NMU 361 – Saffron’s Positive Impact on Female Mood, Stress and Sexual Function

Nutrition/Natural Medicine Update No 361 (June 2, 2025)

with Dr. James Meschino

Topic: Saffron’s Positive Impact on Female Mood, Stress and Sexual Function

Source: BMC Women’s Health (February 2024)

The spice Saffron has been shown in various studies to help combat mild depression and improve scores related to anxiety and stress. In women, Saffron supplementation has also been shown to improve sexual function, with respect to vaginal lubrication, orgasm frequency and sexual satisfaction. For instance, a 2020 study showed that postmenopausal women who took one capsule per day of a Saffron supplement experienced significant improvement on the Female Sexual Function Index compared to women who ingested the placebo pill. This index measures vaginal lubrication, orgasm ability and frequency and sexual satisfaction. More recently in 2024, a study in BMC Women’s Health journal showed that Saffron supplementation provided to women of child-bearing age improved their depression, anxiety and stress scores and improved their sexual satisfaction scores, lubrication and orgasm ability.

The spice Saffron contains active constituents, such as a Crocin and Safranal, which are reported to induce a sexual stimulation effect according to published research. More specifically, experimental studies show that constituents in Saffron raise brain dopamine and glutamate levels, which may explain improvements in mood and sexual function.

However, other experimental and preclinical studies show that Saffron supplementation may help to improve health in many ways such as improvements in cardiovascular health, metabolic health (lower blood sugar), brain and neurological health (possibly helping to prevent age-related memory loss), and may improve erectile dysfunction by dilation of key blood vessels.

In all these studies Saffron constituents show potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as improving blood vessel dilation (increased nitric oxide release) and enhancing the synthesis and secretion of brain dopamine and glutamate. Some psychiatrists add Saffron to the treatment of mild to moderate depression to enhance drug efficacy and to counter the sexual dysfunction problems induced by standard anti-depression drugs.

The typical dosage of Saffron is a 15 mg capsule, taken twice per day. And it should be a standardized grade of 10% Crocin content or 3.5% Lepticrosalides, for example.

I think Saffron research is very interesting, and it represents a good adjunctive therapy for certain types of depression as well as anxiety and stress management. It may also help women improve or regain sexual function and satisfaction and improve male sexual performance.

Saffron has a very sound safety profile, when taken at recommended dosages. The drawback to using Saffron is that it is an expensive spice, due to the difficulties encountered in growing and cultivating this crop.

Ok, I have provided the research for this information in the text below.
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References:

Izadi S et al. Effect of vitamin E with and without saffron on the sexual function in women of reproductive age with sexual dysfunction: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Women’s Health. February 26, 2024. Effect of vitamin E with and without saffron on the sexual function in women of reproductive age with sexual dysfunction: a randomized controlled trial | BMC Women’s Health | Full Text

Soltani M et al. The effect of edible saffron on sexual function in postmenopausal women: A clinical trial study. The Iranian Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Infertility. 2020, 22:48-53. The Effect of Edible Saffron on Sexual Function in Postmenopausal Women: A Clinical Trial Study

Saffron May Help SSRI (Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors)- Related Sexual Dysfunction. Medscape May 23, 2025 (Jeremy Wolfe MD). Saffron May Help SSRI-Related Sexual Dysfunction

Ettehadi H et al. Aqueous extract of Saffron (Crocus sativus) increases brain dopamine and glutamate concentrations in rats. 2013, 3(3). https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=34789

Goyal A et al. Saffron extract as an emerging novel therapeutic option in reproduction and sexual health: recent advances and future prospectives. Ann Med Surg. 2024, 86(5): 2856-2865. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11060205/

Esmaealzadeh D et al. Pharmacological effects of Safranal: An updated review. Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2023;26(10): 1131-1143. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10510479/

Eat Smart, Live Well, Look Great,
Dr. Meschino