Examine publishes rigorous, unbiased analysis of the latest and most important nutrition and supplementation studies each month, available to all Examine Members. Click here to learn more or log in.
Study under review: The effect of hydroalcoholic Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) extract on fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, lipid profile, liver, and renal function tests in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A randomized double‐blind clinical trial
Introduction
Diabetes currently affects over 20 million[1] people in the United States and roughly 500 million[2]people worldwide. While these numbers indicate a large portion of the world is already living with diabetes, the prevalence of the condition is only continuing to climb. It is estimated that by 2040, 521 to 829 million[3] people may be living with diabetes. According to the CDC[4] and the American Diabetes Association[5], diabetes ranks among the top 10 causes of death, which is likely an underestimation as diabetes is known to increase the risk of heart disease, chronic kidney disease[6], and Alzheimer’s disease[7]. As such, diabetes presents a major health concern to the current population, as well as future generations.
Anti-diabetic drugs have been critical in the management of diabetes for decades. Early therapies were focused primarily on insulin therapies. This was because at that point, type 1 diabetes (insulin deficient) represented the largest proportion of diabetes cases. However, over the last several decades, type 2 diabetes[1] has become the most common form of diabetes in both adults and children. Despite the recent advances in non-insulin based therapies (e.g. metformin, GLP-1 receptor agonists, SGLT-2 inhibitors, sulfonylureas, and thiazolidinediones), many of the commercially available pharmaceutical drugs come with adverse effects and complications. As such, there has been much research into alternative therapies, especially with nutraceuticals and medicinal herbs.
There have been positive data to suggest that some of these compounds may provide benefit for type 2 diabetes. For example, cinnamon and lemon balm have both shown benefits on many aspects of the diabetic milieu (e.g. fasting glucose, fasting insulin, and blood lipids). In addition to cinnamon and lemon balm (covered in Study Deep Dives #36, Volume 2 and Study Deep Dives #52, Volume 2, respectively), saffron has received some interest as an anti-diabetic nutraceutical. It is also well known for its exorbitant cost. High quality saffron can cost up to $3,000 per kilogram. It also contains compounds (e.g. crocin and safranal) that have shown anti-diabetic properties in rodent models[8] of diabetes and in tissue culture[9]. There is some limited evidence that saffron may also benefit some of the metabolic side effects of diabetes, namely plasma lipids[10] and other cardiovascular risk factors[11] shown in Figure 1, but the data are scarce in people with type 2 diabetes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of saffron extract on the metabolic profile, liver function, and kidney function in people with type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is an ever-growing health concern and new therapeutics are needed to address the symptoms and causes of the disease. Many nutraceuticals and medicinal herbs have shown some promise as anti-diabetic therapies. Saffron is one out of several spices in this category that has shown promising early data. The present study examined the effects of saffron extract on the metabolic profile and kidney and liver function in people with type 2 diabetes.
Who and what was studied?
What were the findings?
What does this study really tell us?
The big picture
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I know?
Other Articles in Issue #55 (May 2019)
-
Mini: Food groups’ association with the risk of overweight and obesity
How much do certain food groups contribute to obesity risk? A recent systematic review and meta-analysis explored this question.
-
Mini: The state of the evidence concerning A1 beta-casein
A1 beta-casein is a type of protein found in the milk of certain breeds of cattle. There's some evidence to suggest that this protein is associated with negative health outcomes. But how good is this evidence?
-
Examining coenzyme Q10 for migraine relief
The exact causes of migraine headaches aren't fully known, but part of the equation may involve mitochondrial problems. Could supplementing a major player in mitochondrial energy production help mitigate migraines?
-
Pomegranate power
Pomegranate's antioxidant capacity may be one of a handful of reasons it could help with both exercise performance and recovery. This recent clinical trial put pomegranate extract to the test by exploring its effects in cyclists.
-
The myth of the sugar rush
Common sense and plausible mechanistic arguments suggest that carbohydrates can influence mood. But do they? And by how much?
-
Dietary carbohydrate for glycemic control: Does it matter in type 1 diabetes?
This randomized controlled trial adds to the scarce literature examining the medium-term effects of a lower carb diet in people with type 1 diabetes.
-
Gucci vs. Gap carbs
Quality matters when it comes to carbs. This series of meta-analyses explored what measures of carb quality are most useful for predicting health outcomes.