01/22/2019 / By Michelle Simmons
Mothers typically experience postpartum depression after giving birth. However, this condition is often treated with the use of antidepressant drugs, which come with potentially harmful side effects. Fortunately, researchers from Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Kashan University of Medical Sciences in Iran discovered the antidepressant potential of saffron.
In their study, published in the journal Pharmacopsychiatry, they found that saffron can be used as a safer alternative treatment for improving the symptoms of postpartum depression. The findings suggested that saffron is as effective as fluoxetine, an antidepressant drug.
The study’s researchers compared the safety and efficacy of saffron and fluoxetine in treating mild to moderate postpartum depression in a double-blind clinical trial. They enrolled 68 new mothers aged 18 to 45 years old who suffer from mild-to-moderate postpartum depression.
Postpartum depression occurs when the levels of estrogen and progesterone in a woman’s body quickly drop after childbirth. This then results in chemical changes in the mother’s brain which may cause mood swings. They may feel extreme sadness, anxiety, and exhaustion. They may also find it hard to get the rest and sleep that they need to fully recover from giving birth, which can result in physical discomfort and exhaustion.
In conducting the study, they gave the mothers either 15 milligrams (mg) of saffron stigma extract twice a day or 20 mg of fluoxetine twice per day for six weeks. Then, they evaluated the symptoms of postpartum depression among the participants. (Related: Study confirms the clinical use of saffron in treating anxiety and depression.)
Based on the results of the study, both saffron extract and fluoxetine caused similar improvements in the depressive symptoms. However, fluoxetine caused a higher frequency of side effects, such as headaches, dry mouth, daytime drowsiness, constipation, and sweating compared to saffron extract.
With these findings, the researchers concluded that saffron supplementation is an effective and safer way to improve the symptoms of postpartum depression.
Mothers suffering from postpartum depression can also beat their condition without drugs through these natural remedies:
Read more news stories and studies on natural ways to treat postpartum depression by going to BeatDepression.news.
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Tagged Under: alternative medicine, childbirth, depression, herbal medicine, Herbs, medicinal plants, mental health, mothers, natural cures, natural healing, natural medicine, natural remedies, Postpartum Depression, saffron, women, women's health