Saffron side effects, including mood

Saffron (Crocus sativus) is generally well tolerated in clinical trials, and most of the side effects reported are mild. A review of 23 systematic reviews on saffron's psychological and neurological effects concluded it's safe and tolerable across the conditions studied, though the quality of individual reviews varied (Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine, 2022).

The side effects reported most often across trials include:

• Nausea or an upset stomach
• Headache
• Dry mouth
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Drowsiness
• A mild drop in appetite

These tend to come up occasionally rather than in most people who take it. A separate review of randomized trials on saffron's effects on mood and behavior reported a similarly mild side effect pattern (Journal of Integrative Medicine, 2015).

Saffron is also studied for a range of effects on the female reproductive system beyond mood, including PMS and painful periods (Phytotherapy Research, 2024).

Saffron is studied as something that can support mood in the days before your period, not something that tends to worsen it. Researchers think its compounds act on some of the same pathways as antidepressants, which is part of why it's been studied for depression, anxiety and premenstrual mood symptoms (Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine, 2022).

In a trial of 120 women with PMDD, saffron and fluoxetine both improved Hamilton mood scores by a similar amount, though the groups differed on the DRSP measure (Advanced Biomedical Research, 2020). It also caused far fewer side effects than fluoxetine, with rates close to placebo (Advanced Biomedical Research, 2020).

That doesn't mean mood changes never happen on saffron. A small number of people in trials reported feeling more anxious or on edge, though this was uncommon and wasn't consistent across studies.

Niyora is a PMS and PMDD support app. Its Moon feature lets you write down what happened, see it from another angle and calm down before you decide what to say next, which can help if you're trying to work out whether a mood shift is the saffron or something else going on that week. Saffron for PMDD covers what the mood research looks like in more depth.

There's no trial evidence that saffron causes weight gain, and no systematic review or trial on saffron for PMS or PMDD that we found lists weight gain among its side effects.

One broader review noted saffron has been studied for a possible effect on:

• Snacking behavior
• Sleep
• Mood

This research is early and wasn't about weight change specifically (Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine, 2022).

That's a different picture from some other PMS and PMDD treatments, where weight change is a known concern worth weighing up before you start one. If weight is part of why you're choosing between options, saffron's current evidence doesn't flag it as an issue, though the research is still fairly limited.

Most saffron trials run for a matter of weeks, which limits what we know about longer-term use. The PMDD trial mentioned above ran for two weeks in the luteal phase, repeated over two menstrual cycles (Advanced Biomedical Research, 2020).

Within that window, side effects were mild and didn't seem to build up over time. If nausea, headache or dizziness show up, they tend to show up early, often in the first few days, and ease as your body adjusts to it.

Because most of the research is short-term, there isn't solid data on what happens after a year or more of daily use. If you've been taking saffron for several months and something feels different, that's worth paying attention to rather than assuming it will pass on its own.

For more on the other side of the timeline, how long does saffron take to work walks through when benefits tend to show up.

Stop taking saffron if:

• You notice signs of an allergic reaction, like a rash, swelling or trouble breathing
• Side effects don't ease after a couple of weeks
• Your mood gets noticeably worse rather than better
• You're pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, since safety data here is limited
• You're already taking an antidepressant, since saffron may act on some of the same pathways

Saffron dosage has more on how trials have timed and dosed it, which is worth reading before you start.

Saffron isn't the only option for PMS or PMDD, and depending on your symptoms, it may not be the strongest one. Supplements for PMDD covers the fuller range of what's been studied, from lifestyle changes through to prescription options.

Weighing these against each other, including whether it makes sense to combine any of them and whether saffron fits alongside something you're already taking, depends on your own symptoms and history.