Report out 2: Saffron extract

[branchandroot]

Okay, but for real though, the saffron extract is doing some neurochemical lifting, here.

Today I have: done two loads of laundry, including sheets, remade the bed, vacuumed, put away the groceries, made taco pie, watered the plants, made a batch of homemade tortillas, washed all the cooking dishes, and I feel astonishingly not like a used dishrag. Accomplished and reasonably relaxed, rather. It is not inconceivable that I may be able to scrub the cats’ water fountain out in a bit.

It’s been ages since I had the energy/focus/making-things-happen-ness to make tortillas, and I love homemade tortillas with a great passion, so this is a definite win.

(The saffron has enough oomph to cause some mild withdrawal symptoms, in fact, if you miss a dose, so treat this like you would any other psychoactive and keep an emergency dose.)

Comments

[umadoshi]

Thank you! I'll take a look and see if we have either of those brands here.

A couple posts back you mentioned being careful about serotonin--does saffron increase it/add enough of it that I should adjust other meds before trying it, or is it just "keep a close eye out in case something goes weird?" (I'll also check with my pharmacist before actually adding it in, but pharmacists' level of knowledge about supplements can vary.)

depression and anxiety and executive function are all wadded up together so tight that it gets me results in any case. I'm in favor of results!

That's the important part!

[branchandroot]

Saffron appears (from preliminary studies and anecdotal evidence) to increase serotonin. If you're already on something that increases serotonin, I'd just be alert for the standard signs of overdose while you ramp up, unexplained fevers and such. But I, for example, am on twice the "maximum" dose of mirtazepine and hit 100mg of saffron without any issues. So I don't think this is a contraindication, any more than any other 'helper' med is that you might take to increase the effect of your main med. Just keep an eye out.

[umadoshi]

So I don't think this is a contraindication, any more than any other 'helper' med is that you might take to increase the effect of your main med. Just keep an eye out.

Okay, that's good to know! ^_^ Thank you!