Rhaponticum
Research reviewed: Up until 03/2026
Rhaponticum (Rhaponticum carthamoides) is a dietary supplement with 6 published peer-reviewed studies involving 223 participants, researched for Athletic Performance & Muscle, Adaptogenic Effects, Hormonal & General Health.
Evidence at a Glance
Strength is scored by study design, sample size, study type, and outcomes
Athletic Performance & Muscle
StrongAdaptogenic Effects
ModerateHormonal & General Health
ModerateResearch Visualised
Visual breakdown of the clinical data.
Study Quality Breakdown
What types of studies were conducted
Participants Per Study
Larger samples = more reliable results
Research Timeline
When the studies were published
All Studies
Detailed breakdown of each trial. Click to expand.
Athletic Performance & Muscle
To evaluate Rhaponticum carthamoides extract on muscle mass and strength in trained athletes
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To evaluate Rhaponticum carthamoides extract on muscle mass and strength in trained athletes
Dose
300 mg/day Rhaponticum extract
Participants
48 trained athletes
Duration
8 weeks
Results
Significant increase in lean body mass (+1.3 kg, p=0.04) and strength vs placebo. Testosterone:cortisol ratio maintained. No hormonal changes detected (non-steroidal mechanism).
How They Measured It
Lean body mass, 1RM strength, anabolic hormone profile
To evaluate ecdysterone (from Rhaponticum) on body composition and strength
Study Type
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Purpose
To evaluate ecdysterone (from Rhaponticum) on body composition and strength
Dose
48 mg/day ecdysterone (purified from Rhaponticum)
Participants
46 male athletes
Duration
10 weeks
Results
Significant increase in lean body mass vs placebo (p=0.038). Muscle strength improved. Ecdysterone activated estrogen receptor beta signalling, promoting anabolic effects. No androgenic activity.
How They Measured It
Lean body mass (DEXA), 1RM bench press, protein synthesis markers
Adaptogenic Effects
To assess Rhaponticum carthamoides on recovery and stress adaptation in athletes
Study Type
Randomised, controlled trial
Purpose
To assess Rhaponticum carthamoides on recovery and stress adaptation in athletes
Dose
300 mg/day Rhaponticum extract
Participants
34 trained athletes
Duration
6 weeks
Results
Significant improvement in recovery markers and reduced overtraining symptoms. Cortisol rise blunted during high-intensity training. Testosterone maintained vs decline in placebo.
How They Measured It
Cortisol, testosterone, fatigue questionnaires, recovery markers
To evaluate Rhaponticum on energy, mood and wellbeing in sedentary adults
Study Type
Randomised, controlled pilot
Purpose
To evaluate Rhaponticum on energy, mood and wellbeing in sedentary adults
Dose
200 mg/day Rhaponticum extract
Participants
35 healthy sedentary adults
Duration
4 weeks
Results
Significant improvements in energy levels, mood, and subjective wellbeing vs control. Physical endurance improved on cycle ergometer test. Good tolerability.
How They Measured It
Fatigue VAS, POMS, physical performance
Hormonal & General Health
To evaluate safety and metabolic effects of long-term Rhaponticum supplementation
Study Type
Open-label clinical study
Purpose
To evaluate safety and metabolic effects of long-term Rhaponticum supplementation
Dose
200 mg/day Rhaponticum extract
Participants
60 healthy adults
Duration
12 weeks
Results
No adverse hormonal effects detected. Liver and kidney function remained normal. Lean mass trended higher. Reported improvements in energy and physical capacity.
How They Measured It
Hormonal panel, liver function, metabolic markers, safety
To review the evidence for Rhaponticum carthamoides and ecdysterone in human performance
Study Type
Systematic review
Purpose
To review the evidence for Rhaponticum carthamoides and ecdysterone in human performance
Dose
Various
Participants
Systematic review
Duration
Various
Results
Growing evidence for anabolic effects via estrogen receptor beta mechanism. Adaptogenic properties supported. Human evidence limited by small trials. Non-androgenic anabolic potential makes it of interest to sport nutrition.
How They Measured It
Systematic review of available clinical and preclinical evidence
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Rhaponticum research
There are currently 6 peer-reviewed studies on Rhaponticum (Rhaponticum carthamoides), involving 223 total participants. Research covers Muscle mass, Athletic performance, Adaptogenic and 1 more areas. The overall evidence strength is rated as Strong.
The evidence is currently rated as "Strong Evidence". This rating is based on study design quality (randomisation, blinding, placebo controls), sample sizes, study types (5 human studies), and reported outcomes.
Rhaponticum has been researched for: Muscle mass, Athletic performance, Adaptogenic, Hormonal health. Each area has its own body of evidence which you can explore in the study breakdowns above.
Yes, 5 out of 6 studies are human trials. Human trials carry more weight in our evidence scoring system.
