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Research seed: Saffron for postmenopausal women

  • Dr. Viv Rolfe
    Dr. Viv Rolfe

    I am a gut physiologist, BSc, PhD, MBA, with a Foundation in Herbal Medicine and a life-long passion for using and researching herbs. I have worked in the food industry to enhance our understanding of human and animal health, and carried out research on the use of natural ingredients including herbs and spice in the diet. As Head of Research at Pukka Herbs I established over thirty university partnerships and involved students in herbal research on topics ranging from sleep, cognition, muscle function and the gut microbiome. The herbs we researched included turmeric, shatavari, ashwagandha, andrographis and many more.

    I am now Director of my own company Curiosity Research Ltd, working as an independent herbal researcher, educator and writer. I am Academic Co-director at the National Centre for Integrative Medicine in Bristol, delivering business and research modules on the masters-level Diploma in Integrative Medicine. I am co-founder of the Cotswold Herb Centre whose aim is to grow people’s love and use of herbs through delivering workshops and herb walks in Gloucestershire where I live. My happy place is on my allotment surrounded by borage, measles, feverfew and balm.

  • 3:55 reading time (ish)
  • Research seeds
Research seed Saffron for postmenopausal women

In this article, we discuss “The effect of Crocus sativus L. (saffron) herbal tea on happiness in postmenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial” (1).

Plant name and species

Saffron (Crocus sativus

Aim of study

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of saffron (Crocus sativus) herbal tea on happiness in postmenopausal women.

Study method

A randomized controlled trial study conducted in 2021 in Iran. The study was single-blinded with participants unblinded.

Herbal preparation

Herbal tea was prepared in the morning by boiling 30 mg dried stigmas of the saffron plant (Mostafavi company, Iran) in 300 ml of water, and boiling for 10–15 minutes. Added to this was a white rock candy sweet, which was also used for the control group. The participants were asked not to consume other herbs at the time.

Sample size

There were 36 participants in the saffron and 36 in the control group. Participants were women that had last menstruated over 12 months previous and were not suffering from any chronic psychological or cognitive diseases. The mean age of both groups was 53 years.

Results of study

Questionnaires collected demographic information including experience of menopause, and The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire.  The scale has 29 items that are graded based on a four-point scale ranging from 1 to 4. Items include statements such as “I am happy”, “life is good”, with both positive and negative statements (2, 3).

The mean happiness score in the crocus group increased significantly (p < 0.001, paired sample t-test) from 42.93 ± 8.54 to 61.58 ± 8.24, and there was no change in the control group.

Both groups had similar scores at the start of the study, and there was a significant difference between the crocus and control group after the six weeks (p<0.001). Looking at the happiness scores during the study, the crocus group saw significant improvements at week 2, week 4 and at the final time-point week 6.

Conclusion

Saffron obtained from Crocus sativus is used for its anti-anxiety and anti-depressant properties. It is suspected that the crocin and safranal compounds isolated from the stamen may influence dopaminergic and serotonergic systems in the brain, although the mechanisms are not clear in humans.

This was a simple study and found that daily saffron tea improved self-reported perceptions of happiness in menopausal women, a group who report higher levels of anxiety and mood changes. In this study, the saffron tea was not blinded, and it was not clear whether the control tea was made to a similar colour.

The study could have been enhanced to provide more valuable insight. Combining the happiness questionnaire with additional validated measures of mood would have strengthened the findings. Another study that looked at 30 mg standardised saffron extract taken for eight weeks in healthy adults with feelings of low mood and anxiety. These authors reported improvements to depression scores and improved social relationships at the end of the study (4). This study also included gathering responses to a laboratory stressor test, again, strengthening the study by adding to the self-reported information. They also measured salivary cortisol levels and urinary crocetin excretion.

Saffron is a joyful and uplifting herb and can easily be made into a herbal tea. Delam et al. published research in 2023 that suggests that this simple intervention could be used by women to support their mood after the menopause. More research is needed into the use of saffron in teas, with more nuanced understanding of the effect on mood and the underlying biological mechanisms.

References

  1. Delam H, Keshtkaran Z, Shokrpour N, Eidi A, Bazrafshan MR. The effect of Crocus sativus L. (saffron) herbal tea on happiness in postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2023 Jun 1;23(1):176. doi: 10.1186/s12906-023-04014-8. PMID: 37264347.
  2. The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire. Available: https://recwellness.uccs.edu/sites/g/files/kjihxj2336/files/inline-files/Oxford-Happiness-Questionnaire.pdf
  3. Hills P, & Argyle, M. The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire: a compact scale for the measurement of psychological well-being. Personality and Individual Differences. 2002, 33(7), 1073-1082.
  4. Jackson PA, Forster J, Khan J, Pouchieu C, Dubreuil S, Gaudout D, Moras B, Pourtau L, Joffre F, Vaysse C, Bertrand K, Abrous H, Vauzour D, Brossaud J, Corcuff JB, Capuron L, Kennedy DO. Effects of Saffron Extract Supplementation on Mood, Well-Being, and Response to a Psychosocial Stressor in Healthy Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel Group, Clinical Trial. Front Nutr. 2021 Feb 1;7:606124. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2020.606124. PMID: 33598475.
Dr. Viv Rolfe

I am a gut physiologist, BSc, PhD, MBA, with a Foundation in Herbal Medicine and a life-long passion for using and researching herbs. I have worked in the food industry to enhance our understanding... Read more

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