A doctors’ guide to: Saffron (part 1) PLUS New YouTube video out!
New video summary on the nootropic effect of Bacopa monnieri PLUS latest blog on Saffron, the world’s most expensive spice.
Latest video summary on Bacopa monnieri and it’s fascinating memory-improving properties. Full blog here: https://www.elysiumherbals.com/blog/blog-post-four-3xp3m
A Doctors’ guider to Saffron
The use of saffron can be traced back to ancient Crete and to a time period of the Late bronze Age, roughly 3000 years ago. Since then, it has been propagated all over the Mediterranean and Asia. Today the majority of the world’s saffron comes from Iran but the best quality saffron comes from the region of Kashmir.
Map of Crete
“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.”
— Epictetus
Well try telling that to saffron producers.
The incredible value of saffron has led to it becoming the most frauded food-type in the world. So much so that food agencies around the world have tried to develop quality control and standardisation measures.
According to the author Pat Willard, this isn’t a new problem. In her book, Secrets of Saffron: The vagabond life of the world’s most seductive spice she writes that in the middle ages “Those that were found selling altered saffron would be arrested, tried and executed for their ‘crime’ under the Safranschou code”.
Just another reason as to why I’d of hated living in the middle ages.
There are some weird and wonderful ways people adulter saffron like using dyed horse hair. Commonly added are fillers toolike paprika or turmeric and using cheaper alternatives like ‘safflower’.
Video of Saffron Production
CONSTITUENTS
There are 4 key bio-active compounds in saffron that I’m interested in:
◼️ Carotenoids
▪️Crocin → Molecule responsible for saffron’ red colour
▪️ Crocetin → Forms the core of crocin
◼️ Monoterpene aldehydes
▪️ Picrocrocin → Contributes to the bitter taste of saffron
▪️ Safranal → Volatile oil Responsible for characteristic aroma of saffron
In addition to those 4 avengers, saffron also contains flavonoids, several volatile oils and vitamin B1 & B2.
Anti-depressive and anti-anxiety effects
I read a 2013 meta-analysis on the effects of saffron on major depressive disorder. For those that don’t know what a meta-analysis is, it’s essentially looking at lots of other studies in an attempt to formulate a summary on a topic.
The meta-analysis I read analysed 5 randomised controlled trials. Two of the studies compared the efficacy of saffron to a placebo whilst three of the studies compared against current anti-depressant medications.
The 2 studies using a placebo reported a significant effect in favour of saffron supplementation when compared to the placebo groups.
The 3 studies comparing against anti-depressants saw a ‘null effect’ in the studies. This means that the studies didn’t report a significant difference between saffron and anti-depressants in participants. This is promising and suggests that saffron produced similar efficacy to conventional anti-depressants.
A major problem with conventional anti-depressants is the multitude of side-effects they bring. I even have to warn patients that for the first few weeks of taking an anti-depressant they may actually feel MORE depressed. What is cool with saffron is that its use did not exhibit these side-effects, with some participants experiencing just headaches or mild nausea.
Now this meta-analysis did raise some limitations with the papers it looked at: short-term trials over 6-8 weeks, no background information on participants and relatively small sample sizes. However they concluded that their analysis warranted further studies as the evidence they uncovered was promising.
A 2008 double-blinded randomised, placebo-controlled trial looked at the effects of saffron in the treatment of pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS).
“Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is characterised by cyclical, physical, and behavioural symptoms occurring in the luteal phase of the normal menstrual cycle.”
— BMJ Best Practice
The study used women aged 20-45 who had experienced PMS for at least 6 months. They were given either a saffron extract 30mg/day BD or a placebo.
The study ran over 4 months and measured results via Hamilton depression rating scale and total premenstrual daily symptoms score.
The saffron group demonstrated a significant improvement in depression scores and total premenstrual daily symptoms score relative to the placebo group.
SUMMARY
Now there are multiple theories on how saffron improves mood. Research in animal studies suggest NMDA antagonism, increased BDNF signalling and reuptake inhibition of monoamines as possible mechanism of actions. There are also some scientists that suggest that the serotonergic pathways may be involved too, which is the same mechanism as conventional anti-depressants.
Time for a break.
What a spice eh.
I’m gonna hazard a guess that a lot of the information above is new to you. It’s a versatile spice and I personally recommend using it as a seasoning when cooking meat or vegetables. You can pick it up quite easily but for the best stuff go to your local ethnic shop. I always recommend supporting your local businesses especially through the difficult times we have had recently.
This is just part 1 as I want to write about the some more research I’ve discovered about saffron. So that’ll come up in a part 2 in a couple of weeks’ time.
Full references for this blog at the bottom of this page: https://www.elysiumherbals.com/blog/a-doctors-guide-to-saffron
Until then thanks for reading, take care and stay safe!