How to Take Saffron: Dose, Timing and Daily Intake

Take the dose on your product's label. Saffron extracts are made in different ways, so trials of different extracts used different amounts, from 14 mg to 176.5 mg a day in the trials covered here. Each of those numbers belongs to the extract it was tested with. For Saffron360, the label dose is one 88.5 mg capsule a day, with food.

Below: why the milligram numbers vary so much, when to take saffron, whether to take it with food, and how long to give it.

How to take Saffron360

• Dose: one capsule a day. That one capsule is the full 88.5 mg serving, so there is nothing to split.
• Food: take it with a meal.
• Time: whenever fits your routine. Keep it the same each day.
• Supply: 60 capsules, a 60-day supply, which is about 8.5 weeks.

How much saffron per day?

The right amount depends on the extract. A milligram figure counts the whole extract and says nothing about the active compounds inside it, and every manufacturer makes its extract differently. That is why affron was studied at 28 mg a day and Satiereal at 176.5 mg. The two numbers can't be compared, and neither is a target for a different product. Read each dose below as the dose for that extract.

Most generic and affron trials landed on 28 to 30 mg. All 5 trials in a 2013 review used 30 mg a day (Hausenblas, 2013). Other trials went higher. One gave 60 mg a day to older adults for 6 weeks (Ahmadpanah, 2019), and another gave 50 mg twice daily, 100 mg in total, for 12 weeks (Mazidi, 2016).

Saffron360's 88.5 mg sits between the doses in the table, which run from 14 mg to 176.5 mg a day. Extracts differ, so a trial dose of one extract doesn't translate directly to another. Saffron360 is a different saffron extract from the branded ones in these trials. Our guide to affron, Satiereal and generic extract compares the three side by side.

What's the best time to take saffron?

No trial has compared morning dosing with evening dosing head to head, so no hour is proven best. Pick a time you'll keep, because every trial measured results after weeks of daily use. The trials did two different things:

• Mood trials mostly split a 28 or 30 mg dose, half in the morning and half in the evening.
• Sleep trials varied. One gave a single dose about an hour before bed, and another split it into two doses a day.

Saffron360 is one capsule taken with a meal, so breakfast and dinner both work. If you take it in the evening, take it with your evening meal.

Should you take saffron with food?

For Saffron360, yes, because the label says so. In the trials, food was optional. The affron trials, including the 2025 trial of 202 adults in The Journal of Nutrition (Lopresti, 2025), let participants take it with or without a meal. Food also helps if saffron unsettles your stomach, since nausea is one of the common side effects named in a 2021 umbrella review (Lu, 2021).

How long should you take saffron?

Trials ran for 4 to 12 weeks, and one followed people for 26 weeks. Each measured results after several weeks of daily use, not days. We cover the timeline week by week in how long saffron takes to work.

For safety, the US Department of Defense's Operation Supplement Safety program says doses under 100 mg of extract "taken short-term, appear to be well tolerated." Our saffron side effects guide goes through what trials recorded at each dose.

Is cooking with saffron the same as a supplement?

Not in any way you can measure. Trials used extracts at a fixed milligram dose, which a pinch of threads in a pot of rice can't match, since the amount varies with every recipe. Cooking with saffron is a pleasure in its own right. The research on mood and sleep, though, is research on extract capsules.

Make sure it's saffron before you dose it

Any dose assumes the capsule holds real saffron. It is worth checking, because saffron is one of the costliest spices by weight and a frequent target for substitution. Look for a lab report on your lot with an identity test that names its method.

Saffron360's lab reports are published by lot. Look up the lot number printed on your bottle to read its report: FTIR identity confirming Crocus sativus, plus heavy metals and microbiology, all passing, from an independent, ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory. See how other brands compare in our 2027 saffron supplement buyer's guide.

Frequently asked questions

How much saffron should I take per day?

Take the amount on your product's label, because each extract has its own dose. Trials used 28 mg of affron, 30 mg of most generic extracts and 176.5 mg of Satiereal. Saffron360's dose is one 88.5 mg capsule a day, with food.

How do I take Saffron360?

Take one capsule a day with a meal, at a time that fits your routine. Each capsule is the full 88.5 mg serving, and a 60-capsule bottle lasts 60 days.

Why is Saffron360 88.5 mg when many trials used 30 mg?

Milligrams don't convert between extracts, so 88.5 mg can't be read as three times a 30 mg dose of a different extract. Each product's dose is set for its own extract. The trials in the dose table used 14 mg to 176.5 mg a day, and 88.5 mg falls inside that span.

What is the best time of day to take saffron?

No study has tested one time against another, so pick a time you'll keep. Saffron360 is taken with food, so breakfast or dinner both work.

Can I take saffron at night?

Yes. Two 28-day trials in adults with self-reported poor sleep found better sleep quality ratings with affron than with placebo. One gave it about an hour before bed, and the other gave it twice a day. If you take saffron in the evening, take it with your evening meal.

Should saffron be taken on an empty stomach?

No. Saffron360's label says to take it with food. In the affron trials, food was optional.

Can I take saffron every day?

Yes, every trial gave it daily. Doses of 14 to 100 mg a day were taken for 4 to 12 weeks without serious adverse events. Talk to your doctor about longer use, since fewer trials have run past 12 weeks.

Is 88.5 mg of saffron too much?

88.5 mg sits inside the range trials have tested. Studies have used 100 mg a day for 6 to 12 weeks, and 200 to 400 mg a day for 1 week, without serious adverse events. OPSS describes doses under 100 mg of extract, taken short-term, as well tolerated. Talk to your doctor first if you're pregnant, nursing or take medication.

Can I take saffron with other supplements or medication?

Check with your doctor first if you take blood thinners, blood pressure medication, diabetes medication or antidepressants. Our saffron and medications guide covers the evidence for each.

*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. This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your healthcare provider before starting any supplement, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, managing a medical condition, or taking medication.