Saffron Extract for Anxiety Relief

Research suggests that saffron extract may offer meaningful relief from anxiety symptoms, with evidence drawn from a broad and generally consistent body of literature including multiple meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, and systematic and narrative reviews. The most rigorous findings include a 2024 meta-analysis of 46 RCTs reporting a significant effect size favoring saffron over placebo, and a 2025 meta-analysis indicating comparable efficacy to SSRIs with a more favorable adverse event profile, while individual RCTs have similarly reported improvements on validated anxiety measures such as the DASS-21 and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale. One 2022 review introduced some caution, noting safety concerns around saffron and calling for further research before confident clinical recommendations can be made, and a 2018 systematic review echoed the need for larger, better-designed trials despite identifying saffron among the herbs with favorable risk-benefit profiles. Overall, the weight of current evidence is supportive, but researchers consistently acknowledge that questions about standardization, optimal study populations, and long-term safety warrant continued investigation before definitive conclusions can be drawn.