Saffron for Premenstrual Syndrome
Early evidence suggests that a standardized saffron extract (commonly 30 mg/day) may modestly ease premenstrual symptoms, but the trial base is still thin and major health authorities have not endorsed it for PMS.
Why this grade7-layer evidence engine
The evidence points in a consistent direction. A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis (PMID 41151539) found saffron significantly reduced PMS symptom severity versus placebo (SMD -0.64, 95% CI -0.84 to -0.44), with a smaller effect on menstrual pain. A 2020 randomized trial in 120 women with PMDD (PMID 33457343) found 30 mg/day saffron beat placebo on the DRSP symptom diary (P=0.027) and matched fluoxetine while causing fewer side effects. Three broader reviews (PMIDs 36249453, 38558480, 38694315) reach similarly favorable but non-quantitative conclusions.
The grade stays at preliminary rather than strong because the dedicated trial base is small: essentially one direct PMS/PMDD RCT (n=120, single-center, two cycles) plus one PMS-specific meta-analysis. Heterogeneity and total sample size are not fully reported, and a single negative trial could shift the picture.
Institutional backing is also limited. Cleveland Clinic notes small studies suggest saffron could improve PMS-related depression, but Mayo Clinic, Harvard Health, NIH, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists do not list it for PMS. The FDA treats saffron only as a food flavoring, and EFSA rejected related mood claims, stating 'a cause and effect relationship has not been established.' Saffron is best seen as an optional adjunct, not a first-line treatment; pregnant or trying-to-conceive women should avoid it.
Scoring transparency
All scores computed by a 7-layer evidence engine — fully auditable▸View the full decision path (audit trail)
- compute_raw_score — 加權公式: L2×0.30 + L3×0.25 + L5×0.25 + L11×0.10 + L1×0.10 = 0.687
- tier_from_score — 依分數區間映射至 tier letter
- apply_hec_rules — 高品質 SR/MA 顯示 positive (1 篇 > 0 negative)
- tier_strict_requirement_check — Tier 條件達標，未降階
- detect_disputes — 偵測到 0 個 hard + 0 個 soft dispute
- decide_status — 依 tier + dispute 結果決定 status