زعفران · Crocus sativus, kesar
Reasonable human evidence
Surprisingly well-studied for something in your kitchen, with consistently positive small trials.
This is information, not medical advice. This page is information, not medical advice. Nothing here is a prescription, a diagnosis or a recommendation to take anything, and none of it replaces a doctor who knows your history. Supplements are not harmless because they are natural: they interact with prescription medicines, some are unsafe in pregnancy, and a few can cause real damage. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before starting anything here, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, under 18, have a liver, kidney or heart condition, or take any regular medication. Never stop a prescribed antidepressant to try a supplement instead.
The dried stigmas of the crocus flower - already in a great many Pakistani kitchens, and one of the most expensive spices in the world by weight.
Several randomised trials, most small and many from Iran, found saffron better than placebo for mild to moderate depression, and a few head-to-head studies found it comparable to a standard antidepressant. Genuinely interesting, held back by small numbers, short durations and much of the research coming from a small group of centres.
Trials very consistently used 30 mg daily of a standardised extract, usually split in two, for six to eight weeks. Cooking quantities are far below this.
Recorded because a person who has decided to try something will find a number somewhere, and a forum's number is worse than a trial's. It is not a recommendation, and the right amount for you depends on things only a doctor who knows your history can weigh.
Well tolerated at trial doses. High doses are unsafe in pregnancy - saffron has traditionally been used to bring on miscarriage, and that is not folklore to ignore. Can cause dry mouth, drowsiness or nausea. May act on serotonin, so tell your doctor if you are on an antidepressant.
Real saffron is expensive and the market is full of dyed safflower. Genuine threads are deep red with a trumpet-shaped end and colour water slowly and golden; if the water turns red instantly it is dyed. A standardised extract from a pharmacy is more reliable than loose threads from a bazaar.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist about everything else you take, prescription and herbal both. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, under 18, or have a liver, kidney, heart or thyroid condition, ask first. And if what brought you here is that you have been feeling low or frightened for weeks, that deserves more than a supplement — ask us anything, anonymously, or talk to us on WhatsApp.