Depression is a global public health problem that ranks 4th in terms of the leading causes of work disability, and is on the rise. For this reason, the sale of antidepressant medications is increasing annually. Specifically, in Spain, its use has tripled in the last 13 years
.There is some controversy about the use of antidepressants in the chronic and recurrent treatment of mild to moderate depression, since the treatment has to be taken continuously for a long time, which can lead to significant side effects in some users. Consequently, effective phytotherapeutic solutions with a high safety profile are being sought. This is where saffron makes its way as a medicinal plant, beyond its culinary use
.Saffron is a spice obtained from the dried stigmata of the female part of the flower of Crocus sativus Biv. ex Steud), of the Iridaceae family. Did you know that it takes between 150,000 and 220,000 flowers to produce 1 kilogram of saffron? For this reason, and because the separation of stigmas is done manually, saffron has a
high price.The intense red color, its bitter taste and its aroma are due to the chemical compounds it presents: crocin and crocetin are responsible for the color, picrocrocin is responsible for the flavor and safranal is responsible for the aroma.
Two of these active ingredients, crocin and safranal, also play an important role in medicine, in particular as it helps to maintain a positive attitude, stimulating good mood. Already in Traditional Persian Medicine, this spice was used for depression. It has been demonstrated in clinical trials that saffron can be an effective alternative to conventional antidepressants (imipramine and fluoxetine-Prozac), with a higher safety profile (it does not cause dry mouth or sexual dysfunction). In addition, it helps to reduce the withdrawal syndrome of antidepressant drugs
.According to research carried out, saffron works by increasing the availability of serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine. In addition, it has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential, which extends its therapeutic potential to various disorders
of the nervous system.There are different dietary supplements on the market based on saffron extracts, alone or combined with other nutrients. We must choose those with the highest quality, safety and, therefore, greater effectiveness. The extracts must be from a quality plant, they must be standardized in the active ingredients and must be carefully prepared, preserving the stability of the product, since safranal and crocin are sensitive to high temperatures. Saffron extracts can be combined with turmeric, vitamins B and D, and zinc, which act synergistically to help maintain a good emotional balance. If you want to include a quality saffron extract supplement in your diet, consult your healthcare professional
.