. [3] | Preclinical, with limited human data |
| Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), NCCIH summary | Not enough evidence to determine if it helps athletic performance. [4] | Insufficient evidence |
| Ashwagandha, 2026 meta-analysis of 13 trials (599 mainly young adults and athletes) | Average improvement in exercise performance, clearest for aerobic endurance; strength effects were positive but uncertain, and the range of likely results in new studies crossed zero. [5] | Promising but limited |
| Ashwagandha, 2021 Bayesian meta-analysis | Better than placebo for physical-performance measures in healthy people; the lead author reports links to a company selling an ashwagandha product. [6] | Promising but limited |
| Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea), 2025 meta-analysis of 26 trials (668 healthy people, mean 33 days) | Improved VO2max, time to exhaustion and time-trial results; the authors urge cautious reading given differences between studies. [7] | Promising but limited |
| Rhodiola species, 2026 meta-analysis of 9 trials (424 people) | No significant effect on VO2max; improved antioxidant markers; the authors concluded the evidence does not support it for preventing acute mountain sickness. [8] | Mixed |
| Rhodiola, 2023 review of 13 trials | Mostly positive but varied results, with unclear or high risk of bias in most studies. [9] | Mixed |
| Cordyceps (a mushroom) | Covered in Mushrooms; see cordyceps for energy and exercise. | Not assessed here |
Biomarker changes (antioxidant levels, creatine kinase, lactate) are not the same as winning a race or recovering faster. Results for rhodiola root extracts in young, healthy volunteers do not apply to older adults, people with heart conditions or people on medicines. Tradition: NCCIH says rhodiola was traditionally used for endurance, which is not proof of effect. [10]
What a reader can do
Training, sleep, food and rest do most of the work. See recovery after exercise and physical stamina. For other supplements with larger bodies of evidence, see creatine and caffeine. A clinician or pharmacist decides what is right for you.Frequently asked questions
Does ashwagandha build muscle or strength?
A 2026 meta-analysis found positive but uncertain strength effects, with clearer results for aerobic endurance; NCCIH says evidence is not enough. [5][4]
Does ginseng improve athletic performance?
NCCIH says the majority of research shows it does not. [1]
Do rhodiola studies agree?
No. A 2025 meta-analysis found better endurance outcomes and a 2026 one found no effect on VO2max. [7][8]
Is any adaptogen allowed in tested sport?
Not described in the sources we read. Check with your sport's anti-doping organisation and the linked athletes page.
Do adaptogens speed recovery?
Biomarkers such as creatine kinase changed in some rhodiola trials, but that is a lab marker, not proof of faster recovery. [7]
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Safety
- Ashwagandha: drowsiness, stomach upset and rare liver injury; avoid in pregnancy; not recommended before surgery; possible interactions include medicines for diabetes, blood pressure, sedatives and thyroid hormone. [4] NCCIH adds that because it may raise testosterone, people with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer should avoid it. [4]
- Ginseng: insomnia is common; it may lower blood sugar and affect blood clotting. [1]
- Rhodiola: dizziness, headache and insomnia; a losartan interaction was reported. [10]
- Doping rules and contamination: whether a given ingredient is allowed in tested sport is not described in the sources we read for this page; sport certification is covered at the pages linked above.
- Talk with a pharmacist about medicines; see how medicine interactions work.
References
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Asian Ginseng. Read 2026-10-23.
- Efficacy of ginseng supplements on fatigue and physical performance: a meta-analysis. J Korean Med Sci. 2016;31(12):1879-1886. PubMed 27822924. Read 2026-10-23.
- Szymanska A, et al. Effect of ginseng supplementation on exercise endurance as a support for cardiovascular disease management: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Antioxidants (Basel). 2024;14(1):32. PubMed 39857366. Read 2026-10-23.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Ashwagandha: Usefulness and Safety. Read 2026-10-23.
- Li X, et al. Effects of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) supplementation on exercise performance: a systematic review and three-level meta-analysis. Nutrients. 2026;18(12):1915. PubMed 42356302. Read 2026-10-23.
- Bonilla DA, et al. Effects of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) on physical performance: systematic review and Bayesian meta-analysis. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2021;6(1):20. PubMed 33670194. Read 2026-10-23.
- Wang X, et al. The effect of Rhodiola rosea supplementation on endurance performance and related biomarkers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Nutr. 2025;12:1645346. PubMed 41080184. Read 2026-10-23.
- Mou J, et al. Antioxidant but not ergogenic or altitude-protective: a meta-analysis of Rhodiola species in healthy adults. Front Physiol. 2026;17:1908897. PubMed 42908635. Read 2026-10-23.
- Sanz-Barrio PM, et al. Rhodiola rosea supplementation on sports performance: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Phytother Res. 2023;37(10):4414-4428. PubMed 37495266. Read 2026-10-23.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH). Rhodiola. Read 2026-10-23.