How we rate
“Strong” = several concordant meta-analyses or systematic reviews. “Moderate” = one synthesis, or several controlled trials. “Limited” = early trials only. The rating is about the quality of the studies, not about how useful the supplement is.
Saffron
The world’s most expensive spice, taken in capsule form. The best research into it does not focus on cooking, but on mood and sleep.
Benefits
- Reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety compared with a placebo, including when used in combination with an antidepressant (meta-analysis of randomised trials)
- Improves sleep quality, as measured by several indicators in a meta-analysis of randomised trials, at a dose of 100 mg per day
- Reduces waist circumference by 2.18 cm and lowers fasting blood glucose by 6.54 mg/dl (9 trials, 595 participants) — without affecting glycated haemoglobin
- Lowers triglycerides and total cholesterol and raises HDL (6 trials), with no effect on LDL
- Improves retinal function in early-stage age-related macular degeneration, from 3 months onwards at a dose of 20 mg per day, with the benefit maintained for an average of 14 months
Precautions
Medical advice is essential if you are taking an antidepressant: it is precisely in this context that saffron has been studied, as a complement to treatment and never as a substitute for it. Sleep trials report no serious adverse effects at 100 mg per day. It is also worth noting that the effect on blood pressure, although statistically significant across eight trials, is considered weak by the authors themselves, who doubt that it is clinically relevant. The two metabolic meta-analyses do not agree on fasting blood glucose levels — one finds a decrease, the other does not — and neither finds any effect on glycated haemoglobin, which is the measure of blood sugar control over a three-month period. Finally, the authors of the meta-analysis on depression themselves call for further trials before drawing any conclusions.
Recommended dosage
100 mg per day in most trials on mood, sleep and metabolism. Trials on the retina use significantly less: 20 to 30 mg per day.
How to take it
- For mood and sleep: 100 mg per day, the most studied dose; it is also the one highlighted by the meta-analysis on sleep.
- For the eyes: much lower doses, 20 to 30 mg per day, in trials on age-related macular degeneration.
- How long: 8 to 12 weeks in most trials. On the retina, the first effects appear after 3 months and are maintained for more than a year.
- With exercise: in diabetic women, saffron (200 to 400 mg per day) and endurance training combined yielded the best results on insulin and blood glucose.
Did you know?
Saffron has been shown to significantly reduce waist circumference (by an average of 2.18 cm) and fasting blood glucose levels in adults.
What the studies say
This updated meta-analysis examined the effect of saffron supplementation on markers of oxidative stress. Analysis of 16 studies revealed that saffron consumption led to a significant decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) and total oxidant status (TOS), as well as a significant increase in total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). These results suggest that saffron has beneficial effects on oxidative stress.
Abedi A, Ghobadi H, Sharghi A, Iranpour S, Fazlzadeh M, Aslani MR. — Frontiers in medicine (2023) — View the source study
Pairs well with
- AshwagandhaSaffron showed a positive effect on depressive symptoms and anxiety (study 3) and improves sleep quality (study 19). Ashwagandha also reduces anxiety and stress levels (studies 5, 24) and improves sleep quality (study 15), suggesting a complementary benefit to combining them.
- MelatoninSaffron improves sleep quality (study 19). Melatonin is also associated with a significant improvement in sleep quality and time (studies 3, 5), suggesting a complementary benefit to combining them for sleep.
- L-theanineSaffron showed a positive effect on depressive symptoms and anxiety (study 3) and a notable improvement in sleep quality (study 19). L-theanine also reduces stress and anxiety, and improves sleep quality (studies 1, 9), which suggests a complementary benefit to combining them.
For information only: not a substitute for medical advice. Dietary supplements are not a replacement for a varied, balanced diet. Learn more