Ingredients supplier Pharmactive recently announced the publication of a new study on its saffron extract, Affron, which concluded that its consumption was linked to reductions in psychological symptoms associated with menopause. During the study, the results of which were published in the Journal of Menopausal Medicine, saffron extract was administered for 12 weeks at 28 mg a day in women experiencing menopausal symptoms during perimenopause. 86 perimenopausal women were assigned to either the supplementation group, or took a matching placebo.
 
The psychological symptoms associated with hormonal changes women typically experience in their 40s often include hot flushes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, changes in cognitive function and performance, and mood changes, including melancholy and stress.
 
According to self-reported changes, those in the experimental group saw a 33% reduction in stress scores, and a 32% reduction in low mood scores based on the assessment. However, the saffron extract had no impact on vasomotor symptoms or other somatic symptoms, which suggests that that Affron’s bioactive compounds primarily attenuate stress, with no influence on hormones. The psychological surveys used in the valuations were the GCS Psychological Score test, and the PANAS Negative Affect test. For these reasons, the authors of the study suggest that it is possible that saffron extract could be safely used by menopausal women in conjunction with other hormone-influencing ingredients.
 
“The mood-enhancing effects of saffron have been confirmed in several studies,” the authors wrote. “Depressive and anxiety symptoms during the menopausal transition are typically treated with SSRIs and SNRIs. However, although effective, they are associated with several adverse effects resulting in high rates of discontinuation. The positive mood-enhancing findings and low frequency of self-reported adverse effects present saffron as a promising natural mood treatment during perimenopause.”
 
“This is the first study of Affron examining menopause symptoms in average perimenopausal women,” Alberto Espinel, manager of Strategic R&D in Active and Functional Natural Ingredients for Pharmactive, said. “It opens a new health category in our offering of evidence-based personalized nutrition targeting specific demographics.”
 
Research hasn’t determined the mood enhancement and relaxation effects of saffron constituents, although multiple mechanisms of action have been proposed. Saffron has been demonstrated to influence neurotransmitter activity, mitigate inflammation, regulate hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, reduce oxidative stress, boost mitochondrial activity, and improve neuroplasticity, Pharmactive reports.
 
“These benefits have not been recognized in herbal extracts focused on the balance of estrogens as alternative hormonal therapy replacement,” Espinel said. “This means that in comparison to other botanical extracts that target menopause symptoms, Affron doesn’t have undesirable estrogenic effects. This is a key advantage for perimenopausal women seeking natural solutions.”
 
Affron has now been featured in seven human clinical trials which associate it with its capacity to improve mood, relieve stress and occasional sadness, support relaxation, and enhance sleep, Pharmactive reports.