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Saffron and mood: grade C

Limited evidence. Direction: Benefit.

C LimitedIndustry-fundedSubjective outcome onlyShort-term only

Educational guidance, not medical advice

Why this grade

Rubric condition met: B not met: results in the relevant population (adults with low mood or subclinical depressive symptoms, not diagnosed) are mixed, two of three positive and all three industry-linked; the 34-RCT meta-analysis mostly pools clinical populations

In adults with low mood but no diagnosis, a 4-week trial (n=128) and a 12-week trial (n=202) found greater improvement than placebo on self-rated mood, but a 6-week trial (n=51) found no effect on its primary outcome. All three have industry links (two sponsored by Pharmactive, one with Activ'Inside co-authors) and use questionnaires only. A 2026 meta-analysis of 34 RCTs found lower BDI scores but no effect on clinician-rated scales and very high heterogeneity, and trials in diagnosed depression cannot be extrapolated. Editor set C (policy G3, G4).

How we grade evidence

Studies this grade rests on

EffectMixedNo effectSize shows participants (n)2015202020252030Meta-analysisRCTMahmoudi 2026, 2026: meta-analysis, n = 1,769, result not recordedLopresti 2025, 2025: RCT, n = 202, result not recordedKell 2017, 2017: RCT, n = 128, result not recordedAmadieu 2025, 2025: RCT, n = 51, result not recordedDai 2020, 2020: meta-analysis, n not recorded, result not recorded
each study this grade rests on, by publication year and design. Solid: effect versus the comparator; half-filled: mixed; hollow: no effect; dashed: result not recorded yet. Larger marks had more participants.
Show the numbers
StudyYearDesignParticipantsResult
Kell 20172017RCT128result not recorded
Dai 20202020meta-analysisnot recordedresult not recorded
Amadieu 20252025RCT51result not recorded
Lopresti 20252025RCT202result not recorded
Mahmoudi 20262026meta-analysis1769result not recorded

Effect of saffron extract supplementation on mood in healthy adults with subclinical symptoms of depression: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study.

Amadieu C, Leyrolle Q, Farneti M. Effect of saffron extract supplementation on mood in healthy adults with subclinical symptoms of depression: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study Am J Clin Nutr, 2025. PMID 41047129

Result not recorded
Design
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (6 weeks)
Sample
n = 51
Population
Healthy adults with subclinical depressive symptoms
Funding
French National Research Agency; Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (Crossref funders)

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.

Lopresti AL, Smith SJ, Marx W. 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 J Nutr, 2025. PMID 40414301

Result not recorded
Design
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2-arm trial (12 weeks)
Sample
n = 202
Population
Adults aged 18-70 with subclinical depressive symptoms
Funding
Study sponsor Pharmactive Biotech Products SLU (two authors are its employees, per COI statement)

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.

Kell G, Rao A, Beccaria G. 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, 2017. PMID 28735826

Result not recorded
Design
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 3-arm trial (4 weeks)
Sample
n = 128
Population
Adults self-reporting low mood, not diagnosed with depression
Funding
Pharmactive Biotech Products SL (maker of the affron extract) (Crossref funder)

Safety and Efficacy of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) for Treating Mild to Moderate Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Dai L, Chen L, Wang W. Safety and Efficacy of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) for Treating Mild to Moderate Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis J Nerv Ment Dis, 2020. PMID 32221179

Result not recorded
Design
Systematic review and meta-analysis of 12 studies
Population
Adults with mild to moderate depression (clinical population)
Funding
not stated in PubMed or Crossref record

Effect of saffron on depression, anxiety and mood disorder: a GRADE assessed systematic review and meta-analysis of 34 randomized controlled trials.

Mahmoudi R, Mohammadi-Sartang M, Servatyari K. Effect of saffron on depression, anxiety and mood disorder: a GRADE assessed systematic review and meta-analysis of 34 randomized controlled trials Nutr Neurosci, 2026. PMID 41693488

Result not recorded
Design
Systematic review and meta-analysis of 34 randomized placebo-controlled trials (at least 4 weeks; GRADE assessed)
Sample
n = 1,769
Population
Adults; trials on depression, anxiety and mood disorders
Funding
not stated in PubMed or Crossref record

Search and history

Search (): saffron[ti] AND (mood[tiab] OR anxiety[tiab] OR stress[tiab] OR wellbeing[tiab]) AND randomized controlled trial[pt] AND humans[mh] AND (healthy[tiab] OR "low mood"[tiab] OR subclinical[tiab] OR "mild"[tiab])

  • Graded B (proposed): Proposed in the monograph draft
  • B to C (proposed): Updated in the monograph draft
  • C to C (approved): Editor sign-off November 13, 2026: grade matches the editor-approved final page