Saffron (Crocus sativus)
Saffron comes from the hand-harvested stigmas of the Crocus sativus flower — it takes roughly 75,000 flowers to produce a single pound, which is why it
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What is s affron ? Saffron is a spice that comes from the flower of the Crocus sativus plant. How does it work? Saffron contains a compound called crocin, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It also affects neurotransmitters in the brain, which may improve mood and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. What are the active ingredients that are important for its medicinal properties? Crocin is the main active ingredient in saffron. What forms does it come in? Saffron is available in whole threads, powder, and capsules. When was it first used for medicinal purposes? Saffron has been used for medicinal purposes for over 3,500 years in Persian medicine.
Helps
What does Saffron (Crocus sativus) help with? Saffron is the dried red thread from the crocus flower. Persian healers have used it for mood and for women's health for many years. It is also one of the most costly spices on earth. For a plant remedy, saffron has been studied a lot. The work on low mood is the strongest part of that record. Most other uses rest on small or early human studies. Low mood and depression Strong evidence — several randomised human trials, including head-to-head tests against fluoxetine and imipramine. Saffron is the most studied plant for depression. In trials in people with mild to moderate depression, it scored much like low-dose fluoxetine or imipramine. Lab work suggests it keeps serotonin and dopamine, two mood-linked brain chemicals, active for longer. Evidence grade A · Traditional tier T3 Feeling anxious or wound up Good evidence — human clinical trials with anxiety scores; sizes and doses are not listed in our file. In clinical trials, people taking saffron reported lower anxiety scores. Trial reports did not describe heavy sedation. In lab studies, a saffron compound called safranal calmed nerve activity. Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T3 PMS mood swings and period cramps Good evidence — human clinical studies in women with PMS; sizes and doses are not listed in our file. In clinical studies, women with PMS reported less irritability and fewer mood swings. They also reported milder cramps. The shift in mood before a period is thought to be hormonal, and saffron was tested against that pattern. Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T3 Low sex drive, including drive dulled by antidepressants Good evidence — human trials in both men and women; sizes and doses are not listed in our file. Trials looked at low sex drive in men and in women. Some took part because their sex drive had dropped on antidepressant drugs. People reported better desire, arousal and satisfaction within a few weeks. Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T3 Age-related sight loss (macular degeneration) Good evidence — human clinical trials in people with age-related macular degeneration. Trials in people with this eye disease measured visual function. Those trials found small but measurable gains. Two saffron pigments, crocin and crocetin, are strong antioxidants that gather in the retina, based on lab work. Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T3 Trouble falling asleep or poor sleep Early evidence — human studies using self-reported sleep quality; sizes and doses are not listed in our file. In human studies, people reported better sleep and a shorter wait to fall asleep. They also reported no grogginess the next morning. Researchers link this to serotonin, the building block of melatonin, but that link comes from lab work. Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T3 Snacking and appetite control Early evidence — human clinical trials measuring snacking counts, not body weight. In clinical trials, people reported snacking less often between meals. Emotional snacking dropped the most. A serotonin effect has been put forward as the reason, based on lab work. Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T3 Memory slipping with age, and mild Alzheimer's disease Early evidence — early human trials against low-dose memory drugs; sizes and doses are not listed in our file. Early trials in people with mild Alzheimer's disease ran for several months. Saffron scored much like low-dose memory drugs in those trials. Its antioxidant action in the brain comes from lab work, not from these trials. Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T3 ADHD symptoms in children and adults Early evidence — preliminary human trials in children, some against low-dose methylphenidate. Early trials in children with ADHD tracked focus and restlessness. Some found saffron scored close to low-dose methylphenidate. This research is still at an early stage. Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T3 What Saffron (Crocus sativus) has not been shown to do It has not been shown to cure
