Botanical
Saffron Extract (affron®)
Crocus sativus stigma
Last reviewed
What the research found
A four-week randomised, double-blind trial split 128 adults with self-reported low mood into three arms: affron® at 28 mg/day, affron® at 22 mg/day, and placebo. The 28 mg arm improved on the POMS Total Mood Disturbance scale against placebo (p < 0.001, d = -1.10). The 22 mg arm showed no treatment effect, which is the clearest argument we know of for matching the trial dose rather than approximating it. Two caveats the paper is open about: screening and outcomes were self-reported, and one author works for Pharmactive Biotech, which produces affron®.
"affron® increased mood, reduced anxiety and managed stress without side effects, offering a natural alternative to standard treatments."
Source: Kell et al., Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2017
Our pick, and why
Choosing a saffron extract (affron®): how the options compare
Unusually, all three products pass — each contains a named, standardized extract with genuine trial evidence behind it. Sports Research is our pick: affron® at the 30 mg studied dose, HPLC-standardized to ≥3.5% lepticrosalides, in an easily-absorbed softgel. Solaray also uses affron® (marketed under its Lepticrosalides® marker compound), standardized to the same ≥3.5% level — a close second. Life Extension's Satiereal® at 78 mg is a different branded extract with its own valid trial record — it's dosed higher because Satiereal is less concentrated per mg than affron®. All three are genuinely good choices; we're highlighting a preference, not a clear winner. (We previously listed a California Gold Nutrition affron® product here; we couldn't confirm an active Amazon.com listing for it, so we replaced it with the verified Solaray option.)
How we judge these
Named branded extract (affron® or Satiereal®), HPLC-standardized, dosed at trial-matched level.
| Product | Branded extract | Standardization | Dose / serving | Trial-matched | Meets it | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our pick Sports Research Saffron Extract (affron®) | affron® | ≥3.5% lepticrosalides | 30 mg | Yes (28–30 mg) | ✓ | SportsResearch.com → |
| Solaray Saffron Extract (affron®) | affron® (Lepticrosalides®) | ≥3.5% lepticrosalides | Standardized to 1 mg Lepticrosalides®/serving | Yes | ✓ | Amazon → |
| Life Extension Optimized Saffron (Satiereal®) | Satiereal® | 0.3% safranal | 78 mg | Yes (Satiereal trials) | ✓ | Amazon → |
- Sports Research Saffron Extract (affron®)Our pick
- Branded extract
- affron®
- Standardization
- ≥3.5% lepticrosalides
- Dose / serving
- 30 mg
- Trial-matched
- Yes (28–30 mg)
- Meets our criterion
- ✓
- Solaray Saffron Extract (affron®)
- Branded extract
- affron® (Lepticrosalides®)
- Standardization
- ≥3.5% lepticrosalides
- Dose / serving
- Standardized to 1 mg Lepticrosalides®/serving
- Trial-matched
- Yes
- Meets our criterion
- ✓
- Life Extension Optimized Saffron (Satiereal®)
- Branded extract
- Satiereal®
- Standardization
- 0.3% safranal
- Dose / serving
- 78 mg
- Trial-matched
- Yes (Satiereal trials)
- Meets our criterion
- ✓
Specs verified against live listings at time of writing and can change — confirm on the product page. Links are affiliate links; details.
Saffron Extract (affron®) at a glance
These six measurements are recorded the same way for every supplement on this site, so you can compare across pages. How we measure.
- Dose used in trials
- 28 mg/day of affron® for four weeks. A 22 mg/day arm in the same trial showed no effect. Satiereal® trials use roughly 88 mg because it is less concentrated per milligram.
- Dose in our pick
- 30 mg of affron® per softgel
- Standardised form
- affron®, HPLC-standardised to ≥3.5% lepticrosalides, named on the label
- Third-party tested
- Not stated on the label
- Other actives
- None
- Reported onset
- Four weeks in the trial above. Saffron mood trials generally run four to eight weeks.
Saffron is an unlikely entry on a supplement shelf, but standardized extracts have accumulated a genuinely interesting body of randomized trials for mood support — some comparing favorably to reference treatments in mild cases. The active compounds, crocin and safranal, are thought to influence serotonin handling.
As always, the studied population matters: most trials look at mild-to-moderate low mood, and saffron is best understood as a gentle, evidence-aware option to discuss with a professional — not a standalone fix.
What to look for
- A standardized extract (affron® is the most-studied) with stated crocin/safranal content
- Doses around 28–30 mg/day matching the trial protocols
- Reputable brands — real saffron is costly, so suspiciously cheap products are a red flag
Common questions about saffron extract (affron®)
How much saffron extract do you need for mood?
Match the branded extract to its own trial dose rather than counting milligrams of saffron. For affron® that means 28 to 30 mg a day. This is not a rounding argument: the 2017 trial ran a 22 mg arm alongside the 28 mg arm and found nothing at 22 mg. Satiereal® is a different extract with a different concentration and its trials use around 88 mg, so the two numbers are not interchangeable.
Is affron® better than Satiereal®?
Neither is clearly better. Both are HPLC-standardised extracts with their own published human trials on mood, which is more than most botanical supplements can claim. They differ in what they standardise to and therefore in dose: affron® is measured by lepticrosalides at ≥3.5% and dosed at 28 to 30 mg, while Satiereal® is standardised to safranal and dosed near 88 mg. What matters is that the label names one of them and hits that extract's own studied dose. A product listing plain "saffron extract" with no named standardisation cannot be checked against any trial.
How long does saffron extract take to work?
The trials that report mood changes run four weeks at minimum, and several run eight. Nobody should expect anything from a single dose. That slow curve is worth planning for, because it means a fair trial of saffron costs about a month before you can judge it. There is more detail in how long saffron extract takes to work.
Can you take saffron extract with an antidepressant?
Ask your doctor first. Saffron has been studied specifically for mood, and some trials compared it directly against prescription antidepressants, so combining the two is not a neutral act even though saffron is sold as a supplement. We have written up the specific cases for saffron with Lexapro and saffron with sertraline, but neither replaces a conversation with the person who prescribed it.
Does saffron extract have side effects?
The 2017 affron® trial reported no side effects at 28 mg a day over four weeks. That is a small, short study in healthy adults, so it is evidence of good tolerability rather than proof of safety at higher doses or over longer periods. High doses of saffron are not benign, and it should be avoided in pregnancy. Fuller detail in saffron extract side effects.