If you’ve been on social media, you may see ads trying to get you to buy their saffron supplement to help with ADHD. It sounds like a miracle herb—but is it really?
Let’s look at what the research says.
Early research suggests saffron may help improve ADHD symptoms with similar side effects to stimulant medication. Purchase the Nutrimind Lab’s ADHD Supplement Guide to access the supplements and doses most likely to help ADHD according to research.
What the studies show
1. Saffron with Ritalin in adults
A 2022 study tested whether adding saffron to MPH—short for methylphenidate, a nervous system stimulant used to treat ADHD, commonly known as Ritalin—could help adults with ADHD. Fifty-six participants took either MPH + placebo or MPH + saffron (15mg twice daily) for 6 weeks.
Results: Those taking saffron alongside MPH had greater improvement in ADHD symptoms compared to MPH alone.
2. Saffron with Ritalin in children
A 2021 study explored saffron as an add-on to MPH in kids with ADHD. Seventy children were split into two groups: MPH alone vs. MPH + saffron (20-30mg/day).
Results: Both groups showed improvement, but the saffron + MPH group had greater symptom reduction, especially after 8 weeks. Side effects were similar between groups.
3. Saffron vs. Ritalin in children
In a 2019 study, compared saffron (20-30mg/day) directly to MPH in children. Fifty-four kids were randomly assigned to receive either saffron or MPH for 6 weeks.
Results: Both groups improved. There was no significant difference between saffron and MPH in terms of symptom reduction or side effects.
4. Saffron vs. Ritalin in children
Finally, a separate 2022 study ran a non-randomized and non-blind trial, meaning parents and researchers knew who had which medication, comparing saffron (30mg/day) and MPH over 3 months.
Results: There were no major differences between groups in ADHD symptoms at the end of the trial.
Does Saffron Work for ADHD?
- Saffron shows promise as both a stand-alone treatment and an add-on to stimulant medication for ADHD.
- Across studies, saffron has been about as effective as methylphenidate in children, and adding it to Ritalin may boost outcomes in both kids and adults.
- Side effects were statistically the same as stimulant medication.
- The typical dose is 20-30mg per day.
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Why didn’t my doctor tell me this?
Great question: The truth is most doctors stick to treatments that have a large body of evidence behind them. Medications like Ritalin and amphetamines have been studied for decades, across thousands of patients, in many countries. By comparison, saffron research is still very new (only studied since 2019), small in scale (only 56 adults, and less than 200 kids), and mostly limited to a few (4) studies in Iran and Spain.
Doctors usually wait until findings are confirmed in large, long-term, international trials before recommending something as part of standard care. That doesn’t mean saffron isn’t promising—it just means we’re still in the “early evidence” stage, not the “standard treatment” stage.
If your curiosity got the best of you and you already looked it up, you know: Saffron is very expensive! There are also quality and ethical concerns connected with the herb. Since stimulant medication is both better researched and better regulated, doctors choose to help people in a way that is most likely to work.
If you’re curious about why saffron seems to help ADHD, read this article.
