Randomised trial, 2011
Does smelling saffron help improve premenstrual syndrome, period pain, or irregular periods?
Smelling saffron for 20 minutes reduced a stress hormone and anxiety in a small study. The researchers suggest this might help, but the study did not directly measure whether symptoms actually improved.
What they did
35 women with normal sense of smell were exposed to saffron odor for 20 minutes. Before and after, researchers measured stress hormone (cortisol), testosterone, and estrogen levels in saliva. Women also completed an anxiety questionnaire.
What they found
After exposure to saffron odor, cortisol decreased, estrogen increased, and anxiety scores decreased in both the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle.
What it means for you
Saffron smell may affect hormones and anxiety, which are related to PMS. However, the study is very small with no comparison group for the smell exposure, and measured only hormone changes, not actual PMS or period pain symptoms. No evidence yet that smelling saffron treats symptoms.
35
women studied
20
minutes of saffron odor exposure
3
hormones measured
About the study
- Original title
- Psychological and neuroendocrinological effects of odor of saffron (Crocus sativus)
- Authors
- Fukui H, Toyoshima K, Komaki R
- Journal
- Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
- Year
- 2011
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- What was tested
- 20-minute exposure to saffron odor
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2010.11.013
Topics
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