Affron Saffron improves menopausal women’s mood, sleep and self-esteem in clinical trial
Key takeaways
- After 12 weeks, women taking 28 mg of Affron saffron daily saw a 50.7% reduction in low mood scores, compared to 31.9% in the placebo group.
- Pharmactive Biotech Products says this is the first clinical trial to show saffron positively impacting mood, sleep, and self-esteem in menopausal and postmenopausal women.
- Improvements were already visible by week four, with nearly twice as many women in the Affron group showing measurable depression score improvements versus placebo.
A clinical study has found that Pharmactive Biotech Products’ Affron Saffron helps improve mood, sleep quality, and self-esteem in menopausal and postmenopausal women.
The nutraceutical developer notes that the study is the first to demonstrate a positive effect of the saffron extract on multiple symptoms that menopausal women experience. Affron is backed by 12 human studies.
The researchers add that improvements began appearing after week four. The Affron group had a 50.7% reduction in low mood scores compared with 31.9% in the placebo group.
Broader multifunctional application
The Frontiers in Nutrition study also explored the effects of Affron on aspects connected to mood, such as emotional well-being, including self-esteem, sleep, and perceived appearance.
The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale showed that women taking Affrom had a 10% improvement compared to 4.8% in the placebo group. According to Pharmactive Biotech Products, this score suggests a new perspective on Affron’s broader potential application.
“For this study, we focused on menopausal and postmenopausal women, as this is a period associated with increased vulnerability to mood disturbances, impaired sleep, and accelerated facial aging,” says Adal Mena, R&D scientist and product specialist for Affron.
Pharmactive Biotech Products points out that saffron might help influence self-esteem through its anti-inflammatory activity.“This is the first clinical trial showing that Affron can positively impact three closely connected aspects of well-being: mood, self-esteem, and the daily impact of poor sleep. The findings reinforce the need for holistic approaches to emotional well-being and, in addition, position Affron at the intersection of emotional well-being, healthy aging, and beauty-from-within solutions.”
Mechanical explanations
Pharmactive Biotech Products highlights previous research linking increased inflammation and lower self-esteem in people with obesity and metabolic syndrome. This finding could be relevant for menopausal women since it is associated with inflammatory and metabolic changes.
The company highlights that biologically, Affron’s complementary mechanisms of action might explain why the participants experienced boosts in self-esteem and emotional well-being.
The company points out that saffron might help influence self-esteem through its anti-inflammatory activity — with research marking reductions in inflammatory markers.
Furthermore, saffron is noted to help neurotransmitter balance by modulating serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine activity. Pharmactive Biotech Products says the spice’s antioxidant capabilities increase the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which regulates emotional adaptability and protects brain cells from oxidative stress.
“Low mood and poor sleep often go hand in hand and can negatively impact self-esteem, perceived appearance, skin quality, and overall well-being while also contributing to signs of skin aging,” says Carlos Rodríguez, communication manager at Pharmactive Biotech Products.
“The findings of this study suggest Affron could support self-esteem through both psychological and physiological pathways. Psychologically, there is a direct link between how we feel and how we perceive ourselves. By effectively reducing low mood and enhancing emotional balance, Affron might help women feel more confident and positive. On a physical level, Affron may balance key neurotransmitters and lower stress-related cortisol levels.”
Industry reflects on menopause market
Nutrition Insight recently explored various new industry solutions for menopausal women. Gnosis by Lesaffre, Lallemand Health Solutions, and Lallemand Bio-Ingredients discussed how menopause support has shifted from symptom relief to holistic solutions.
Bioiberica shared support for collagen, hyaluronic acid, and enzymes, while Sirio Europe touted soy isoflavones and evening primrose oil.
ProBiotix Health highlighted how women seek long-term health beyond menopause symptom support, also backing isoflavones and evening primrose oil, in addition to the company’s probiotic strain LPLDL. Meanwhile, AB-Biotics provides probiotic blends for hormone-free support.
