Saffron (Crocus sativus): Uses, Evidence and Safety

Key cautions first

• If you take blood thinners or antiplatelet medicines, ask your prescriber or pharmacist before using saffron supplements. A systematic review described one case of acute bleeding in a man taking rivaroxaban together with a saffron supplement. [1]
• Mood changes: reported side effects of saffron trials included nervousness, irritability, hypomania, restlessness and anxiety (about 7% of reported adverse events). If you have bipolar disorder or take psychiatric medicines, ask your clinician first. [1]
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding: the review advised special caution because of limited safety data. [1]
• Saffron is a common target of fraud, so products can contain other plants or dyes. [2]

Overview

Saffron, from Crocus sativus, is a widely used spice. [1] The studies on this page used stigma powder or extracts of it. [1] This page separates food use from supplement trials. For saffron as food see saffron, cloves and other whole spices as food.

Names, parts and look-alikes

The accepted scientific name is Crocus sativus L., in the family Iridaceae. [3] Parts used in studies are the stigma powder and extracts of it. [1] Adulteration of saffron includes substitution with safflower, marigold or turmeric, dilution with other plant materials, and addition of synthetic dyes. [2]

Traditional use (not proof of effect)

Saffron has a long history as a culinary and medicinal spice, according to a safety review. [1] The specific peoples and regions that used it were not described in the sources we read.

What research shows

"Mild" and "moderate" low mood still deserve a clinician's assessment. Saffron is not a substitute for care; if you have thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988 (US) or 911 in an emergency. For the wider mood picture see herbs for low mood and depression.

Forms and why they matter

The adverse-event review found no clear pattern that stigma powder or aqueous or hydroalcoholic extracts caused more side effects, but most studies did not report how products were standardized. [1] Most trials in that review used amounts described as medicinal, in the range of about 15 to 100 mg a day, which differ from the small amounts used in cooking. [1] The authors described dietary spice amounts as considered safe based on the available evidence and long history of use. [1] Culinary use and supplement use are not the same exposure.

Safety

• How common are side effects? In 102 clinical trials, the estimated rate of adverse events was about 17.5%, mostly minor and self-limiting stomach problems. [1]
• Medicines: possible increased bleeding with anticoagulants or antiplatelet drugs (one case report; the authors suggest a mechanism involving platelets). [1] Other medicines were not described in the sources we read. See herbs and blood thinners and how interactions work.
• Mental health: the review flagged people with psychiatric disorders for extra caution. [1]
• Older adults: extra caution because of other medicines and conditions. [1]
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding: limited safety data. [1] See pregnancy and breastfeeding.
• Children, liver, kidney, surgery, allergy: an allergic reaction was reported in the trials; other points were not described in the sources we read. Tell your surgical team about any supplement.

Quality

A laboratory study of 17 saffron food supplements found that the content did not match what was declared in 65% of cases, and some contained undeclared additives or other plant sources. [7] A review of 23 studies reported that 20 to 30% of commercial saffron is adulterated worldwide, with large differences between regions. [2] See adulteration and substitution of herbs and quality testing and certifications.