Discover what makes affron® different from ordinary saffron, why researchers study its 28mg daily dose, and what human clinical trials reveal about mood, stress and sleep.
What Is affron® Saffron Extract?
affron® is a branded, standardised saffron extract made from the stigmas of the Crocus sativus flower. Developed by Pharmactive, it contains naturally occurring saffron compounds including crocins and safranal. Human clinical trials have investigated affron® for mood, stress and sleep-related outcomes.
The most widely studied daily amount is 28mg. In controlled trials, this dose has produced improvements in selected mood measures over four to twelve weeks. Results for sleep vary between studies and participant groups.
Sources: 2017 clinical trial and 2025 clinical trial .
Why Is affron® Used in Supplements?
affron® provides a standardised form of saffron that has been evaluated in placebo-controlled human studies. Researchers have focused mainly on mood and emotional wellbeing, with additional interest in sleep-related outcomes.
The researched amount
28mg daily
Used in several controlled trials lasting four to twelve weeks.
What Exactly Is affron®?
Saffron comes from the dried stigmas of Crocus sativus, a flowering plant traditionally valued as a culinary spice.
Saffron contains several naturally occurring compounds, including crocins and safranal. These compounds have attracted interest in nutritional and clinical research.
affron® is a proprietary saffron extract designed to provide a standardised ingredient for supplement formulations.
This distinction matters because the amount and composition of saffron compounds can differ between raw spice, generic extracts and branded ingredients.
Ingredient identity matters
When a clinical trial specifically investigates affron®, its findings apply to that studied extract and dose. They should not automatically be attributed to every saffron product.
What Makes affron® Different From Ordinary Saffron?
One of the main differences is standardisation.
affron® is standardised using a proprietary specification called Lepticrosalides®, which relates to saffron's bioactive constituents.
Published research describes affron® as standardised to more than 3.5% Lepticrosalides®.
| Feature | affron® | Generic saffron |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Crocus sativus stigmas | May be sourced from Crocus sativus |
| Standardisation | Defined branded specification | Varies by manufacturer |
| Human studies | Multiple ingredient-specific trials | Evidence depends on the exact extract |
| Commonly studied dose | 28mg daily | Cannot assume an equivalent dose |
| Bioactive constituents | Includes crocins and safranal | Content may vary |
Standardisation helps researchers investigate a more consistent ingredient between trials.
It does not mean that every person will experience the same outcome.
03 / Potential benefitsWhat Are the Potential Benefits of affron®?
The most relevant research areas include mood, perceived stress and sleep-related wellbeing.
1. Mood and Emotional Wellbeing
The strongest ingredient-specific evidence relates to selected mood outcomes in adults reporting low mood.
In a 2017 trial, researchers reported significant improvements in negative mood at a daily dose of 28mg compared with placebo.
A larger 2025 trial also found an improvement in its primary depression-symptom measure.
2. Stress-Related Outcomes
The 2017 study reported improvements in measures related to stress and anxiety.
However, these were self-reported outcomes in a defined study population, and results should not be treated as evidence that affron® treats a diagnosed anxiety disorder.
3. Sleep-Related Wellbeing
Sleep has also been investigated in affron® trials.
Findings are mixed. Some participants with greater baseline sleep difficulties have shown improvements in selected sleep-related measures, while other sleep outcomes have not differed significantly from placebo.
The research-backed takeaway
affron® has promising clinical evidence for selected mood outcomes. Sleep-related benefits are an active research area, but should be described with greater caution because results vary.
What Does the Human Research Show?
2017: Four-Week Trial in 128 Adults
A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolled 128 adults reporting low mood without a diagnosis of depression.
Participants received 28mg affron®, 22mg affron® or placebo daily for four weeks.
The 28mg group showed significantly better results than placebo on the Profile of Mood States Total Mood Disturbance score: p < 0.001, with an effect size of d = −1.10.
The 22mg group did not show the same treatment effect.
Why this study matters
It provides a direct comparison between two affron® doses and placebo, helping explain why 28mg became a frequently investigated daily amount.
2025: Twelve-Week Trial in 202 Adults
A 2025 randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial included 202 adults aged 18–70 experiencing depressive symptoms below the threshold of a diagnosed depressive disorder.
Participants received 28mg saffron extract daily or placebo for twelve weeks.
On the primary depression-symptom measure, the affron® group showed greater improvement than placebo.
A clinically significant reduction of at least seven points was recorded in:
The between-group difference in responder rates was statistically significant (p = 0.010).
However, the study did not find consistent between-group differences across its other secondary outcomes.
2026: Trial in 86 Women Aged 50–70
A 2026 study investigated 28mg affron® daily for twelve weeks in 86 women reporting low mood and poor sleep.
Researchers reported a greater improvement in the primary depression-symptom outcome compared with placebo.
A clinically meaningful improvement was observed in:
Some secondary outcomes, including sleep-related impairment, also improved. Overall sleep-disturbance scores did not differ significantly between groups.
05 / Dose explainedWhy Is affron® 28mg So Common?
The 28mg dose appears frequently because it has been investigated in multiple ingredient-specific clinical trials.
The 2017 study is especially informative because it compared 22mg and 28mg with placebo.
| Daily amount | Research context | Finding |
|---|---|---|
| 22mg | 2017 four-week trial | No significant treatment effect on the primary mood outcome |
| 28mg | 2017 four-week trial | Significant improvement in the primary mood outcome |
| 28mg | 2025 twelve-week trial | Improvement in the primary depression-symptom measure |
| 28mg | 2026 twelve-week trial | Improvement in the primary depression-symptom measure |
28mg is a researched amount, not a universal dose recommendation. The appropriate use of a supplement depends on its formulation, label and individual circumstances.
How Long Does affron® Take to Work?
Published trials have evaluated outcomes after four to twelve weeks of daily supplementation.
This makes affron® more relevant to a consistent routine than to an expectation of an immediate effect from a single serving.
06 / Sleep researchCan affron® Support Sleep?
affron® has been investigated for sleep-related outcomes alongside mood measures.
In the 2025 study, exploratory analyses suggested an improvement in sleep disturbances among a subset of participants with more severe baseline sleep issues.
In the 2026 trial, sleep-related impairment improved, but the sleep-disturbance measure itself did not show a significant difference from placebo.
How to interpret the sleep evidence
The studies support further investigation of affron® for sleep-related wellbeing. They do not establish that it reliably improves sleep quality in every adult.
If you are researching nutritional ingredients associated with sleep and night-time recovery, read EFECTIV's guide to ingredients for sleep and night-time recovery .
07 / Practical considerationsIs affron® Safe, and When Should You Take It?
In the cited controlled trials, affron® was generally well tolerated at the investigated doses, with no serious adverse reactions reported in the 2025 and 2026 studies.
That does not establish safety for every person, medicine combination or duration of use.
People who are pregnant or breastfeeding, taking psychiatric medication or managing a medical condition should seek qualified healthcare advice before using concentrated saffron supplements.
Morning or Evening?
Clinical protocols have used daily supplementation schedules, including divided morning and evening doses.
There is not enough comparative evidence to claim that taking affron® at one particular time of day consistently produces better results.
Can affron® Replace Medication?
No. The studies discussed here do not justify using affron® as a replacement for prescribed treatment for depression, anxiety or sleep disorders.
08 / Evidence summaryaffron® Human Research at a Glance
| Study | Participants | Protocol | Finding | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 mood trial | 128 adults | 22mg or 28mg daily, four weeks | Significant primary mood improvement at 28mg | PubMed |
| 2025 mood and wellbeing trial | 202 adults | 28mg daily, twelve weeks | Improved primary depression-symptom outcome; mixed secondary outcomes | PubMed |
| 2026 women’s wellbeing trial | 86 women aged 50–70 | 28mg daily, twelve weeks | Improved primary mood outcome; some exploratory secondary benefits | PubMed |
Outcomes were measured using validated questionnaires. Some trials received support from the ingredient manufacturer, which is relevant when evaluating the evidence.
affron® Saffron Extract FAQs
What is affron®?
What are the benefits of affron®?
Why is affron® commonly taken at 28mg?
Is affron® the same as ordinary saffron?
How long does affron® take to work?
Does affron® help with sleep?
Is affron® safe?
Can affron® treat depression?
Why affron® Is an Ingredient Worth Understanding
affron® is a standardised saffron extract with ingredient-specific human clinical research.
Its most promising findings relate to selected mood outcomes, with 28mg daily investigated across several placebo-controlled trials.
For anyone comparing saffron supplements, the most useful questions are whether the extract is standardised, what daily amount it provides and whether the claims match research on that specific ingredient.
Understand the Ingredients Behind Your Nutrition
At EFECTIV, we believe supplement decisions should begin with ingredient transparency, sensible dosing and published research. Explore more about nutrition, sleep and recovery.
Research & Sources
- Kell et al. (2017). affron® saffron extract and mood in healthy adults: randomised controlled trial.
- Lopresti et al. (2025). affron® and mood and wellbeing in adults experiencing low mood.
- Lopresti and Smith (2026). affron® and mood, sleep and self-esteem in women aged 50–70.
- Full-text 2026 clinical trial: extract composition and methods.
