Best Saffron Supplement

If you’ve ever shopped for spices, you may have noticed that saffron costs significantly more than any other seasoning. Saffron is considered the world’s most expensive spice for two reasons: how it’s harvested (completely by hand) and the fact that we only use a small portion of the plant (the stigma). Since there are only three stigmas, it can take around 75,000 or more Crocus sativus flowers to make a single pound of saffron spice.1

Not only can saffron add a complex flavor to your paella, but its bright orange color is also a key indicator that it’s full of carotenoids — a type of pigmented nutrient and antioxidant that can lower inflammation,2 3 improve eye health, and even alleviate depression symptoms in some people.4 If trying saffron sounds like an interesting option for you, taking it as a supplement can be a much less costly alternative than using dozens of saffron strands in your meals.

These days, there are numerous saffron supplements on the market. Our guide delves into how our top picks measure up in terms of price, effectiveness, ingredients, and more. If you don’t have time to read the whole guide, you can take a look at our top five recommendations below.

Over the past two decades, Innerbody Research has helped tens of millions of readers make more informed decisions to live healthier lifestyles.

Herbal supplements have been around as long as we’ve known about the plants they stem from, but it doesn’t mean that every supplement is created equally, nor that every claim a company makes about it is true. We’ve spent hundreds of cumulative hours researching and testing herbal and botanical supplements that claim to boost your health and wellness — and we’ve even spent months developing our own, some of which include saffron.

For this guide alone, we reviewed more than 110 scientific studies looking at the safety and efficacy of saffron as a supplement. We also researched the benefits of common complementary ingredients in saffron supplements, such as turmeric, to ensure our recommendations have a strong scientific foundation. Additionally, our team purchased these supplements to get a firsthand look at the customer experience offered by each of our top picks.

Like all health-related content on this website, this review was thoroughly vetted by one or more members of our Medical Review Board for accuracy. We’ll keep an eye on the latest science and evolving product options for saffron supplements to ensure this guide stays up-to-date.

Despite a company’s best intentions, not every supplement is created equally. When evaluating saffron supplements, we considered four major criteria: safety, effectiveness, cost, and convenience. These are often some of the most important factors customers consider when investigating a new supplement, and they each have the potential to make or break your overall satisfaction with a product.

Let’s see how our top picks fared.

Effectiveness

Advantage: Complex formulas, depending on your needs

In scientific research studies, saffron supplements seem to work best as extracts in relatively small doses. There are a few other ingredients it pairs well with, depending on your goals — ashwagandha, zinc, and turmeric, to name a few. Saffron may still be very effective on its own, but the effective dose range from most studies is relatively small, with 20-30mg of extract showing up in a majority of successful research. Therefore, a complex supplement that combines such an extract dose with other targeted ingredients could be your best bet for a specific goal.

The following list breaks down some of the top uses for saffron based on current clinical research:

It’s ideal to look for a saffron extract (not just a powdered stigma) that’s standardized to a certain amount of the spice’s key components — most often safranal or crocin, although other compounds play important roles, too, albeit less thoroughly researched ones. Nearly all of our top picks use 30mg of saffron extract standardized to sometimes slightly different concentrations of bioactive compounds. Only Vimerson, our choice for immunity, uses a higher dose of 88.5mg.

Safety

Advantage: Nootropics Depot

According to experts, saffron’s high economic value “makes it susceptible to adulteration and various fraudulent practices,” such as:102

• Adding foreign materials with a similar appearance to saffron
• Mixing in low-quality saffron
• Adding other plants to the mix
• Including saffron parts like the stamens or petals
• Incorporating other species of crocus
• Adding various chemicals or synthetic red/yellow dyes
• Soaking stigmas in syrups, honey, glycerin, or olive oil to increase weight
• Using dried meat fibers in place of saffron

This means that a company’s safety and quality measures are particularly important when it comes to saffron supplements. Not only is this vital to ensuring you’re getting what you pay for, but it also guards customers against potentially dangerous outcomes (like medication interactions due to a different plant being dyed to look like saffron or allergic reactions caused by chemical adulterants).

Trustworthy manufacturers need to take extra steps to ensure customer safety, anyway, since the Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) regulation of supplements “primarily begins after the product enters the marketplace.”39

A common safety measure is manufacturing the supplements in a facility that adheres to current Good Manufacturing Practices (often abbreviated as cGMP or GMP) regulations, ensuring the production line is run and regulated according to the FDA’s standards. Another important measure is product testing — especially through an unbiased third party — which shows that a company is dedicated to ensuring you’re getting what you expect. Some go the extra mile and opt for NSF certification, though this is relatively uncommon among supplements, even very safe ones.81

All of our top saffron supplement recommendations are produced in GMP-compliant facilities. And all but Solaray subject their products to third-party testing (Solaray conducts multiple rounds of in-house testing in its ISO-certified lab). However, the advantage for safety goes to Nootropics Depot for being a straightforward standardized saffron extract with its third-party test results posted to the product page. Reports are batch-specific, so you can compare the bottle you receive to real lab results. Innerbody Labs uses a similar practice to ensure safety and transparency, but complex formulas carry slightly more risk than single-ingredient supplements.

Of course, a supplement’s dose is also a critical factor, but none of our top picks have saffron levels anywhere close to the potentially dangerous levels seen in studies (over 1,000mg).40 All of our picks are equal to or above the same doses of saffron used successfully in clinical studies (typically 28-30mg, and up to around 90mg).

Cost

Advantage: Nootropics Depot

Most supplements containing saffron are around the $20-$50+ price range, depending on the ingredients. And while the cheapest option isn’t always the best, our cost winner — Nootropics Depot High Potency Saffron — offers customers a strong standardized saffron extract at an impressive price per serving. This is partly due to the fact that Nootropics Depot’s saffron comes in bottles containing either a two- or a six-month supply.

The chart below breaks down the costs of our top picks. Note that the prices are the lowest possible ones for comparison, including bulk purchase and subscription deals. More pricing details are available in each product’s dedicated section.

As you can see, Nootropics Depot beats the monthly pricing of all our other picks by a long shot. Of course, to be fair, the supplement only contains saffron, like Solaray’s. In comparison, Vimerson Health contains four other ingredients, Innerbody Labs Focus Support has 14 others, and Sleep Support has 13. So, additional ingredients tend to equal a higher price, but you get more for what you spend.

Convenience

Advantage: Solaray Affron

Taking a saffron supplement for potential health benefits is pretty convenient when compared to using the spice — there’s no need to cook a meal or weigh your spice on a food scale to ensure you’re taking the right amount. Since this is true for nearly all saffron supplements, we examined a few of the finer details to determine which choice is the most convenient.

Nootropics Depot and Solaray are the only two of our top picks for which the serving size is a single capsule. Most of the others have a serving size of two, while Sleep Support has a three-capsule dose, and Focus Support requires you to take four capsules. Besides multiple pills being an inconvenience for some people, knowing pill counts can be essential if you’re part of the 10-40% of adults who experience difficulty swallowing them.42

Between Nootropics Depot and Solaray, the latter provides a much better customer experience. Nootropics Depot lacks subscription options and a money-back guarantee. By comparison, Solaray has flexible subscriptions and a 60-day guarantee — the longest in our guide.

We’ve put together a chart to help you quickly identify and compare some of the most important details of our top saffron supplements.

Also known as “red gold,” saffron is a valuable spice used in cooking and as a supplement. If you’ve ever tried to buy saffron at the grocery store, you know that it costs dramatically more than other spices. According to researchers, 1kg of dried saffron stigma costs around $10,000 USD, but that’s based on information from 2018. If we take inflation into account, that same 1kg of saffron stigma in 2025 would be around $12,900 — almost $3,000 more.102

Saffron comes from the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus) flower, and its high price is due to the intricacies of its harvest and production. The long, red, pollen-collecting stigmas in the center of the flower (also called threads) are collected by hand and dried to produce saffron powder.

Saffron is harvested during a brief window every year — usually between October and November — and it must be gathered before or right after sunrise because direct heat from the sun can damage the stigma. Each flower grows three stigmas that must be gathered and dried. Depending on the location, the traditional drying methods can vary. For example, in Morocco, Iran, and India, the stigmas are dried in the sun or shade for 3-10 days, while different countries may use electric coils, gas cookers, oak embers, or other methods.102

Since saffron flowers are incredibly delicate, mechanical harvesting isn’t an option; the plant must be gathered by hand. For just a single pound of saffron powder, workers have to put in around 200 hours of labor.1 And since saffron can only be picked during a specific time of day for a short period each year, the harvest needs to be quick and precise. This limited production time is one of many factors that contribute to saffron’s high price.

Beyond its uses in the kitchen, saffron has been used for many years in Ayurvedic medicine to treat physical and mental concerns, such as:

• Low sex drive
• Memory issues
• Mood disorders

Though they may not be the first thing you think of when you hear “herbal supplement,” saffron supplements are becoming increasingly popular because of their unexpected accessibility and wide range of potential benefits — from better cognition and sleep to an improved mood, stronger immune system, and more.

Based on current research, saffron may be suitable for a wide range of potential applications. Some of these applications are reducing inflammation, immune system support, improving cognitive function, and boosting your mood. But these aren’t the only possible reasons a saffron supplement may be worth trying.

For example, if you’re living with macular degeneration, a saffron supplement may be a particularly useful tool in your arsenal alongside regular eye exams, not smoking, and managing your blood pressure. One study found that a genetic predisposition didn’t make a difference in receptiveness to saffron for early-stage age-related macular degeneration; all participants experienced improved visual processing speeds while taking 20mg of saffron daily.83 It won’t prevent macular degeneration — saffron supplements tend to work better for people already experiencing symptoms, and, being supplements, they won’t cure, treat, or diagnose the disease — but it may improve your quality of life.

Likewise, if you’re one of the 80% of people with PMS or PMDD who’d rather try a supplement than a prescription antidepressant or contraceptive, saffron may be a good place to start.84 It shows about the same level of efficacy as Prozac (fluoxetine) in clinical studies, but with fewer adverse effects, and it may be better at reducing bloating and soreness in the abdomen and breasts.

There’s also some evidence that saffron might be able to support blood sugar regulation. Most studies conclude that participants’ day-to-day blood sugar evens out after at least 12 weeks of daily saffron use, but it doesn’t seem to lower HbA1c levels, so don’t expect it to steer you away from type 2 diabetes.20 (If you’re looking for a supplemental approach that might be able to do both, we suggest looking into berberine or inositol.)

That said, before you try a saffron supplement, contact your doctor to ensure it’s safe for you.

Who should look elsewhere for support?

Though saffron supplements may be worth trying for a wide range of health and wellness concerns, there are some cases where the science doesn’t match the marketing claims. For the following needs, people would likely be better off looking elsewhere:

• Depression and anxiety symptoms in teenagers91
• Infertility in men77
• Certain types of sexual dysfunction in men and women (i.e., orgasmic function, sexual desire, and overall satisfaction)77
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)77
• ADHD, particularly inattentive or combined type27

In each of the above cases, there may be some positive evidence that suggests saffron could possibly be beneficial, but much of the research either is inconclusive, has mixed findings, or is too limited at this time. For example, in a study on saffron for depression and anxiety in teenagers, subjects’ self-reported improvements were greater than what their parents observed when interviewed.91 And a study comparing saffron to methylphenidate (Ritalin) for ADHD in subjects ages 7-17 found that it may be beneficial for hyperactive symptoms, but not inattentive ones.27

As the research develops on saffron for the mentioned concerns, we’ll update this section accordingly. For now, people who fall into these groups may be better off looking elsewhere for support.

Saffron contains dozens of compounds that can work together to support your health goals, but five of them stand out as the most important:

• Safranal: the compound that determines the smell of saffron
• Crocin: the compound responsible for saffron's red-orange color
• Crocetin: a carotenoid that may have antitumor and cancer-prevention effects
• Picrocrocin: responsible for saffron's flavor, and an indicator of authenticity because it's found exclusively in saffron flowers
• Kaempferol: a flavonoid with anticancer potential92

Since these compounds are the main drivers behind saffron’s potential benefits, it’s worth seeking out supplements that use standardized extracts — not powders. Extracts without standardization may be a bit better than just plain powders, but standardization is really the key to getting the most out of your saffron supplement.

That said, different products may standardize for specific compounds, but individual compound research is mostly limited to animals at this time. Our picks from Vimerson Health and Innerbody Labs are standardized by safranal content, while our choice from Nootropics Depot is standardized by both safranal and crocin. (Although the quantities of other saffron bioactives in these supplements are unknown, safranal and crocin boast the lion's share of research on saffron's health effects.)

By comparison, Solaray uses Affron, a branded extract that’s standardized by Lepticrosalides (a patented complex of all of saffron’s major bioactive compounds, including, but not limited to, safranal and crocin). The downside there is that you don’t know how much of any one bioactive you’re getting, whereas specific concentrations of safranal or crocin can at least give you a number to compare to research.

Ultimately, any standardization is more important than the exact constituent part for which the standardization occurs, at least at this point in the research history. You can rest assured that you’re getting consistent delivery of bioactives across all doses and that those concentrations are above what you’d get from a powdered stigma.

Below, we discuss some of the most promising health applications of saffron based on research. However, it's important to remember that, even in these contexts, we don’t recommend using saffron as a substitute for medical advice from your doctor.

Several other areas that saffron may influence are either less conclusive or require more caveats than the conditions above. Many of these involve metabolic syndromes and systemic inflammation, which is tricky because medical experts don’t fully understand how the mechanics of systemic inflammation work yet.

Some other uses — like saffron’s potential role in decreasing symptoms in Alzheimer’s patients — are just starting to be investigated but show promise.28 And some outcomes marketed by supplement companies are actually potential side effects that can be spun into positives, like weight loss from appetite suppression and improved mood. All this goes to show there’s plenty to be discovered by researching saffron supplements.

With all of these potential benefits, it's tempting to think of saffron as a miracle product, but keep in mind that supplements can’t cure, treat, prevent, or diagnose any conditions.

How do you take saffron supplements?

Generally, saffron supplements provide a dose of around 20-100mg per day, typically from an extract. Many successful human studies use 30mg of saffron in two 15mg doses (one in the morning, one in the evening), but a lot of saffron supplements also contain about 88.5mg of saffron extract. That’s more than studies tend to find is necessary to work for most concerns, though it shouldn’t be enough to cause negative effects (you’d need to take at least 1,000mg, or 1g, to be at risk).40

Generally, mood-enhancing and eye health improvements start with lower doses around 30mg/day,44 45 while higher doses may be better if you’re targeting things like ED and hypertension.26 46 For example, the extract dose used in rats for hypertension would be about 2,500mg per day for a 170lb person, and human trials for ED found that 15mg of saffron extract twice per day helped a little, but 200mg had the biggest impact. Note, however, that studies often yield positive results less consistently when they’re targeting concerns that require those higher doses.

Why are so many saffron supplements 88.25mg or 88.5mg?

Though there isn’t a definitive answer as to why so many companies use 88.25mg or 88.5mg (or sometimes 89mg) of saffron extract, our research indicates that it’s likely due to studies on a specific branded saffron extract called Satiereal. In a 2010 study on otherwise healthy women with overweight, a daily dose of 176.5mg (which would be two 88.25mg doses) of Satiereal led to a “significantly greater body weight reduction than placebo” after two months.31 Since then, some other research has also utilized a similar Satiereal dose. For example, a 2018 study on a multi-ingredient supplement for adults with overweight gave participants a Satiereal dose of 178mg (the equivalent of two 89mg doses). But this study “did not have any detectable beneficial effects on body-weight management.”108

Ultimately, the vast majority of human research on saffron that currently exists indicates that around 28-30mg of extract per day is the ideal dose for most of the supplement’s potential applications. However, since some studies suggest that different doses of saffron may be more suitable for different concerns (e.g., 200mg may be best for ED symptoms), future research might find that 88.25mg is ideal for some potential benefit. Based on what we currently know, sticking closer to that 30mg mark appears to be the way to go, but 88-89mg doses aren’t necessarily dangerous (you’d have to take over 1g) — they’re just not backed by as much evidence.40

Saffron is generally safe to take for healthy adults. If taken as directed, it produces very few side effects. The few you might run into are mild and include:111

• Drowsiness
• Stomach issues
• Nausea
• Vomiting

These side effects should subside in a few days; if they don’t, stop taking your saffron supplement and reach out to your doctor immediately.

Taking more than 1,000mg (or 1g) of saffron extract may induce more side effects, including toxicity and poisoning.40 But it’s pretty difficult to find a saffron supplement that offers more than 100mg per serving, and for a good reason. Apart from the higher risk of adverse reactions at higher doses and increased expenses, there’s very little scientific evidence that positive effects scale with dosage. For example, one study looking at ED found that 200mg of saffron extract for ten days significantly improved ED symptoms, but so did a study that used 30mg per day for four weeks.26 And studies, in general, typically find the most success with about 30mg per day.

In addition to the risk of side effects, a few health conditions may make saffron supplementation dangerous for you:111

• Diabetes or hypoglycemia
• Low blood pressure
• Bipolar disorder

There are also some interactions to be aware of. Saffron may interact with sedatives to cause more pronounced drowsiness and slow down breathing, and you should stop taking saffron before any major surgery involving anesthesia to prevent further effects on your nervous system beyond the anesthetic.

Meanwhile, on the stimulant side, saffron may affect how you metabolize caffeine, causing it to be broken down more slowly and consequently increasing the chances that you experience side effects of caffeine consumption, like caffeine jitters.49 That said, if you could curtail your caffeine habit in conjunction with saffron intake, the latter could extend the efficacy of the former.

If you’re pregnant or trying to conceive, it’s recommended you avoid saffron supplements. Some research indicates saffron could interfere with fetal development.40 50 While the research isn’t conclusive yet (and most of it’s been performed in mice and frogs), it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your baby’s health.

If you want your child to try a saffron supplement, talk to your pediatrician first and stick to one designed expressly for children: it’s generally safe, but children often need lower doses than adult formulas provide. And if you're breastfeeding, exercise caution and speak to your doctor before proceeding with saffron supplementation. In fact, no matter how safe any supplement seems, you should always speak to a medical professional before trying it.

Best for cognition and brain health

Our Innerbody Labs supplements are formulated based on the extensive research that we’ve conducted during our years of examining supplements across the market. Frustratingly, most supplements tend to leave out potentially beneficial ingredients or include them in substandard doses, so we worked to include the most promising options in clinically relevant amounts. For focus, cognition, and overall brain health, we created Focus Support, a supplement that — among other ingredients — contains 30mg of saffron.

Speaking of those other ingredients, the non-saffron stars of Focus Support are:

• Niacin: 16mg
• Vitamin B6: 2mg
• Folate: 400mcg
• Vitamin B12: 2.4mcg
• Pantothenic acid: 5mg
• Cognizin citicoline: 500mg
• Rhodiolife Rhodiola rosea extract: 350mg
• Phosphatidylserine 50%: 300mg
• KSM-66 ashwagandha: 300mg
• N-Acetyl-L-tyrosine (NALT): 200mg
• L-Theanine: 160mg
• Lion’s mane mushroom extract (20:1): 100mg
• Caffeine from Coffeeberry Energy: 80mg
• Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ): 20mg

Below, we break down some of the research behind the additional ingredients for cognition and brain health.

For more details on the research behind the ingredients and doses used in Focus Support, you can read our full review.

Focus Support pricing information

All Innerbody Labs supplements are available as either one-time purchases or subscriptions. Whether or not you subscribe, your items will ship for free. Currently, Innerbody Labs is the only option in this guide to offer free shipping without requiring your purchase to be a certain amount.

The chart below shows how the pricing for different purchasing options — including bulk subscriptions, which increase the discount — works out.

All Innerbody Labs supplements are covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee — not as impressive as Solaray or Vimerson Health, but much better than Nootropics Depot.

Best for mood and sleep

As mentioned in the section on Focus Support, our team has been working to create supplements with the most promising ingredients in the same doses used in positive research — something that, unfortunately, many manufacturers don’t do. So, in the case of supplements for sleep, relaxation, and a better mood, our answer to the lack of an ideal formula on the market was to create our own: Sleep Support.

The ingredients in Innerbody Labs Sleep Support are:

• Vitamin D3: 38mcg
• Vitamin B6: 1mg
• Vitamin K2: 110mcg
• Magnesium: 127mg
• Zinc: 17mg
• Copper: 0.21mg
• Relissa lemon balm extract: 400mg
• Lactium (casein hydrolysate): 300mg
• L-Theanine: 200mg
• Shoden ashwagandha: 100mg
• Venetron rafuma extract: 50mg
• Saffron extract: 30mg
• Astaxanthin: 12mg
• Lycopene: 5mg

Though Sleep Support may have been created with the intent of helping you get a better night’s rest, much of that potential comes from ingredients that promote relaxation and reduce negative feelings (e.g., anxiety and depression). Here’s how some of the above Sleep Support ingredients, such as saffron, may help improve your mood and sleep quality.

To learn more about Sleep Support and the science behind the rest of the supplement’s ingredients, check out our full review.

Sleep Support pricing information

Innerbody Labs Sleep Support, like Focus Support, is available as a one-time purchase or subscription. Bulk purchase subscriptions can increase the amount you save, taking the 10% discount up to 20% or 25%, depending on the quantity you purchase. Here’s how the pricing works out:

As with Focus Support, all purchases of Sleep Support ship for free and are covered by the same 30-day guarantee.

Best for immune system support

Vimerson Health’s saffron supplement includes several ingredients that may work alongside saffron to reduce inflammation and support immunity — namely, turmeric,66 cinnamon,67 and cardamom.68 Each two-capsule dose delivers the following quantities:

• Turmeric: 1,000mg
• Saffron extract: 89mg
• Cardamom: 50mg
• Cinnamon: 50mg
• BioPerine (black pepper extract): 10mg

As we discussed earlier in this guide, research seems to suggest that a saffron dose higher than the usual 20-30mg may be more beneficial for immune system support, so Vimerson Health’s use of 89mg could make sense in this case.43

When it comes to the other ingredients, turmeric and cinnamon show potential in supporting immune system health,69 70 while cardamom may regulate oxidative stress and protect against free radicals.71 As for black pepper extract, it has been shown to potentially increase the bioavailability (or absorption) of certain other ingredients, particularly turmeric.41 72 None of our other recommendations includes similar bioavailability-enhancing ingredients.

Several of these potential benefits were found in non-human studies, however, so more research is needed. We look forward to seeing more human trials on these botanical ingredients in the future. As the science develops, we’ll update this information accordingly.

Pivoting to the supplement itself, each bottle provides a 30-day supply. This is about the same quantity you’ll get from our other top picks (the exception is Nootropics Depot, which offers customers either a two- or a six-month supply per bottle).

Of note, Vimerson’s capsules are the largest among our picks, and you need to take two per dose. While they aren’t the biggest capsules we’ve ever seen — they’re nowhere close to the size of a fish oil pill — they may be a bit more difficult to take than smaller alternatives. One tester reported they needed a good few mouthfuls of water before they could swallow.

Vimerson Health pricing

At the time of this writing, each bottle of Vimerson Health’s turmeric saffron supplement costs $23.97 for a one-time purchase or $22.77 through Amazon’s subscription plan. Previously, you could purchase the supplement through Vimerson Health’s website, but that’s changed since we last examined this product. Though Amazon can be more convenient for some, this does mean that now the price of the supplement may fluctuate more frequently than it did before.

The 5% subscription discount is the lowest offered by our top picks, but it can be raised to 10% with larger Subscribe & Save orders on Amazon. Shipping is free on orders over $35, or $25 with a subscription. Otherwise, your shipping costs may vary.

In terms of returns and refunds, Amazon doesn’t accept returns for food safety reasons. However, Vimerson Health offers a one-time satisfaction guarantee that also applies to purchases made through its Amazon store. If you’re unhappy with your purchase for any reason, the company will refund your money (including shipping) and provide you with a free bottle of any other supplement of your choice. The deal is available only once per customer, but it could be a good option for those who wish to try the supplement but aren’t completely sure whether they’ll like it.

Best budget pick

Nootropics Depot’s High Potency Saffron earned our choice as the best pick for those on a budget due to its low price per serving and standardized saffron extract.

This vegan supplement is third-party tested, and it contains 30mg of a high-potency standardized saffron extract in each single-capsule dose. That 30mg dose contains 7.5% crocin and 1.0% safranal, which means that you’re getting 2.25mg of crocin and 0.3mg of safranal in every serving. If we compare the standardization to that of Vimerson Health’s extract (89mg with 0.3% safranal), you’re getting a bit more with Nootropics Depot (0.3mg versus 0.27mg).

On the product page, Nootropics Depot displays the results of its third-party testing, including a potency comparison pitting its saffron supplement against two unnamed competitors. “Competitor A” comes out to 3.5% crocin content, which leads us to believe it may be Affron, which is standardized to 3.5% Lepticrosalides (a trademarked name for the key compounds in saffron), but we can’t say for certain. Either way, Nootropics Depot has a higher crocin and safranal content based on the analysis results.

On top of being a potent extract, this supplement’s capsules are also fairly small — about half an inch in length and quite narrow — so they shouldn’t pose too much of a hassle for most people. And they don’t have any strange taste to them, according to our testers.

Nootropics Depot pricing

The purchasing details for this supplement are fairly straightforward, mainly due to the disappointing fact that Nootropics Depot doesn’t have a subscription plan, nor does it accept returns for opened products. Nonetheless, the prices for this supplement are fairly reasonable, especially on a price-per-dose basis. Here’s how that works out:

• 60-count: $22.99 ($0.38 per serving)
• 180-count: $49.99 ($0.28 per serving)

Something that (almost) makes up for the cons mentioned above is that Nootropics Depot considers the 180-count bottle to be eligible for free U.S. shipping, despite the fact that it’s technically one cent short of the threshold. Seeing as shipping from the company is usually around $10 or more, this was a welcome surprise.

Best for customers outside of the U.S.

Solaray’s saffron supplement offers a one-month supply of a branded saffron stigma extract called Affron. Each single-capsule dose contains 30mg and is standardized to 3.5% Lepticrosalides (this is a trademarked name for the bioactive compounds in saffron). On the Supplement Facts label, Solaray notes that each serving is “guaranteed to contain 1mg” of Lepticrosalides.

Unfortunately, the drawback of lumping the bioactive components together under one name is that you can’t tell how much of each compound is in each dose. In contrast, with competitor Nootropics Depot, the label lists the standardized percentage of crocin and safranal, which allows consumers to calculate just how much of each compound they’re getting per dose. Still, Solaray’s product contains a well-known standardized extract in a clinically supported 30mg dose.

While our other picks are third-party tested, Solaray puts its supplements through multiple rounds of testing (products are “triple tested”) using its ISO-certified in-house lab. On the brand’s website, the company explains its testing procedures as follows:

• Raw materials undergo physical characteristic testing.
• Samples are screened for microorganisms (microbial testing).
• Tablets, capsules, and softgels are tested to United States Pharmacopeia (USP) standards for proper disintegration when consumed.
• Materials are tested for identity and potency.
• Products are tested for contaminants (i.e., harmful chemicals, pesticides, and heavy metals) as well as gluten.
• Finished products undergo regular stability testing.

So, despite not being tested by a third party, Solaray does go to commendable lengths to ensure customer safety and product potency. Of course, we prefer to see independent testing, but any testing is appreciated.

Solaray pricing details

Since Solaray’s product can be purchased either directly from the company’s website (for customers in the United States) or through its official iHerb store (for international buyers), the pricing information in the chart below is divided by purchasing platform.

Overall, the prices are better when you purchase from iHerb. So, even if you are located in the United States, it may be worth shopping there, too.

And if you live in the United States, you can take advantage of Solaray’s 60-day satisfaction guarantee. Unfortunately, this isn’t available to international customers. iHerb does accept returns, but you will be charged for return shipping.

The supplements mentioned below didn’t make our list of top picks for one reason or another, but their unique perks might still appeal to you.

OLLY Hello Happy Gummy Worms

OLLY’s Hello Happy Gummy Worms are citrus-flavored gummy supplements that contain 50mcg (2,000IU) of vitamin D and 30mg of saffron. While there are currently no studies showing any direct benefits of combining vitamin D and saffron, both ingredients may help to reduce inflammation as well as support brain health.43 61 62 63 Additionally, vitamin D deficiency affects nearly one billion people worldwide, including 35% of U.S. adults, so supplementation may very well be beneficial.64

While some comparative research exists on the bioavailability of vitamin D gummies versus tablets (the gummies actually appeared to be more bioavailable), there currently isn’t any research comparing the bioavailability of saffron in pill and gummy form.109 There’s also very little data on the overall effectiveness of the spice when made into a gummy.

The only related research is a small pilot study from 2025, which was funded by Activ'Inside, the company behind a branded saffron extract called Safr'Inside. Participants with sleep difficulties were given either placebo gummies or ones containing 30mg of Safr'Inside to take daily for four weeks.110

Though the results of the study show that the saffron gummies led to better sleep outcomes than the placebo ones, the researchers appear to have put those suffering from worse baseline sleep issues into the placebo group based on the “objective sleep outcomes” chart. The mean, or average, scores for sleep difficulty in the placebo group are almost always higher than the scores of those who were put into the saffron group. That, plus the study being funded by the manufacturer, all point to more research being necessary on the effectiveness of saffron in gummy form. That isn’t to say OLLY’s gummies won’t be able to help you, but it’s worth keeping this information (along with the fact that OLLY’s saffron isn’t standardized) in mind.

OLLY’s gummies aren’t vegetarian- or vegan-friendly, as they contain gelatin. But we do appreciate that they contain no artificial flavors or colors, especially since some evidence suggests artificial dyes may have links to various health concerns, though more studies are needed.65

OLLY’s Hello Happy Gummy Worms come in either a 30-serving bottle or a 45-serving refill pouch. Both options can be bought as one-time purchases or on a subscription basis. Subscriptions can be delivered every one, two, or three months. The chart below breaks down the pricing.

Shipping from OLLY is free for orders over $59. Otherwise, it’s $6.99 for express two-day shipping (the only available option).

The company’s return policy only applies to products purchased directly from the OLLY website. If you’re unhappy with your purchase for any reason, OLLY will refund your full purchase price if you return the product within 30 days of ordering.

Nutricost Saffron Extract Capsules

Nutricost Saffron Extract Capsules were previously our choice for those on a budget. One bottle of this supplement contains 240 capsules (an eight-month supply) for only $21.97. However, the standardized extract in this product gives users less safranal content than our pick from Nootropics Depot. While Nutricost’s supplement is standardized to 0.3% safranal, Nootropics Depot’s is standardized to 1.0% safranal and 7.5% crocin. This means that, with a dose of 88.5mg, a serving of Nutricost’s saffron contains roughly 0.27mg safranal, while Nootropics Depot, with a dose of 30mg, contains about 0.3mg of the compound per serving. (And Nutricost’s saffron extract doesn’t have a similar standardized crocin content.)

Nonetheless, even though Nootropics Depot gives you more bang for your buck, so to speak, Nutricost can still be a decent option if you’re looking to stock up on a saffron supplement with standardized safranal content.

Like our top picks, Nutricost uses GMP-compliant facilities to manufacture its products. And while there used to be a lack of information on Nutricost’s testing procedures, the company has become more forthcoming with this information, revealing that it does indeed utilize an independent third party for its testing. (You can find this information on its website and on the supplement bottle itself.)

This option is also free from gluten, soy, and GMOs. It doesn’t appear to contain any animal-derived ingredients, but it’s still listed as vegetarian, not vegan. It could be vegan-friendly, but, without confirmation, you should proceed with caution or choose a saffron supplement that explicitly declares itself so, such as Innerbody Labs Focus Support or our pick from Vimerson Health.

Each bottle of Nutricost’s saffron costs $21.97 when purchased directly ($5 less than around a year ago), and subscribing for monthly deliveries reduces the price by 20% to $17.58. Orders over $59 ship for free in the U.S. Otherwise, standard shipping is about $7 (other shipping options vary in cost depending on your location).

If you prefer Amazon, the current price as of this writing for a one-time purchase is $19.95, which is a couple of dollars less than buying direct, but the subscription discount is only 5% instead of 20%.

Pivoting to returns and refunds, Nutricost’s policy states that if you’re unsatisfied with your purchase for any reason, you can receive your money back (minus shipping and handling costs) if you reach out to the company within 60 days of your order. However, the same policy may not apply on Amazon, as the product page notes that the supplement is “non-returnable due to food safety reasons.”

Pure Micronutrients Saffron Extract Capsules

Pure Micronutrients Saffron Extract is a kosher-certified, halal, and vegetarian-friendly option that’s also free from sugar, GMOs, and common allergens like gluten, dairy, wheat, nuts, soy, and eggs. Additionally, this is the only option in this guide to come with a lifetime guarantee.

When it comes to quality and safety testing, Pure Micronutrients (like all of our top picks) uses an independent third party, and its products are manufactured in a GMP-compliant, ISO/IEC 17025-certified lab in the U.S.86

Unfortunately, this supplement’s saffron extract is not standardized, meaning that you may not be getting enough of the important compounds that could lead to potential health benefits. Though we appreciate the company’s safety measures and generous guarantee, this lack of standardization is a pretty big drawback.

Also, some customer reviews mention that Pure Micronutrients’ saffron has a bit of a bad aftertaste, but this could be due to saffron’s complex flavor profile (especially in large or concentrated amounts). When our testers tried this supplement, they didn’t have any complaints about the flavor, but research shows some people can be more sensitive tasters than others, so your experience may be different.80

Price-wise, this supplement is fairly affordable. Each bottle gives you a two-month supply of single-capsule doses. You can purchase your bottles one at a time or subscribe to have them shipped to you every 30, 60, or 90 days (60 days makes the most sense in this case). A one-time purchase will cost you $24.97, while a subscription takes 10% off and brings your price down to $22.47. If your purchase is over $60, then shipping is free; otherwise, it’s $4.95 for customers in the United States or $15 for those in other countries. Even though $15 isn’t the least expensive shipping option out there, it’s more reasonable than many others we’ve come across, especially for international delivery. In fact, Youtheory, another one of our honorable mentions, charges that much for domestic shipping within the U.S.

Pure Micronutrients’ saffron is also available, at the same price points, through the company’s Amazon storefront, where you can also get free shipping or subscribe.

When you purchase directly from Pure Micronutrients, your purchase is covered by the company’s aforementioned lifetime guarantee. If you’re unsatisfied with the product for any reason, you can ship it back to Pure Micronutrients for free (the company covers return shipping), and you’ll receive your choice of either an exchange or your full money back.

Youtheory Saffron

Youtheory Saffron is intended to promote relaxation and support your mood. It contains the following ingredients in each two-capsule serving:

• Saffron extract (Affron): 28mg
• Ashwagandha extract (Sensoril): 150mg
• Rhodiola rosea root extract: 350mg

Youtheory’s product includes lower strengths of saffron and ashwagandha than those in Innerbody Labs Sleep Support, which contains 30mg of the former and 100mg of the latter. The reason the 100mg of ashwagandha in Sleep Support is stronger is that it’s the Shoden brand instead of Sensoril. Shoden ashwagandha is standardized to 35% withanolides (the active component of ashwagandha), while Sensoril is standardized to 10% withanolides. This means that 150mg of Sensoril has 15mg of withanolides, and 100mg of Shoden has 35mg — a difference of 20mg.

However, the saffron and Rhodiola rosea extract doses in Youtheory’s supplement are well formulated. A review on rhodiola found that the most successful research used between 150mg and 200mg of the herb once daily,30 and other studies show that saffron seems to work for most people at around 30mg daily.44

Also, the brand of saffron Youtheory uses, Affron, has been analyzed in several clinical studies. Results suggested Affron may help with menopausal symptoms, sleep quality, evening melatonin production, and mood in both adults and teens.60 Of note, however, the studies were funded by the company that produces the product, any self-funded study has the potential to be skewed by bias, but the outcomes are still interesting.

One bottle of Youtheory’s saffron supplements (60 capsules, or a 30-day supply) costs $36.99 if you purchase it once. Alternatively, you can join Youtheory’s subscription program to save 15% (dropping the price to $31.44) and get a new bottle every 30 or 60 days. The company has recently increased the discount savings from 10%, which is a nice improvement. This makes it equivalent to OLLY’s subscription discount.

Youtheory’s shipping costs and return policy are where the company falls short. Previously, the company charged shipping based on how much product you ordered, where you’re located, and how quickly you wanted your package to arrive; the cost could be anywhere from $3 to $50. In the past year, Youtheory has gotten rid of this program, instead opting for a flat shipping rate. Ordering just one bottle of the saffron blend now means you’ll pay a whopping $14.99 for standard shipping or $19.99 for express. That’s around half the price of the supplement.

To qualify for free shipping, you’ll need to purchase $40 or more. However, you can get free shipping on Youtheory Saffron by ordering via Amazon as part of an order of at least $25. This makes one bottle, at a normal cost, eligible for free shipping.

If you purchase directly from Youtheory, you’ll be covered by the company’s 45-day satisfaction guarantee. The company doesn’t explain which purchases are covered by the guarantee policy and which are covered by the return policy, however. If your purchase isn’t covered by the guarantee, you can return any unopened product within 30 days of purchase for a “full refund.” Unfortunately, this “full refund” doesn’t include shipping fees, and you’ll have to pay another $14.99 for return shipping. That means that if you order one bottle of saffron from Youtheory and have to return it, you’ll end up getting, at most, $7.01 back. It’s better than nothing, but not by much.

BrainMD Happy Saffron Plus

Each three-capsule serving of BrainMD Happy Saffron Plus contains zinc (20mg), curcumin (400mg), and, like Solaray, Affron-branded saffron (30mg). It’s also vegan-friendly and free of many common allergens, including dairy, gluten, wheat, yeast, eggs, and corn. However, there are trace amounts of soy in this supplement.

BrainMD’s saffron is one of the more expensive options in this guide. A one-time purchase of a single bottle costs $51.45 — a little over double the cost of a bottle of Pure Micronutrients’ saffron.

The company’s subscription model is fairly unique. Deliveries can be every month, 45 days, two months, or three months. And subscribing for 1-2 bottles nets you a 15% discount, 3-5 gets you 20% off, and six or more saves 25%.

Something we appreciate about BrainMD is that the company offers a seven-day free trial of its supplements, saffron included (you just pay for shipping). However, you will be automatically enrolled in a subscription if you forget to cancel before the trial is up.

Life Extension Optimized Saffron

Similar to our pick from Nootropics Depot, Life Extension’s Optimized Saffron only contains a standardized saffron extract (Satiereal-brand extract standardized to 0.34% safranal) as its star ingredient. Since we last checked in on this supplement, Life Extension appears to have reduced the dose. Previously, it was 88.25mg of Satiereal, but — at the time of this writing — the dose is 78mg. As we noted earlier in this guide, the typical 88mg (or thereabouts) that you see in many saffron supplements appears to be based on the results of research conducted on Satiereal for weight control (participants were given a daily dose of 176.5mg, which is 88.25mg times two).31

The company claims that its particular brand of saffron, Satiereal, can reduce food cravings and help you lose weight, but research paints a more complicated picture. Human studies on Satiereal show fairly positive outcomes, though the studies were self-funded, and any study funded by the manufacturer of the product has the potential for bias.31 Studies on saffron have shown mixed results for its effects on appetite — some show a decrease, while others have actually resulted in an increase.73 74 Moreover, both outcomes have also been observed in control groups, though the effects of saffron were generally more significant either way.40 47 This ultimately means that more research is needed on saffron for appetite control and/or weight loss.

This gluten-free, non-GMO, vegetarian supplement comes with 60 one-capsule doses for a one-time purchase price of $27.00. If you subscribe, you’ll get free shipping and receive 11% off, bringing the price down to $24.00. Life Extension’s shipping frequency is more flexible compared to our top picks, allowing you to receive the supplement every 1-12 months.

Whether you’re unsure about trying saffron supplements or you just want to learn more about what else is on the market, the following sections cover a few alternatives broken down by specific health goal(s). Since everyone reacts differently to supplements, these other options may work just as well as saffron for you — or even better.

Increase antioxidant consumption

If you’re looking to bolster your antioxidant intake, the best alternative is to add more of them to your diet. Since antioxidants are best absorbed and used alongside other compounds and chemicals present in food, eating antioxidant-rich foods is the optimal route of administration. Some antioxidant-rich foods include (but aren’t limited to):75

If your diet isn’t something you can easily change, you might want to consider a greens powder or a fruit and vegetable supplement. These can be more expensive than saffron supplements — Athletic Greens AG1, for example, can be as much as $100 for a one-month supply — but they provide antioxidants by way of powdered whole foods instead of an isolated compound.

You can learn more in our guide to the best greens powders and our guide to the best fruit and vegetable supplements.

For depression, PMS, and PMDD

There are several types of supplements that studies have shown can support depression, PMS, and PMDD — either altogether or independently.

Since the 1990s, studies have repeatedly shown that vitamin B6 and vitamin E can improve PMS symptoms, especially pain and soreness.32 33 And a 2022 literature review found that deficiencies in omega-3, vitamin D, vitamin B6, and iron can all contribute to PMS and PMDD symptoms.34

If you menstruate, you need more iron than someone who doesn’t, and not getting enough — like many vegans and vegetarians — may lead to an iron deficiency. Luckily, omega-3, vitamin D, vitamin B6, and iron all come in relatively inexpensive and easy-to-find supplement forms. A good multivitamin should easily meet your nutrient needs while also supporting your overall health for about the same price as a saffron supplement, which is much more niche and less critical for your day-to-day life.

Fish oil and other omega-3-rich supplements also seem to improve depression symptoms across several studies.35 So do vitamin D (deficiencies of which are correlated with higher rates of depression) and B vitamins (especially vitamin B12).36 Additionally, a 2017 meta-analysis found that St. John’s wort may be just as good as prescription antidepressants in alleviating mild to moderate depression symptoms. However, you shouldn’t take St. John’s wort if you have a more severe form of depression, are experiencing suicidal thoughts, or take other supplements or prescriptions that increase your serotonin levels.37

Some other supplements you may want to speak with your doctor about are:

• S-Adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe)
• Methylfolate
• N-Acetylcysteine (NAC)

Of course, most medical experts still recommend selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, Lexapro, and Paxil as the first step in treating unmanageable PMS, PMDD, or depression at any stage. If these conditions interfere with your day-to-day life, don’t be afraid to reach out to your doctor. Aside from prescribing an SSRI or other medication, they may have other ideas for supplements that could be worth trying based on your health history.

For PMS and PMDD, specifically, we go over some of the research behind supplements for those concerns (and other related ones) in our guide to the best female hormone balance supplements.

For eye health

The carotenoids found in saffron supplements show great promise for supporting eye health and may slow the progression of macular degeneration. However, plenty of supplements can support your eyesight.

If you’re not vegan or vegetarian, krill oil supplements may be an alternative. Not only do they contain large amounts of healthy omega-3s, which may support eye health, but shrimp get their classic red-pink pigment from astaxanthin — a carotenoid found to be 6,000 times stronger than vitamin C and 100 times stronger than vitamin E without containing the same negative side effects as other antioxidants and carotenoids.38 Most krill oil supplements cost around $30 per month — roughly as much as a saffron supplement — but some good budget options cost as little as a few cents per serving.

Now, if you are vegan or vegetarian, then taking an astaxanthin supplement may be an option. Several brands on the market, like Sports Research, sell vegan astaxanthin products at prices similar to those of krill oil supplements. If you want to learn more about astaxanthin supplements, check out our guide to the best.