Retibol for supporting recovery in athletes
Retibol is a supplement for athletes that has been described as an adaptogen. Its purpose is to support your body when training load, stress and recovery start competing with one another, rather than to replace sleep, food or a sensible training plan.
Older fitness.ee articles discuss Retibol mainly in relation to Rhaponticum cartamoides, also known as Leuzea or maral root. Below, we revisit the topic in clearer language: what to expect from adaptogens, where their promise ends and why athletes should keep a level head.
Why Retibol attracts interest among athletes
Adaptogens are natural substances derived from plants and parts of herbs that have traditionally been used to support the body’s tolerance to stress. The reality is simple: when training, work, poor sleep and cold autumn weather all pile up, athletes look for ways to cope better with the demands.
Retibol is one familiar name in this context. The original article classified it as an adaptogen and emphasized that adaptogens are not on the list of prohibited doping substances. That, however, does not make any supplement a miracle cure. A supplement can only complement training, recovery and nutrition, not replace them.
Israel Brekman is a name associated with adaptogen research. He has been called the father and discoverer of adaptogens. According to his definition, an adaptogen had to be safe, increase the body’s nonspecific resistance to stress and help restore its natural metabolic balance, or homeostasis.
So what actually matters to athletes? Usually three things: the immune system, physical performance and recovery. These were the specific areas in which the original text described a potential role for adaptogens.
How Retibol and adaptogens work
Discussions of Retibol highlight Rhaponticum cartamoides, or Leuzea, also known as maral root. According to the original description, Retibol contains biologically active 20-hydroxyecdysone, which has been associated with supporting protein synthesis from amino acids in muscle cells by influencing DNA and mRNA.
The original material linked this to studies conducted in Japan, Russia, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. Since no specific references were provided, these claims should be read with caution: as interesting historical and practical information, rather than a firm promise of results for everyone who trains.
The idea behind adaptogens is to help the body adapt. The text mentioned the role of Schisandra, Eleutherococcus and Aralia in improving the capacity for recovery. It also described how Eleutherococcus senticosus may increase the body’s resistance to various stressors and how Rhodiola rosea may affect blood levels of ?-endorphins.
At the cellular level, the effect was explained in terms of energy use. When stress disrupts a cell’s energy supply, its capacity to function also declines. Adaptogens were thought to help the body make better use of its available energy resources and slow the formation of compounds that interfere with normal cellular energy production.
Regarding the immune system, the text mentioned an increase in levels of T lymphocytes, or killer cells, and greater leukocyte activity. Another example described how eleuthero extract reduced flora on the skin’s surface and increased the body’s nonspecific resistance. These claims come from the original article and are presented here in the same general context.
Another interesting section, though one that today’s readers should approach with caution, concerned vision, hearing and the vestibular system. A study involving 65 healthy individuals, mainly workers in aviation, shipping, rail and road transport, described relief from motion-related discomfort after taking eleuthero extract. Pilots, astronauts and factory workers were also mentioned.
What to consider when using Retibol
If you are feeling tired from training, Retibol should not be the first thing you turn to. The first question is much simpler: are your sleep, diet and distribution of training load in order? If these are falling short, no jar of supplements or extract will save the situation.
The original article emphasized that Retibol and similar herbal preparations may help slow the loss of muscle mass during periods of high-volume, high-intensity training. It also noted that Retibol does not inhibit the use of lipids from the body’s fat stores. These claims relate to athletic performance and recovery, rather than a promise of rapid fat burning.
According to the original description, Rhaponticum cartamoides, or Leuzea, grows in alpine areas of high mountain ranges, meadows, tundra thickets, clearings in coniferous forests, specifically cedar pine forests, and along riverbanks. The plant grows to a height of 50 150 cm. Its leaves are 10- 40 cm long and 5- 15 cm wide. Individual flower heads are 6- 8 cm wide.
This species has been found in southern Siberia and eastern Kazakhstan and has been successfully cultivated in Bulgaria. The root is harvested in autumn, cleaned, cut and dried at room temperature. Leuzea root grown in Bulgaria has been found to contain 0.29% essential oils, 12-13% inulin, 5-10% tannins and various salts.
In traditional Siberian medicine, Leuzea has been used for weakness following illness and for overtraining. This fits well with the interest it attracts in sport: hard training puts stress on the body, but too much stress without recovery leads to fatigue rather than improved fitness.
Prof. I. Brekman recommended that Russian athletes take adaptogens alongside their training regimen as supplements known to be non-doping substances. Prof. Sergei Portugalov, a nutrition adviser to the Russian Olympic team who headed the Laboratory of Biologically Active Compounds at the Moscow Institute of Sports Science and was a member of the World Anti-Doping Federation, linked adaptogenic plants to faster recovery, adaptation to different climates and support for the immune system.
RETIBOL and PRIME QUEST were named as well-known preparations in sport. The original text stated that several world-class athletes were known to use them. This should be understood as historical context, rather than a current recommendation to buy them.
Leuzea was described as having stimulating and tonic effects. Experimental studies reported improved performance in fatigued skeletal muscle and increased levels of glycogen and phosphocreatine. In an experiment using an alcohol solution of Leuzea grown in Bulgaria, albino rats swam for longer and showed improved memory.
In clinical practice, Leuzea extract was reported to have effects in patients with neurosis and asthenia, with good results also described in the treatment of patients with erectile dysfunction. Tonic and stimulating effects were reported in healthy people. Again, these are claims made in the original text, rather than a reason to experiment with it for treatment without consulting a doctor or pharmacist.
Athletics, swimming, speed skating and skiing were mentioned in relation to athletic performance. The athletes tested showed improvements in speed-strength compared with the control group. Faster recovery was also reported, including a return of lactate and uric acid levels to normal.
The original text also highlighted three percentage figures: after taking Rhaponticum cartamoides extract, 69 % of participants reported an increased ability to adapt to different climatic and environmental conditions, 86 % reported an improved appetite, and 78 % reported an increased ability to adapt to intense physical exertion.
An important distinction needs to be made here. Rhaponticum cartamoides extract was compared with anabolic steroids in terms of its effects, but the text noted that the androgenic side effects associated with anabolic steroids were not observed. It also stated that no side effects on the endocrine glands were detected. However, this does not mean you should use it without concern, especially if you have medical conditions, take medication or undergo testing in competitive sport.
FAQ: Retibol and adaptogens
Is Retibol the same as an anabolic steroid?
No. The original article described Retibol as a plant-based preparation and emphasized that adaptogens are alternatives to anabolic steroids. Its effects were described in terms of protein synthesis and recovery, but it was not described as a hormonal steroid.
Is Retibol suitable for everyone who trains?
Not automatically. If your training is irregular, you get too little sleep and your diet is haphazard, those are the things to address first. A supplement makes sense when the basics are in place and you have a clear reason for using it.
Why is Leuzea mentioned in connection with Retibol?
Because, according to the original description, Retibol is made from Rhaponticum cartamoides, or Leuzea, a plant also known as maral root. Its root has been associated with tonic and adaptogenic effects, as well as support for recovery in sport.
Author: Kaire Paat, Mehis Viru , University of Tartu
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