SAFFRON is classed as a herb of the Iris family and the World’s most expensive herb by weight. It is used in Traditional Medicine for its anti-inflammatory, mood enhancing properties, not forgetting its digestive benefits, and has been used for over 4,000 years.
What is perhaps not so well known is how it has Precipitated Wars and made Poor Men RICH. Its aromatic and intoxicating odour is used in perfumes, bath-waters and lotions.
Since its domestication in Persia (modern day Iran) over 2,000 years ago, SAFFRON has had a special value in the World of Medicinal Herbs and was even the subject of the SAFFRON WAR, a three month conflict in the late 1300s between the city of Basel in (modern day) Switzerland and Austrian Nobility.
For centuries, ‘traditional doctors’ have used it to treat everything from abdominal bleeds, Urinary Tract Infections and as a poultice for wounds. However, with soaring levels of stress nowadays, modern medicine has found another use for it; as an ANTI-DEPRESSANT.
DEPRESSION is an extremely common diagnosis affecting ONE in FIVE adults during their lifetimes. As we know, this condition is primarily treated with pharmaceutical drugs called SSRI’s (Selective Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors) which stop Serotonin from being broken down. COMMENT: This author personally questions the overall merit of this approach in certain cases as excess levels of Serotonin can lead to Anxiety not to mention being a cause of Migraine headaches along with excess levels of the amino acid Tyrosine and their use in Traumatised individuals such as those suffering from Post War induced Post Traumatic Stress Syndromes is questionable and anecotally, does not appear to assist former soldiers in their rehabilitation. COMMENT ENDS
Large studies of SSRI’s show that they can treat Severe Depression, but that they are less effective in mild to moderate depression. COMMENT: Absolutely; Severe Depression will see Patient Serotonin levels in the floor. SSRI’s will likely provide a fair degree of relief here, albeit with varying levels of side effects. COMMENT ENDS.
Therefore, a safer, more effective method of treating mild to moderate depression is required. This is where SAFFRON can step in for scientists discovered in the early 2000s that a powerful compound in Saffron called Crocin 1 has anti-depressant properties similar to SSRI’s. This finding was supported by Animal studies and led scientists to begin to study Saffron’s effects on humans.
What they found was truly remarkable for in 2005, a study compared Saffron to a placebo in a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised study (The Gold Standard of Studies) of 40 patients. At the end of the six week trial, the SAFFRON treated group scored significantly better than the Placebo group on a standardised depression scale. Further studies reinforced the findings here and in 2015, a Meta Analysis, which included twelve studies, also had very positive outcomes.
Moreover, not only was Saffron helpful for Depression, but it also improved sexual performance (something apparently reported by the Persians 1,500 years ago) and Pre-Menstrual Symptoms (PMS) in Ladies’. COMMENT: This does NOT Include Men who think that they are Women. COMMENT ENDS
Saffron also aided in Weight Loss which is not that surprising given that excess Weight can be associated with causing Low Self Esteem and by default Depression. COMMENT: Weight gain often causes increased Blood Pressure owing to increased strain on muscles, inclusive of the heart to push greater loads of oxygen carrying blood around the System. This is discussed in a Bonus of Module 2 of the Sigma-Cybernetics Method where a thorough review of what exactly Hypertension, is, and often ISN’T, is explained. Various options for resolving High Blood Pressure Issues inclusive of the use of Anti-Biotics in a small, but significant number of cases is outlined. COMMENT ENDS.
More recently, in 2019, a study encompassing 23 randomised, controlled placebo studies was conducted. Again, the authors found that Saffron had a ‘large, positive effect’ against DEPRESSION and ANXIETY, when compared to PLACEBO.
Furthermore, SAFFRON has been found to be better than many of the usual ‘go to medications’ such as Imipramine (Tofranil) and when put up against the most common medication for countering Depression these days, Fluoxetine (better known as PROZAC), the results were not a surprise to those of us that are aware of the merits of SAFFRON.
In fact, a 2019 meta-analysis looked at four studies of Prozac and Saffron. The RESULTS were that SAFFRON was just as effective in countering Depression with one added Bonus, it did so, without nasty side effects that Prozac will give you.
Saffron was also found to be effective in treating FIBRO-MYALGIA which causes Fatigue, Muscle Pain, Sleep Problems and also, Depression. A double-blind study in 2018 found that Saffron was as effective when compared with the Pharmaceutical Medication DULOXETINE (also known as Cymbalta).
As mentioned earlier, SAFFRON appears to have a positive effect on sexual function, in both Men and Women. This has been studied as a standalone issue, and with the sexual dysfunction that accompanies the use of SSRI’s. A 2019 meta-analysis of FIVE Studies comprised of 173 patients showed that SAFFRON to be successful in treating many of the sexual problems both Men and Women face. Moreover, a 2015 randomised placebo-controlled double-blind study of topical (cream) Saffron showed how it helped treat Erectile Dysfunction associated with Diabetes. 1
Research has also been conducted on the efficacy of Saffron to help relieve sexual dysfunction induced by Prozac. Although the results were varied, in some parameters of sexual function, SAFFRON was superior to the placebo in reversing this side effect.
Reference 1: (excerpts of) The Best of Nutrition and Healing, Volume XIX August 2020 Dr Glenn S. Rothfeld, MD
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