Saffron Stigma Extract
Saffron is a spice derived from the flowers of Crocus sativus. It’s been used and traded as a spice for at least 4000 years and is considered the world's most costly spice by weight. Saffron has had a wide range and long list of traditional uses. In Traditional Iranian Medicine saffron was thought to be useful for supporting sleep and mood, and to be a heart tonic. And in India it was used as a nerve and heart tonic, and for relaxation and sleep support. Iran produces the majority of saffron: Greece, Kashmir, Morocco, Spain and Turkey are also fairly large growers. Saffron, as a spice, refers to the deep red-maroon colored stigma and styles (called threads). Not all saffron is of the same quality and strength, with price increasing substantially for the highest grades. In general, the content of several of saffron’s active compounds are used to determine strength. A greater content of crocin (responsible for saffron's color), picrocrocin (a bitter compound giving the characteristic taste), and safranal (which gives the fragrance) would be graded as higher strength. In addition to these marker compounds, saffron also contains zeaxanthin, lycopene, and other carotenoids. Crocin also belongs to the carotenoid family. Most carotenoids only dissolve in oil (i.e., are fat-soluble). Crocin is water-soluble, which is part of the reason it is used in rice dishes and other water-based food recipes. There’s been a growing interest in the use of saffron for health purposes, including in areas such as mood, cognition, vision, sports performance, appetite regulation, metabolic function, sleep, and women’s health.*
TOP BENEFITS OF SAFFRON
Supports mood*
Supports cognitive function*
Supports vision*
QUALIA’S SAFFRON SOURCING
The saffron extract we use is standardized for 0.3% safranal.
Saffron extract used in our products is GRAS, non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan, Kosher certified and Halal compliant.
SAFFRON FORMULATING PRINCIPLES AND RATIONALE
Some saffron studies in humans have used highly standardized extracts, with servings typically in the range of 20-30 mg per day. Many other studies have used saffron powder (unstandardized) with servings often ranging from 50-300 mg daily. We source an extract that is between these two extremes—standardized, but not as highly standardized, because we believe capturing more of the essence of whole saffron stigmas is the most suitable approach for promoting health with this ingredient. Since studies comparing multiple amounts or different standardizations have not been published, there’s no information on whether saffron has a threshold effect (i.e., an amount or range less than the full serving where the majority of the response would occur; see Qualia Dosing Principles) or how different extract strengths compare to each other or to saffron powder. However, individual (i.e. N of 1) subjective response to saffron does vary considerably, with some persons reporting noticeable differences when taking as little as 1-3 mg of a standardized saffron extract. Depending on the purpose Qualia is using saffron for, and the other ingredients it’s combined with, the recommended serving may be anywhere ranging from a more micro-serving level up (3 mg) up to a serving of 30 mg per day.*
SAFFRON KEY MECHANISMS
Supports a healthy mood*
Supports a positive mental-emotional bias* [1–9]
Supports a calm mood* [3,4,7–9]
Supports brain function*
Supports focus and attention* [10,11]
Supports healthy brain aging* [12–14]
Supports sleep* [15–17]
Supports dopamine signaling* [18,19]
Supports GABA-glutamate signaling* [18]
Influences acetylcholinesterase activity* [19,20]
Supports brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels* [21,22]
Supports neuroprotective functions* [19,23–27]
Supports long-term potentiation (LTP)* [16]
Supports vision*
Supports healthy retinal function* [24,28–35]
Supports macular health* [29,32,35]
Supports visual acuity* [32,35]
Supports protection of retinal cells from light-induced damage* [30,36–38]
Supports healthy intraocular pressure* [39]
Promotes exercise performance*
Supports reaction times* [40]
Supports muscle strength* [40]
Supports muscle recovery functions* [41]
Supports antioxidant defenses*
Supports antioxidant enzymes* [19,23,34]
Supports the replenishment of glutathione (GSH) levels* [19,34]
Supports free-radical scavenging* [19,23,33,34]
Supports healthy prooxidant-antioxidant balance* [42]
Supports healthy metabolic function*
Supports appetite regulation* [43]
Supports healthy lipid levels and blood pressure regulation* [44,45]
Supports healthy immune signaling* [46]
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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