Saffron Extract Benefits: What Human Studies Really Show
Saffron extract benefits have been investigated in human trials for mood, sleep, premenstrual symptoms, eye health and several other outcomes. The strongest recurring signals concern mood-related scores and sleep complaints; the evidence for other applications is more dependent on the population studied, the preparation used and the outcome measured. Even within one area, a positive clinical trial does not mean every saffron extract will produce the same result.
This guide separates findings in people from claims based mainly on laboratory work. It compares actual trial results, including results that did not improve, and explains why crocin percentage alone cannot tell a formulator which benefits a product will deliver. For a reader choosing a supplement or a brand evaluating a raw material, those distinctions matter more than a longer list of supposed benefits.
Disclosure: PhytoVale supplies saffron extract for ingredient buyers. This article discusses published research on multiple saffron preparations, not clinical trials conducted on every grade we offer.
01 · Quick evidence map
Saffron Extract Benefits at a Glance
If you came here looking for a practical answer, start with this table. It covers benefits studied in humans, not a list of activities seen only in cells or animals. “Human evidence” describes the type of research available; it is not a certification that a benefit is established for every finished product.
| Potential benefit | What human studies have found | What remains uncertain |
|---|---|---|
| Mood and stress | Several trials and meta-analyses report improvements in some depression or anxiety scores. | Results vary by scale, study population and extract; not all primary outcomes are positive.[1–3] |
| Sleep quality | Some trials report lower insomnia scores and better self-reported sleep quality.[4,5] | Better questionnaires do not necessarily mean more deep sleep or objectively longer sleep. |
| PMS symptoms | Randomized trials and a meta-analysis suggest reduced premenstrual symptom burden.[6] | PMS, menstrual pain and premenstrual dysphoric disorder are not interchangeable. |
| Eye and retinal function | Trials in people with macular disease found changes in certain visual or retinal measures.[8,9] | Findings in patients do not establish sharper eyesight in healthy adults. |
| Perimenopausal mood | A small trial reported improvements in psychological symptoms.[7] | Hot flashes and other vasomotor symptoms did not significantly improve. |
| Sexual function | Small trials found improvements in selected measures among patients with antidepressant-associated difficulties.[10,11] | Evidence does not establish a general libido benefit for all adults. |
| Cognition | Small studies in people with cognitive disorders have reported encouraging test results.[12] | These are not proofs of memory enhancement in healthy people. |
| Weight and snacking | Some trials report reduced snacking; a 2026 meta-analysis found modest average changes in weight.[13,14] | Long-term, clinically meaningful weight loss is not established. |
| Blood sugar and related markers | Some pooled trials in diabetes show small average improvements in fasting glucose and HbA1c.[15] | Methods and doses differ widely; findings do not replace diabetes treatment. |
| Skin, immunity and cancer prevention | Mechanistic, laboratory or formulation-specific studies exist. | Robust human evidence for broad oral supplement claims is lacking. |
A symptom scale, retinal test, blood biomarker and clinical event are different kinds of outcomes. Their statistical results should not be compared as though they measured the same benefit. The table identifies where human research exists; the sections below examine what it can—and cannot—tell us.
02 · What was tested?
Saffron Extract vs. Saffron: Why the Difference Matters
Saffron is the dried red stigma of Crocus sativus L. A culinary saffron thread, finely milled stigma powder and a standardized extract are not automatically equivalent materials. Extraction changes which constituents are concentrated or retained; a finished capsule may also contain carriers or excipients. Some clinical papers examined whole saffron, some used defined commercial extracts, and others tested isolated crocin.
That matters when someone reads that “saffron at 30 mg per day” improved an outcome. The study may have used 30 mg of a particular extract, 30 mg of stigma material, or a different dose of purified crocin. Those figures describe different interventions. Likewise, a supplement labelled “3% crocin” cannot be assumed to have the same full chemical profile as the preparation in a published randomized trial.
| Material | What it describes | Clinical interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Dried saffron stigma | Plant material used as a spice or processed further | Composition varies with origin, harvest, drying and storage. |
| Stigma powder | Milled botanical material without selective extraction | Cannot be converted to extract milligrams using a universal ratio. |
| Standardized extract | Extract with one or more stated analytical markers | Clinical relevance depends on the specific preparation and test method. |
| Isolated crocin | A defined constituent or crocin-rich preparation | Studies cannot be treated as proof for all whole saffron extracts. |
This article uses the term “saffron research” when evidence covers different preparations and “saffron extract” where an extract was specifically tested. That distinction is a little less convenient than a universal benefit list, but it prevents several common formulation errors.
03 · Clinical findings
The Best-Studied Benefits in Human Trials
Mood: encouraging results, with real disagreements between studies
Mood is the largest clinical research area for saffron. A 2026 systematic review pooled 34 randomized controlled trials involving 1,769 participants. It found average improvements on the self-reported Beck Depression Inventory (BDI; weighted mean difference −4.39 points) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI; −5.06 points). Yet the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale and Profile of Mood States did not show significant pooled effects. Heterogeneity was especially high for BDI and BAI. The honest conclusion is not that every scale confirms the same effect; it is that some patient-reported outcomes appear promising while consistency remains a concern.[1]
One of the larger individual trials enrolled 202 adults with subclinical depressive symptoms. After 12 weeks of 28 mg/day of affron®, the placebo-adjusted difference on the DASS-21 depression subscale was −2.92 points (Cohen's d = 0.39). A meaningful improvement on that measure occurred in 72.3% of the saffron group and 54.3% of the placebo group. That large placebo response deserves mention: the study supports an additional effect over placebo, not a dramatic response that would occur only with saffron. Most other secondary measures did not differ significantly between groups.[2]
Then consider another 2025 randomized trial: 51 adults took a saffron extract or placebo for six weeks. Its prespecified composite outcome combining depression, anxiety and fatigue scores was not significantly improved. That is not a study to hide in the footnotes; it is part of the evidence people need when deciding how confident to be in a mood claim.[3] Our detailed saffron extract for depression evidence review examines this field more deeply, including the interpretation of antidepressant comparison trials.
Sleep: improvement in insomnia scores is not proof of more deep sleep
The sleep findings are increasingly substantial, but their endpoints need careful reading. In a 2025 randomized, double-blind trial involving 165 adults with moderate insomnia complaints, researchers compared a standardized Safr’Inside™ extract at 20 or 30 mg/day with placebo over four weeks. The reported adjusted between-group difference on the Athens Insomnia Scale was −0.95 points. Both extract groups also improved self-reported sleep quality, while most other measured outcomes showed no significant differences.[4]
Another randomized study followed 66 adults taking 15.5 mg/day of a saffron extract or placebo for six weeks. Sleep questionnaires improved, and actigraphy showed increased time in bed. Actigraphy is a useful objective measure of rest–activity patterns, but more time in bed is not the same thing as more slow-wave sleep, nor does a questionnaire score establish a change in sleep architecture. For an ingredient brochure, the precise wording matters: “studied for sleep quality and insomnia symptoms” is much better grounded than “clinically proven to increase deep sleep.”[5]
Premenstrual symptoms: separate PMS from menstrual pain
The original randomized trial by Agha-Hosseini and colleagues tested saffron at 30 mg/day for two menstrual cycles and found better premenstrual symptom scores than placebo. Later studies expanded the field, including work on premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis of seven trials, covering 612 participants, reported a pooled standardized mean difference of −0.64 for PMS symptoms. The authors also reported a smaller, less precise estimate for dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain).[6]
The distinction is important. PMS can include mood changes, irritability, breast tenderness and other cyclical symptoms; dysmenorrhea concerns pain associated with menstruation; PMDD is a more severe disorder with specific diagnostic criteria. An improvement in the first category is not evidence for treating every condition in the other two. The clinical studies are encouraging for PMS symptom burden, but preparation-specific confirmation and longer follow-up would strengthen the case.
Eye health: promising research in patients, not a general eyesight booster
Eye-health studies often attract overly broad interpretations. A 2019 randomized crossover trial enrolled 100 adults over age 50 with mild or moderate age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Participants received oral saffron at 20 mg/day for one three-month phase and placebo for another. The study investigated visual function in people already affected by retinal disease—not visual sharpness in a healthy population.[8]
An equally important distinction comes from a trial of purified crocin rather than ordinary saffron extract. Among 60 patients with diabetic maculopathy, 15 mg/day of crocin for three months improved best-corrected visual acuity and central macular thickness compared with placebo, while the 5 mg/day group did not show the same significant results. These were patients receiving conventional eye care; saffron-related interventions were being studied in a specific clinical setting. None of these findings justifies suggesting that any generic crocin-standardized capsule can prevent AMD or correct poor eyesight.[9]
04 · Emerging applications
Other Saffron Benefits: Interesting, but More Dependent on Context
Perimenopausal mood is not the same as relief from hot flashes
In a 12-week randomized trial, 86 perimenopausal women were assigned to placebo or 28 mg/day of affron®. Psychological and negative-affect scores improved more in the saffron group. By contrast, vasomotor complaints—including symptoms such as hot flashes—did not significantly improve versus placebo. That difference gives women's-health formulators a more useful conclusion than a general claim that saffron “treats menopause.” The signal was concentrated in mood-related measures.[7]
A 2026 trial in 86 women aged 50–70 reported improved depression and self-esteem measures with the same 28 mg/day extract over 12 weeks. Yet it found no significant between-group effect for sleep disturbance, perceived physical appearance or computer-estimated facial skin age. The study is a good reminder that even within a single successful trial, several proposed benefits can remain unsupported.[19]
Sexual function: findings from specific medication-related problems
Sexual-health evidence is more specialized than headlines suggest. In a four-week, double-blind trial, 36 men with depression stabilized on fluoxetine and reporting sexual impairment received saffron 15 mg twice daily or placebo. Significant improvements appeared in erectile function and intercourse-satisfaction scores; 30 participants completed the study. A separate trial in women taking fluoxetine examined related symptoms and reported improvement in selected domains, not in every sexual-function measure.[10,11]
These findings are relevant to research on antidepressant-associated sexual dysfunction. They do not prove that saffron is a general-purpose aphrodisiac, a treatment for every cause of erectile dysfunction or a substitute for medical care. The study populations were deliberately narrow, and their medication context is central to interpreting the results.
Cognition: encouraging tests in people with diagnosed disorders
A small 2010 placebo-controlled trial enrolled 46 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. After 16 weeks at 30 mg/day, the saffron group performed better on two cognitive and clinical scales than the placebo group. This finding is worth reporting, but it addresses short-term outcomes in people with an established neurodegenerative condition. It does not demonstrate enhanced attention in office workers, higher exam performance among students or prevention of dementia in people without cognitive impairment.[12]
For a healthy-aging supplement, the gap between the study population and the intended consumer matters as much as the P value. Larger trials with healthy or mildly impaired adults, relevant functional outcomes and longer follow-up would be needed before making broad memory-performance claims.
Weight control: a small pooled change, not a weight-loss solution
The best-known early study was not a typical 30 mg/day saffron trial. Gout and colleagues enrolled 60 mildly overweight women, testing a specific extract called Satiereal at 176.5 mg/day for eight weeks. The active group reported fewer snacking occasions and a greater body-weight reduction than placebo. That offers a plausible reason saffron attracted interest in appetite-oriented products, but it cannot establish long-term weight maintenance or the efficacy of a different, lower-dose extract.[13]
A broader 2026 meta-analysis covering 28 randomized trials and 1,623 participants found an average body-weight difference of −1.09 kg versus control (95% CI −2.16 to −0.02 kg). Waist circumference changed by an average of −1.14 cm. These estimates were statistically significant, but the weight result was near the conventional significance threshold and the average magnitude was modest. This is an example where a positive meta-analysis still does not support dramatic before-and-after weight-loss language.[14]
Blood glucose: an outcome measured largely in people with diabetes
A 2024 systematic review pooled 10 randomized trials involving 562 participants with diabetes. Compared with placebo, saffron interventions lowered fasting plasma glucose by a weighted average of 8.42 mg/dL and HbA1c by 0.22 percentage points. The review did not find significant pooled changes in insulin, HOMA-IR or QUICKI. The included preparations and doses ranged from 5 mg to 1 g per day, so a single commercial extract specification cannot inherit all of these results.[15]
The practical takeaway is narrower than “saffron balances blood sugar.” These trials explored glycemic markers in a defined patient population, with heterogeneous methods and generally limited follow-up. They do not establish that healthy users need saffron for glucose control, or that supplements can replace prescribed diabetes treatment.
05 · Evidence boundaries
What Human Studies Have Not Demonstrated
The difference between a promising mechanism and an established benefit is often lost in ingredient marketing. Researchers have described antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activities of crocin, crocetin and other saffron constituents in experimental systems. Those observations can help generate hypotheses. They do not, by themselves, prove that taking a saffron capsule reduces cancer incidence, protects against infection, reverses Alzheimer's disease or slows human skin aging.
Skin claims are a useful case study. A topical product combining saffron extract with other ingredients is not evidence that a single-ingredient oral supplement reduces wrinkles. Even more directly, the 2026 randomized study in women aged 50–70 found no significant improvement in estimated facial skin age after 12 weeks of saffron extract, despite reporting improvement in its primary mood measure.[19] A reader should not have to search the discussion section of a paper to find the negative part of the result.
A result can be statistically significant, biologically interesting and still too small—or too specific to one patient group—to justify a broad consumer benefit claim.
The same caution applies to cognition, eye disease and sexual function. Positive results in patients with a diagnosed condition do not establish prevention or performance enhancement among healthy adults. Where research is preliminary, it is better to say what was studied and what remains open than to force an additional “benefit” into a numbered list.
06 · Interpreting trials
Why Two Saffron Clinical Trials Can Reach Different Conclusions
Consider two mood studies published in 2025. Both investigated saffron-based interventions, but their participants, products, outcome definitions and follow-up periods differed. One found a statistically significant benefit on its primary depression scale; the other did not find a significant effect on its composite primary outcome. Neither finding cancels the other.
| Trial | Design | Prespecified main result | Why the comparison matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lopresti et al., 2025[2] | 202 adults; 28 mg/day affron®; 12 weeks | Primary DASS-21 depression outcome favored saffron; adjusted difference −2.92 points. | Larger trial, longer follow-up, depression-specific primary endpoint. |
| Amadieu et al., 2025[3] | 51 adults; saffron extract; 6 weeks | Composite primary outcome combining depressive, anxious and fatigue symptoms was not significant. | Different product, smaller sample and a broader composite endpoint. |
It would be tempting to conclude that the first extract was “better,” or that six weeks was “too short.” Neither inference follows from these trials alone. They were not a head-to-head comparison using identical participants and methods. They do show why a benefit claim should identify the actual endpoint rather than rely on the general phrase “clinically tested.”
There is another limitation worth reporting transparently: some well-known branded-extract studies include employees or funding from the ingredient company. That fact does not invalidate their findings, but it makes study registration, blinding, the stated primary endpoint and independently replicated results especially important. A meta-analysis can also inherit limitations from the underlying trials; more studies do not automatically remove variation between preparations or methods.[1–4]
07 · Active constituents
How Saffron Extract May Work—and What Happens After It Is Swallowed
The best-known saffron constituents are crocins, the water-soluble carotenoid glycosides associated with the red color; crocetin, their aglycone; safranal, a volatile aroma-related constituent; and picrocrocin, associated with saffron's bitter character. Laboratory research explores oxidative-stress pathways, inflammatory signaling and neurotransmission, but no single mechanism has been confirmed as the explanation for all clinical outcomes in humans.
One particularly informative study measured actual human exposure after oral dosing. In 2020, researchers gave a standardized saffron extract at 56 or 84 mg to 13 healthy volunteers and collected blood samples over time. They detected crocetin in plasma after administration; intact crocins were not quantifiable under their analytical conditions. Peak crocetin levels appeared about 60–90 minutes after intake. This supports the importance of digestion and conversion from crocins to crocetin, but it was a pharmacokinetic study—not a demonstration that either dose improved mood, sleep or memory.[16]
For a formulator, that is the useful distinction: a high laboratory percentage of crocins is a measurable raw-material property, not a direct meter of human benefit. Absorption, other accompanying compounds, processing and the actual clinical protocol all influence whether one study can reasonably inform another product. It is also why purified crocin studies must be kept separate from studies of whole saffron extracts.
08 · Ingredient identity
Why Extract Quality Matters to Any Saffron Benefit Claim
There is a procurement problem hidden inside the literature: a branded preparation standardized by one set of analytical markers may be cited in marketing for an entirely different extract. Two products can both declare “3% crocin” and still differ in plant part, extraction method, crocin isomer profile, safranal content, picrocrocin, carriers or stability. The same stated percentage does not establish that their clinical effects will match.
Botanical identity is another separate question. Gardenia fruit can contain related crocin pigments, so the presence of crocins by itself is not proof of Crocus sativus origin. In a 2018 Food Chemistry study, researchers used UHPLC-DAD-MS to examine multiple saffron metabolites and reported geniposide as a useful marker for detecting gardenia adulteration. They also showed that safranal estimates could differ dramatically depending on the analytical method. These are analytical findings, not clinical efficacy comparisons, but they directly affect the credibility of an ingredient specification.[17]
We examine the authenticity question separately in our saffron extract vs. gardenia extract comparison. For this benefits guide, the point is straightforward: a dose on a clinical paper, a Crocin percentage on a COA, and a claim about a finished supplement are three different pieces of information. They must be connected with evidence rather than assumed to match.
| Question for a raw-material supplier | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Is the botanical source Crocus sativus L., and which plant part is used? | Establishes the material identity behind any clinical comparison. |
| Does “crocin” mean a single analyte or total crocins, and by what method? | Prevents misleading comparisons of different standardization claims. |
| Are safranal, picrocrocin or fingerprint data available? | Gives a more informative picture than one percentage alone. |
| Are carriers, residual solvents and batch-specific quality tests documented? | Supports realistic capsule formulation and incoming-material evaluation. |
| Was the exact material used in the cited human trial? | Separates clinical evidence about a preparation from general ingredient research. |
PhytoVale can provide technical information for its saffron extract ingredient, including available standardized grades and batch documentation for review. We do not describe a generic grade as clinically equivalent to a branded trial material without the evidence needed to support that comparison.
09 · Use and safety
Dosage, Timing and Safety: What a Benefits Article Should—and Should Not—Recommend
Many trials on mood and sleep have used specific preparations near 20–30 mg/day, often for four to twelve weeks. Eye-health, metabolic, snacking and purified-crocin studies include different doses and durations. The appropriate interpretation is that these are studied regimens, not one universally recommended daily intake for all extracts and all users. For the detailed dose-by-application research table and formulation arithmetic, use our saffron extract dosage guide.
How quickly a person notices a change is likewise not settled by one timetable. Some sleep studies assessed outcomes after four weeks; mood trials commonly evaluated several weeks or months. A study's completion date is not a promise that every user will feel an effect by that date. Consistency of intake in a trial also does not establish the safety or efficacy of indefinite use.
A 2026 systematic review considered 102 clinical trials and one case report relating to saffron preparations. The authors estimated that adverse events occurred in approximately 17.5% of users across the reviewed evidence, with gastrointestinal complaints among the most frequently reported and often mild. Importantly, adverse-event collection was inconsistent across trials; this pooled estimate is not an exact risk figure for every standardized ingredient. The review recommended caution with higher doses or prolonged medicinal use.[18]
Saffron is not a substitute for prescribed treatment of depression, eye disease, diabetes or other medical conditions. People who are pregnant or breastfeeding, take antidepressants or other regular medications, or have an underlying condition should seek qualified medical advice before using a concentrated supplement. Finished-product claims and permitted uses also depend on the destination market and the evidence for the actual formulation.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best-supported benefits of saffron extract?
Human trials most consistently investigate mood-related symptoms, sleep complaints and premenstrual symptoms. Certain eye-health measures also have human trial data, primarily in patients with specific retinal conditions. The size and consistency of the effects vary by application, outcome and extract, so none of these findings applies automatically to every supplement.
Does saffron extract help with mood and stress?
Some randomized trials report improved depression- or anxiety-related scores, and a 2026 meta-analysis found positive pooled results on some self-reported scales. Other clinician-rated measures and some individual primary outcomes were not significant. The more accurate answer is that mood benefits are promising but not uniform across studies.
Can saffron extract improve sleep?
Trials of particular standardized extracts have reported improvements in insomnia and subjective sleep-quality measures over roughly four to six weeks. That does not establish increased deep-sleep time or prove that every type of saffron extract works in the same way.
What are the benefits of saffron extract for women?
Trials have investigated premenstrual symptoms, mood-related symptoms during perimenopause, and selected sexual-function difficulties in specific patient populations. Evidence for reduced hot flashes, broad skin anti-aging effects or all causes of menstrual pain is less certain and should not be inferred from mood or PMS results.
How long does saffron extract take to work?
Trial duration varies: sleep studies often measured outcomes around four to six weeks, and mood studies commonly continued for four to twelve weeks. These observation points are not guaranteed personal response times. Dose, formulation, baseline symptoms and the measured endpoint all matter.
Is saffron extract safe to take every day?
Short-term human trials generally report reasonable tolerability, but gastrointestinal complaints occur and long-term or higher-dose safety is not established for all preparations. Concentrated supplements warrant extra caution during pregnancy or breastfeeding and when medications or medical conditions are involved.
Is a higher crocin percentage always more effective?
No clinical evidence establishes a universal rule that a higher crocin percentage produces stronger benefits. Crocin percentage is one analytical specification, whereas clinical outcomes also depend on the particular extract, full composition, study dose, absorption and trial population. Verify the assay and the exact material studied before drawing comparisons.
Research transparency
How We Evaluated the Human Evidence
This article prioritizes published randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews of human studies available through October 2026. The discussion records participant groups, doses and durations where relevant, separates changes in patient-reported symptoms from objective measures, and reports notable null findings alongside positive outcomes. Where meta-analyses overlap, their participant totals are not added together; many reviews include the same original trials.
The term “promising” describes an evidence signal rather than regulatory approval or guaranteed benefit. Studies using saffron stigma, petal material, standardized extracts and isolated crocin were not treated as chemically or clinically equivalent. Individual papers vary in completeness of compositional disclosure and safety reporting. We cite original publications below so readers can check the details, and we identify our ingredient-supply interest above.
References
Clinical Studies and References
Mood and sleep
[1] Mahmoudi R et al. (2026). Effect of saffron on depression, anxiety and mood disorder: a GRADE-assessed systematic review and meta-analysis of 34 randomized controlled trials. Nutritional Neuroscience. PubMed: 41693488.
[2] Lopresti AL et al. (2025). An examination into the effects of a saffron extract (Affron) on mood and general wellbeing in adults experiencing low mood: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Journal of Nutrition. PubMed: 40414301.
[3] Amadieu C et al. (2025). Effect of saffron extract supplementation on mood in healthy adults with subclinical symptoms of depression: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. PubMed: 41047129.
[4] Schuster J et al. (2025). Effect of a saffron extract on sleep quality in adults with moderate insomnia: a decentralized, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Sleep Medicine: X. PubMed: 40698027.
[5] Pachikian BD et al. (2021). Effects of saffron extract on sleep quality: a randomized double-blind controlled clinical trial. PubMed: 33925432.
Women's health and retinal studies
[6] Mohammadi MM, Karimi Z (2026). Effect of saffron on premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Korean Journal of Family Medicine. PubMed: 41151539. See also Agha-Hosseini et al., 2008.
[7] Lopresti AL, Smith SJ (2021). The effects of a saffron extract (affron®) on menopausal symptoms in women during perimenopause: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Journal of Menopausal Medicine. PubMed: 34463070.
[8] Broadhead GK et al. (2019). Saffron therapy for the treatment of mild/moderate age-related macular degeneration: a randomised clinical trial. Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology. PubMed: 30343354.
[9] Sepahi S et al. (2018). Effects of crocin on diabetic maculopathy: a placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial. American Journal of Ophthalmology. PubMed: 29550187.
Other clinical applications
[10] Modabbernia A et al. (2012). Effect of saffron on fluoxetine-induced sexual impairment in men: randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Psychopharmacology. PubMed: 22552758.
[11] Kashani L et al. (2013). Saffron for treatment of fluoxetine-induced sexual dysfunction in women: randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study. Human Psychopharmacology. PubMed: 23280545.
[12] Akhondzadeh S et al. (2010). Saffron in the treatment of patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease: a 16-week, randomized and placebo-controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics. PubMed: 20831681.
[13] Gout B et al. (2010). Satiereal, a Crocus sativus L. extract, reduces snacking and increases satiety in a randomized placebo-controlled study of mildly overweight, healthy women. Nutrition Research. PubMed: 20579522.
[14] Vazirinasab et al. (2026). Effects of saffron supplementation on obesity indices: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutrition & Metabolism. Full study / DOI: 10.1186/s12986-026-01207-z.
[15] Liu J et al. (2024). Effect of saffron supplementation on the glycemic outcomes in diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Nutrition. PubMed: 38559777.
Composition, pharmacokinetics and safety
[16] Almodóvar P et al. (2020). Bioaccessibility and pharmacokinetics of a commercial saffron (Crocus sativus L.) extract. PubMed: 32089715.
[17] Moras B, Loffredo L, Rey S (2018). Quality assessment of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) extracts via UHPLC-DAD-MS analysis and detection of adulteration using gardenia fruit extract (Gardenia jasminoides Ellis). Food Chemistry. PubMed: 29622218.
[18] Hasheminasab FS et al. (2026). Adverse events of saffron (Crocus sativus L.): systematic review of current evidence. Health Science Reports. PubMed: 42057871.
[19] Lopresti AL, Smith SJ (2026). The effects of a saffron extract (Affron®) on mood, sleep, self-esteem, and exploratory measures of physical appearance in women aged 50 to 70 years experiencing low mood and poor sleep: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Frontiers in Nutrition. PubMed: 42389708.
Written by
FloraPhytoVale technical-content team. Flora writes product and ingredient guides for B2B buyers, drawing on published literature and supplier-side experience.
Reviewed by
Prof. Bingji MaProfessor of Pharmacognosy. Reviews botanical-extract content for scientific accuracy before publication.
Disclaimer — PhytoVale supplies saffron extract, the botanical ingredient discussed in this article. This content is educational information about published research, not medical advice or proof that every commercial extract has the same effects. Do not use a dietary supplement to replace diagnosis or treatment by a qualified clinician. Product claims, clinical applicability and permitted use depend on the exact ingredient, finished formulation and applicable market regulations.
Developing a Saffron Extract Supplement?
Exploring saffron extract for mood, sleep or women's health formulations? Tell us your target application, dosage form and crocin specification. We'll help you evaluate suitable ingredient grades and provide technical specifications, batch COA, sample availability and pricing.
