An examination into the mental and physical effects of a saffron extract (affron) in recreationally-active adults

Lopresti AL

Published in Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition

Methodology

6-week randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (ACTRN12621000501842) in 62 regularly exercising adults given 28 mg/day standardised saffron extract (affron) or placebo; outcomes included the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale, Profile of Mood States, PROMIS-29, WHOOP wrist monitoring of sleep, resting heart rate and heart rate variability, plus plasma BDNF, oxytocin and neuropeptide Y.

Key Findings

62 recreationally active adults took 28 mg/day of standardised saffron extract (affron) or placebo for 6 weeks. Across the whole group there were no statistically significant differences between saffron and placebo on any outcome, including mood, exercise enjoyment, sleep, resting heart rate or the blood markers BDNF, oxytocin and neuropeptide Y. In a sex-split analysis, men taking saffron showed greater increases in exercise enjoyment (p = 0.009) and heart rate variability (p = 0.001), while no differences appeared in women. The authors call for larger trials to validate these secondary findings.

Conclusions

No statistically significant between-group differences in any outcome measure, including sleep quality.

Limitations

The primary analysis was null and the positive results come only from a post-hoc split by sex in a 62-person trial, so they should be treated as hypothesis-generating; the study was funded by the extract manufacturer and the lead author runs a contract research organisation funded by supplement companies.