Evidence-Based Saffron Supplement Brands for Adolescent Anxiety
For adolescents aged 12-16 years with mild-to-moderate anxiety symptoms, affron® (a standardized saffron extract containing ≥3.5% total bioactive compounds including safranal and crocin isomers) at 14 mg twice daily is the only saffron supplement with direct clinical trial evidence demonstrating efficacy in this specific population. 1
Primary Recommendation: affron®
affron® is the sole saffron brand tested in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial specifically in adolescents (ages 12-16) with mild-to-moderate anxiety symptoms, showing a 33% reduction in total internalizing symptoms compared to 17% with placebo over 8 weeks. 1
The standardized extract contains ≥3.5% of total bioactive compounds (safranal and crocin isomers), which is the specific formulation proven effective in youth populations. 1, 2
Dosing in the adolescent trial was 14 mg twice daily (28 mg total daily dose), which demonstrated significant improvements in separation anxiety, social phobia, and depression based on youth self-reports. 1
affron® was well-tolerated in adolescents with minimal adverse effects and a trend toward reduced headaches compared to placebo. 1
Alternative Brand with Emerging Evidence: SAFFR'ACTIV®
SAFFR'ACTIV® has been studied in children and adolescents aged 7-17 years for ADHD treatment, demonstrating comparable efficacy to methylphenidate, though this study did not specifically target anxiety symptoms. 3
A 2025 study in adults with mild-to-moderate depression showed SAFFR'ACTIV® improved depressive and anxious symptoms as well as sleep quality, though this was not tested in adolescents. 4
The combination product SAFFR'UP® (combining SAFFR'ACTIV® with scutellaria extract) showed synergistic effects on mood regulation in adults, but no pediatric data exists for this combination. 4
Critical Implementation Considerations
Saffron supplementation should be considered as an adjunct to, not a replacement for, first-line treatments recommended by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, which include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for mild-to-moderate anxiety. 5
The 8-week trial duration in adolescents is relatively short; longer-term safety and efficacy data in youth populations are lacking. 1
Parent-reported outcomes in the adolescent trial were inconsistent with youth self-reports, showing less robust improvements, which suggests the need for careful monitoring using both adolescent and parent perspectives. 1
The adolescent trial used a non-clinical sample recruited from the community rather than diagnosed anxiety disorders, which may limit generalizability to clinical populations. 1
Important Caveats
Only a single dose (14 mg twice daily) of affron® has been tested in adolescents; dose-response relationships in youth are unknown. 1
Saffron's mechanisms of action include modulation of neurotransmitter systems and anti-inflammatory effects, but specific mechanisms in adolescent anxiety remain incompletely understood. 6
While adult studies show saffron has antidepressant properties comparable to SSRIs like fluoxetine with fewer side effects, these findings cannot be directly extrapolated to adolescents without age-specific data. 6
For severe anxiety presentations, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry recommends SSRIs (particularly sertraline) or combination treatment with CBT plus SSRIs, which have more robust evidence than saffron supplementation. 5, 7