Saffron Extract

Saffron Extract

Helps support mood and relaxation

28 mg

30 Vegetarian Capsules ( SKU: 9292, NPN: 80118346 )

Benefits

  • Provides 28 mg of standardized saffron extract affron® per capsule
  • Affron is clinically validated in multiple trials
  • Contains standardized amounts of the bioactive components of saffron, crocin and safranal
  • Provides 100% pure Crocus sativus L. saffron from Spain
  • Helps support mood balance and reduce the symptoms of perceived stress, such as fatigue, weariness, and irritability
  • Helps improve restorative sleep and sleep quality in individuals experiencing sleeplessness
  • Helps support mood balance in adolescents and youth 12 years and over
  • Non-GMO, non-irradiated, and suitable for vegetarians/vegans

Feature Summary

Saffron is a spice derived from the Crocus sativus flower. It is rich in bioactive compounds and has been clinically shown to improve symptoms related to stress, anxiety, and low mood, along with enhancing sleep. Saffron’s active constituents include carotenoids, phenols, and flavonoids. Its clinical effects are primarily attributed to crocin and safranal, which are also responsible for its aroma and colour.1–3 Multiple controlled trials have shown that saffron improves symptoms related to nervousness, stress, and mood.4,5

Multiple mechanisms of action have been identified for saffron, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, modulation of the HPA axis, agonism of the GABAA receptor, and inhibition of the reuptake of several neurotransmitters, including dopamine.3,6,7 Affron, a novel standardized extract of saffron, has been shown to decrease negative mood and symptoms related to stress and anxiety (including perceived stress and nervousness, tension, sadness, and fatigue) in several randomized, controlled trials of adults, with similar benefits in a controlled trial of adolescents aged 12–16.8–10 Affron also improved clinician-assessed scores of mood when combined adjunctively with standard therapies.11 Additionally, affron has been shown to improve the sleep quality of participants with self-reported sleep problems and to increase evening melatonin levels.12,13

Medicinal Ingredients

Each Vegetarian Capsule Contains:
Saffron Extract (affron®) (Crocus sativus) (stigma) 28 mg
  (3.5% Lepticrosalides® containing crocins and safranal)

Non-Medicinal Ingredients

Vegetarian capsule (carbohydrate gum [cellulose], purified water), microcrystalline cellulose, vegetable grade magnesium stearate (lubricant), stearic acid, silica.

Dosage:

Recommended Dose:
Adults (Mood, Symptoms of Stress, Nervousness, Sleep Quality): 1 capsule per day or as directed by a health care practitioner. Consult a health care practitioner for use beyond 12 weeks. For sleep quality, consult a health care practitioner for use beyond 4 weeks.
Adolescents Over 12 Years of Age (Mood): 1 capsule per day or as directed by a health care practitioner. Consult a health care practitioner for use beyond 8 weeks

Warnings:

Consult a health care practitioner if symptoms persist or worsen. Consult a health care practitioner prior to use if you suffer from any psychological disorder and/or condition, such as frequent anxiety or depression, or if you are taking antidepressants. Do not use if you are taking blood thinners/anticoagulants, have a bleeding disorder, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Keep out of reach of children.

Allergens:

Contains no artificial colours, preservatives, or sweeteners; no dairy, starch, sugar, wheat, gluten, yeast, soy, corn, egg, fish, shellfish, animal products, salt, tree nuts, or GMOs. Suitable for vegetarians/vegans.

Contraindications

No known contraindications.

Drug Interactions

Saffron may lower blood pressure, but this is observed only at high doses and unlikely at the recommended dose.14 One case of possible interaction with a direct oral anticoagulant (rivaroxaban) has been reported; caution is advised with anticoagulant medications.15

  1. Siddiqui, S.A., Ali Redha, A., Snoeck, E.R., et al. (2022). Anti-depressant properties of crocin molecules in saffron. Molecules, 27(7), 2076.
  2. Ghaffari, S., & Roshanravan, N. (2019). Saffron; An updated review on biological properties with special focus on cardiovascular effects. Biomed Pharmacother, 109, 21-7.
  3. Moratalla-López, N., Bagur, M.J., Lorenzo, C. et al. (2019). Bioactivity and bioavailability of the major metabolites of Crocus sativus L. flower. Molecules, 24(15), 2827.
  4. Marx, W., Lane, M., Rocks, T., et al. (2019). Effect of saffron supplementation on symptoms of depression and anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Rev, nuz023. Advance online publication.
  5. Tóth, B., Hegyi, P., Lantos, T., et al. (2019). The efficacy of saffron in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: A meta-analysis. Planta Med, 85(1), 24-31. 
  6. Pitsikas, N., & Tarantilis, P.A. (2020). The GABAA-benzodiazepine receptor antagonist flumazenil abolishes the anxiolytic effects of the active constituents of Crocus sativus L. Crocins in rats. Molecules, 25(23), 5647.
  7. Shafiee, M., Arekhi, S., Omranzadeh, A., et al. (2018). Saffron in the treatment of depression, anxiety and other mental disorders: Current evidence and potential mechanisms of action. J Affect Disord, 227, 330-7.
  8. Kell, G., Rao, A., Beccaria, G., et al. (2017). Affron® a novel saffron extract (Crocus sativus L.) improves mood in healthy adults over 4 weeks in a double-blind, parallel, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Complement Ther Med, 33, 58-64.
  9. Lopresti, A.L., Drummond, P.D., Inarejos-García, A.M., et al. (2018). Affron®, a standardised extract from saffron (Crocus sativus L.) for the treatment of youth anxiety and depressive symptoms: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. J Affect Dis, 232, 349-57.
  10. Lopresti, A.L., & Smith, S.J. (2021). The effects of a saffron extract (affron®) on menopausal symptoms in women during perimenopause: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. J Menopausal Med, 27(2), 66-78.
  11. Lopresti, A.L., Smith, S.J., Hood, S.D., et al. (2019). Efficacy of a standardised saffron extract (affron®) as an add-on to antidepressant medication for the treatment of persistent depressive symptoms in adults: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. J Psychopharmacol, 33(11), 1415-27.
  12. Lopresti, A.L., Smith, S.J., Metse, A.P., et al. (2020). Effects of saffron on sleep quality in healthy adults with self-reported poor sleep: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Clin Sleep Med, 16(6), 937-47.
  13. Lopresti, A.L., Smith, S.J., & Drummond, P.D. (2021). An investigation into an evening intake of a saffron extract (affron®) on sleep quality, cortisol, and melatonin concentrations in adults with poor sleep: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-dose study. Sleep Med, 86, 7-18.
  14. Modaghegh, M.H., Shahabian, M., Esmaeili, H.A., et al. (2008). Safety evaluation of saffron (Crocus sativus) tablets in healthy volunteers. Phytomedicine, 15(12), 1032-7.
  15. Heidari, Z., Daei, M., Khalili, H., et al. (2022). Bleeding complication in a patient with concomitant use of rivaroxaban and saffron supplement: A case report. Cardiovasc Hematol Disord Drug Targets, 22(1), 10-2.