Best Saffron Supplement (2026): Standardization & Cost Ranked
The best saffron supplement for most people is Nootropics Depot Saffron Extract: 30 mg of saffron in one capsule, the daily amount mood trials gave. It is what our readers buy most. For a tested one, buy Thorne Rapid Relief Saffron.
By Erin Rose Updated October 19, 2026 How we score
Our pick for: Most people
Nootropics Depot Saffron Extract
6.5/10 Our score
Scores lower than Thorne because Thorne is on a public testing list
- Saffron extract
- 30 mgOne capsule a day
- Standardized
- At least 7.5% crocinsThe main active compounds
- Testing
- Brand says lab testedNot on a public testing list
- Brand price
- No list priceIts own store now sells a different saffron
Why we pick it It is the saffron our readers buy most, with the crocins it holds stated on the bottle. Nootropics Depot says an outside lab tests its products.
What you give up It is not on a public testing list, which is why it scores lower than Thorne. Its brand’s store now sells a different saffron, so we cannot price it there. Want one on a testing list? See the tested pick below.
Which saffron is right for you?
Trials used about 30 mg of saffron a day. Here are the other good choices.
Want one on a testing list?
Thorne Rapid Relief Saffron is on NSF/ANSI 173, which checks that the capsule holds what the label says. It is the only saffron here on a public testing list. Each capsule has 30 mg of Safr’Inside extract. It costs $1.50 a day at Thorne’s price.
Thorne Rapid Relief Saffron
8.0/10 · $1.50 a day · NSF/ANSI 173
Want affron, a named studied extract?
affron is a branded saffron extract. Added to antidepressants, it improved doctor-rated mood scores, but not people’s own ratings (Lopresti 2019). Solaray sells 30 mg of affron in one capsule for $0.73 a day at its own price. Solaray says its own lab checks it, but it is not on a public testing list.
Solaray Saffron Extract (affron)
6.0/10 · $0.73 a day
Seeing 88.5 mg saffron for much less?
Nutricost and Double Wood sell 88.5 mg capsules for a few cents a day at their own prices. They use a generic extract that does not match a studied product, so the bigger number does not tell you how much of the active compounds you get. See how to tell real saffron from fakes.
Taking an antidepressant?
Talk to your doctor before adding saffron. One trial tested affron alongside antidepressants (Lopresti 2019), but that is not a reason to start or change medicine on your own.
Saffron supplements we compared
Scored on dose, testing, cost, label and recalls. Our pick comes first, then by score, with why each one is or is not a pick. Costs are per 30 mg at each brand’s own price, checked October 18, 2026.
| Saffron | Per 30 mg | Why it is or is not a pick |
|---|---|---|
| Nootropics Depot Saffron Extract6.5/10 | No brand price | Our pick: 30 mg, at least 7.5% crocins; no brand price to compare |
| Thorne Rapid Relief Saffron8.0/10 | $1.50 | Our tested pick: on NSF/ANSI 173; costs the most a day |
| Nutricost Saffron Extract7.0/10 | $0.03 | 88.5 mg of a generic extract, about 3 times the trial amount |
| Double Wood Saffron Extract7.0/10 | $0.03 | 88.5 mg of a generic extract; posts a lab report for each batch |
| Solaray Saffron Extract (affron)6.0/10 | $0.73 | Our affron pick: 30 mg of affron; no testing claim |
| Life Extension Optimized Saffron (Satiereal)5.5/10 | $0.17 | Satiereal, a different extract from the mood trials |
| Natural Factors Saffron Extract (affron)5.0/10 | $1.07 | 28 mg of affron; costs more a day than Solaray |
| NutriRise Saffron ExtractNot scored | No brand price | Not scored: sold only on Amazon, so no brand price; 88.5 mg, percent not stated |
How to read a saffron label
Look for the milligrams of extract and what it is standardized to, such as “7.5% crocins” or “3.5% Lepticrosalides.” A named extract (affron, Safr’Inside) tells you which ingredient it is, so you can look up its trials. A label with only “saffron extract” and a big number does not.
Does saffron work?
A review of trials in adults with mild to moderate depression found saffron lowered depression scores more than a dummy pill (Tóth 2019). One of those trials gave 30 mg of saffron a day for 6 weeks (Akhondzadeh 2005). A trial in women with PMS used the same amount (Agha-Hosseini 2008). The trials gave dried saffron, not an extract, and they were small. More in our saffron guide.
Questions people ask
Does saffron help with mood?
In small trials of adults with mild to moderate depression, 30 mg of saffron a day for 6 weeks lowered depression scores more than a dummy pill (Akhondzadeh 2005), and a review of the trials agreed (Tóth 2019). It is not a replacement for care. If you feel depressed, talk to a doctor.
Why do some saffron pills have 88.5 mg?
They use a generic extract that does not match a studied product, at about three times the 30 mg of saffron trials used. A bigger number does not tell you how much of the active compounds you get. How to tell real saffron from fakes.
Is saffron safe?
In trials, about 1 in 6 people reported a side effect, mostly mild, such as an upset stomach; the review warns about higher doses and long-term use (Hasheminasab 2026). A toxicology review found no serious harm at trial doses (Bostan 2017). If you take an antidepressant, are pregnant, or take other medicines, ask your doctor first.
How we score
Five marks: does a serving hold the studied amount of a saffron extract; is the product on a public testing list; what 30 mg costs at the brand’s own price against the cheapest like it; does the label state the amount; and the brand’s FDA recall record. Dose and testing are worth up to 3 points each, cost up to 2, label and recalls up to 1 each. A product we cannot price at its brand’s store gets no cost points. More on our method.
Sources
- Tóth B, et al. “The Efficacy of Saffron in the Treatment of Mild to Moderate Depression: A Meta-analysis.” Planta Med. 2019. PubMed 30036891
- Akhondzadeh S, et al. “Crocus sativus L. in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial.” Phytother Res. 2005. PubMed 15852492
- Lopresti AL, et al. “Efficacy of a standardised saffron extract (affron®) as an add-on to antidepressant medication for the treatment of persistent depressive symptoms in adults: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.” J Psychopharmacol. 2019. PubMed 31475623
- Agha-Hosseini M, et al. “Crocus sativus L. (saffron) in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome: a double-blind, randomised and placebo-controlled trial.” BJOG. 2008. PubMed 18271889
- Hasheminasab FS, et al. “Adverse Events of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.): Systematic Review of Current Evidence.” Health Sci Rep. 2026. PubMed 42057871
- Bostan HB, et al. “Toxicology effects of saffron and its constituents: a review.” Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2017. PubMed 28293386
- Testing list: NSF/ANSI 173, read August 25, 2026. Extract, standardization and prices from each brand’s own page.