Herbs of Gold Alternatives Australia 2026: Saffron and Threonate

Last updated: November 1, 2026 · Originally published: October 25, 2026 · By Eternal Elixir Editorial

Last updated: October 25, 2026 · By Eternal Elixir Editorial · 6 products compared

You have a bottle of Herbs of Gold Saffron Mood Balance in your basket, or you are halfway through one, and you want to know what else is on the Australian market for the same job. This guide lines up the most useful Herbs of Gold alternatives for two goals the brand covers well: everyday mood support with saffron, and magnesium at night. Every price below was read from the seller’s own page on 25 October 2026, and every cost per day uses the directions printed on that product’s label.

Herbs of Gold is a long-running Australian practitioner brand, and its saffron formula uses affron®, the same branded extract used in several published trials. So this is a fair fight on ingredients. The differences show up in dose per capsule, how many capsules a day the label asks for, how long a bottle lasts and what each day costs.

Eternal Elixir makes two of the products on this list, and they are our picks. Every figure for the other products is taken from their own labels and retailer pages.

Herbs of Gold Alternatives at a Glance

The table ranks six Herbs of Gold alternatives you can buy in Australia today. Price per day is the shelf price divided by the number of days a pack lasts at the label’s own directions. Where a label gives a range (two to three tablets), both ends are shown.

What Herbs of Gold Sells for Mood and Sleep

We read the full Herbs of Gold online catalogue on 25 October 2026 and pulled every product with saffron, magnesium, sleep, stress or mood in its name. Fourteen lines came back. Only one of them contains saffron. Seven contain magnesium, and none of those seven use magnesium L-threonate.

Here is how the relevant part of the range reads from the labels:

• Saffron Mood Balance (60 capsules, $43.95): 15 mg of saffron stigma extract from affron® plus 30 mg of lemon balm extract per capsule. The directions say one capsule twice daily with food, so a bottle lasts 30 days.
• Magnesium Night (60 tablets $39.95, 120 tablets $59.95): magnesium glycinate dihydrate giving 100 mg of elemental magnesium per tablet, with California poppy and passionflower extracts. Take two to three tablets before sleep.
• Magnesium Citrate 900 (60 capsules $34.50): 145.8 mg of elemental magnesium per capsule as citrate, one capsule twice daily with food.
• Magnesium Glycinate ActivBeads (15 sachets $19.95): 180 mg of elemental magnesium per sachet, one sachet a day.
• Sleep Ease (30 capsules $37.50): a herbal formula of ziziphus, magnolia, passionflower and California poppy. It contains no magnesium and no saffron, so it sits outside this comparison.

The range also includes a magnesium powder, a chewable, a cream and children’s formulas. Herbs of Gold offers 15% off when you buy three or more of a product on its own store, which brings Saffron Mood Balance to about $1.25 a day if you commit to a three-month supply.

If you are weighing the brand as a whole rather than one bottle, our guide to the top Australian supplement brands covers Herbs of Gold alongside the other names you see on pharmacy shelves.

The Threonate Gap in the Herbs of Gold Range

Most magnesium supplements are sold on elemental magnesium per tablet. That is the right number for topping up a low dietary intake. Magnesium L-threonate is sold differently because the reason people buy it is different. It pairs magnesium with L-threonate, a breakdown product of vitamin C, and it was developed to raise magnesium levels in the brain. Most of the early work on that question was done in rats, so read the brain story as a mechanism under study rather than a settled fact in people.

The human trials are newer. A 2025 trial run by Clinical Research Australia in Perth gave 100 adults aged 18 to 45 with self-reported dissatisfied sleep either 2 g of Magtein® a day or a placebo for six weeks. Published in Frontiers in Nutrition, it reported greater improvement in overall cognitive performance and in self-reported sleep-related impairment, but no group differences in sleep measured by a wearable ring. The trial was funded by the ingredient’s supplier.

That 2 g daily dose is exactly one serve of Eternal Elixir Magnesium L-Threonate. Herbs of Gold’s glycinate and citrate products are good, well-made sources of elemental magnesium, but no product in the range offers the threonate form. So if threonate is the reason you are reading, the Herbs of Gold alternatives below are the only way to get it. Our magnesium L-threonate guide for Australia covers dose and evidence in more depth.

#1. Eternal Elixir Saffron Extract 30mg (affron®) — Best for most Australians comparing Saffron Mood Balance

Eternal Elixir Saffron Extract 30mg uses the same branded extract as the Herbs of Gold formula. The difference is the dose per capsule. Each Eternal Elixir capsule holds 30 mg of affron®, and the label asks for one capsule a day with a meal. Saffron Mood Balance reaches the same 30 mg by asking for two 15 mg capsules.

That one change reshapes the maths. A 90-capsule bottle of Eternal Elixir saffron lasts 90 days and costs $49.99, which works out to $0.56 a day. A 60-capsule bottle of Saffron Mood Balance lasts 30 days at $43.95, or $1.47 a day. Over three months that is roughly $50 against $132 at full price, or about $112 if you take the Herbs of Gold three-bottle discount.

Why 30 mg? The trial most often cited for affron®, published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine by Kell and colleagues in 2017, gave 128 healthy adults with self-reported low mood either 28 mg a day, 22 mg a day or a placebo for four weeks. The 28 mg group reported less negative mood and fewer stress-related symptoms than placebo. The 22 mg group showed no effect. Both the Eternal Elixir capsule and the Herbs of Gold daily dose sit just above the dose that worked, which is the point of choosing either one. Herbs of Gold cites the same paper on its own product page.

Key specs: affron® saffron extract 30 mg per capsule · 90 capsules · 1 capsule daily with a meal · $49.99 AUD · $0.56 per day.

Pros:

• Lowest daily saffron cost in this comparison at $0.56
• One capsule a day instead of two, so it is easier to keep up
• A 90-day bottle, so one order covers three months
• Every batch is third-party lab tested and the batch Certificate of Analysis is sent on request
• Dispatched in 1 business day, free shipping over $100

Cons:

• Saffron only, with no lemon balm or other herbs added
• Sold online from the Eternal Elixir store, not on pharmacy shelves

Best for: anyone who likes the affron® dose in Saffron Mood Balance and wants it at a lower daily cost in a single capsule. You can view Saffron Extract 30mg for the full label. For a wider look at how saffron supplements compare on extract and dose, see our best saffron supplements in Australia roundup.

#2. Eternal Elixir Magnesium L-Threonate 2000mg — Best for threonate in capsules at the trial dose

Eternal Elixir Magnesium L-Threonate 2000mg fills the gap the Herbs of Gold range leaves open. One serve is three capsules giving 2,000 mg of magnesium L-threonate, which provides about 144 mg of elemental magnesium. The label suggests taking all three in the evening for sleep, or two in the morning and one in the evening for focus.

A bottle of 90 capsules holds 30 serves and costs $59.99, so each day costs $2.00. That is more per day than Herbs of Gold Magnesium Night at its lower dose. You are paying for a different form, though, and it is the form used in the trials summarised above. A 2024 randomised trial in Sleep Medicine: X gave 80 adults aged 35 to 55 with self-reported sleep problems 1 g of magnesium L-threonate or a placebo for 21 days. The threonate group scored better than placebo on deep sleep and REM sleep scores measured by a wearable ring, and on morning energy and mood questionnaires. The study was run with authors from the ingredient supplier, which is worth knowing when you weigh it.

Elemental magnesium per serve is lower than a typical glycinate tablet. That is normal for threonate and it means you can usually keep your diet as the main magnesium source. If you already take another magnesium product, add up the elemental figures on both labels before stacking them.

Key specs: magnesium L-threonate 2,000 mg per 3-capsule serve (about 144 mg elemental magnesium) · 90 capsules · 30 serves · $59.99 AUD · $2.00 per day.

Pros:

• The threonate form, which Herbs of Gold does not sell
• The full 2,000 mg serve matches the dose in the Perth trial
• Capsules, so no scoop to measure
• Third-party lab tested batches with the COA available on request
• Free shipping over $100 and a 30-day money-back guarantee

Cons:

• Three capsules per serve
• Costs more per serve than the Switch Nutrition powder at #3

Best for: anyone who has used a glycinate bedtime magnesium and wants to try the threonate form at the studied dose. Shop Magnesium L-Threonate 2000mg, or compare more threonate options in our best magnesium L-threonate in Australia comparison.

#3. Switch Nutrition Mag3 Magnesium L-Threonate Powder — Best for the lowest price per threonate serve

Switch Nutrition Mag3 is an Australian brand’s unflavoured magnesium L-threonate powder. It lists 30 serves for $49.95 on the brand’s own store, which is $1.67 a serve and the lowest price per threonate serve in this list. A Woolworths Everyday Market listing we checked on 23 October gave the serve as one heaped scoop of 2,000 mg.

The trade-off is the format. A powder has to be measured and mixed, and a heaped scoop is a less exact dose than a capsule. Some people like that because they can mix it into an evening drink. Others find a scoop easy to forget.

Key specs: magnesium L-threonate powder · 30 serves · $49.95 AUD · $1.67 per serve.

Pros:

• Lowest price per threonate serve in this comparison
• Unflavoured powder you can mix into a drink
• Australian brand with its own online store

Cons:

• Scoop dosing is less precise than capsules
• The serve size in milligrams was not shown in the store’s product description

Best for: price-first buyers who are happy with a powder. We covered how Mag3 stacks up against imported Magtein® products in our NOW Foods magnesium L-threonate comparison.

#4. Herbs of Gold Saffron Mood Balance — Best for saffron with lemon balm in one capsule

Herbs of Gold Saffron Mood Balance is the product most people searching this topic already know. Each capsule holds 15 mg of saffron stigma extract from affron® and 30 mg of lemon balm extract, derived from 1.5 g of dry herb. The directions are one capsule twice daily with food, for adults and children over 12.

At two capsules a day you get 30 mg of affron, the same daily amount as the Eternal Elixir capsule, plus 60 mg of lemon balm extract. The lemon balm is the reason to choose this one. If you want both herbs together and are happy to pay for the convenience, it is a well-built formula from a brand with a long pharmacy history.

Price is where it falls behind. A bottle is $43.95 and lasts 30 days, so you pay $1.47 a day, or about $1.25 a day with the three-bottle discount on the brand’s store. That is more than double the Eternal Elixir daily cost for the same affron dose.

Key specs: affron® saffron extract 15 mg + lemon balm extract 30 mg per capsule · 60 capsules · 2 capsules daily · $43.95 AUD · $1.47 per day.

Pros:

• affron® at 30 mg a day, the same extract and daily amount as our #1
• Adds lemon balm extract
• Widely stocked by Australian pharmacies and health food stores

Cons:

• Two capsules a day, so a bottle lasts only 30 days
• $1.47 per day at full price

Best for: buyers who specifically want lemon balm alongside saffron. If saffron for sleep is your main interest, our guide to saffron for sleep explains what the research has and has not shown.

#5. Herbs of Gold Magnesium Night — Best for a bedtime glycinate blend with herbs

Herbs of Gold Magnesium Night is the brand’s answer to an evening magnesium. Each tablet gives 100 mg of elemental magnesium from magnesium glycinate dihydrate, with 16.67 mg of California poppy extract and 50 mg of passionflower extract. The label says two to three tablets daily before sleep.

That gives 200 to 300 mg of elemental magnesium a night, far more elemental magnesium than a threonate serve. It is a different product for a different purpose. Glycinate is a well-absorbed form for topping up magnesium from the diet, and the herbs are described on the brand’s own page as traditionally used in Western herbal medicine for relaxation before sleep.

The 60-tablet pack costs $39.95, so a night costs $1.33 at two tablets or $2.00 at three. The 120-tablet pack at $59.95 brings that down to $1.00 to $1.50. For pure cost per milligram of magnesium it is good value, and it beats our #2 on that measure. It does not offer the threonate form.

Key specs: 100 mg elemental magnesium (glycinate) + California poppy + passionflower per tablet · 60 tablets · 2 to 3 tablets before sleep · $39.95 AUD · $1.33 to $2.00 per day.

Pros:

• 200 to 300 mg of elemental magnesium per night
• Glycinate form with two evening herbs in one tablet
• Larger 120-tablet pack lowers the daily cost

Cons:

• No threonate, so it is not a like-for-like swap for a threonate product
• Herbal extras may not suit everyone, and the label lists them as a blend

Best for: people who want a general evening magnesium and like the herbal additions. Our best sleep supplements in Australia guide compares more evening options by ingredient.

#6. Thompson’s Saffron — Best for the lowest saffron bottle price on the shelf

Thompson’s Saffron is the cheapest saffron bottle we found at Chemist Warehouse, at $24.99 against an RRP of $29.99 on 25 October. Each tablet holds 15 mg of saffron extract derived from 60 mg of dry stigma, and the directions say one tablet twice daily with food. That is 30 mg of extract a day for $0.83.

The listing names the extract as Crocus sativus stigma extract but does not name affron® or another branded extract. That matters because saffron extracts are standardised differently, and the published 28 mg result belongs to affron® specifically. Thompson’s may well be a good extract. The label just does not tell you which one it is.

Key specs: saffron extract 15 mg per tablet · 60 tablets · 2 tablets daily · $24.99 AUD at Chemist Warehouse · $0.83 per day.

Pros:

• Lowest bottle price in this list
• Easy to pick up in store

Cons:

• Extract brand not named on the listing
• Two tablets a day, so a bottle lasts 30 days
• Still costs more per day than our #1

Best for: shoppers who want a pharmacy pickup today. If price per bottle is your main filter, our Caruso’s saffron and berberine comparison covers more Chemist Warehouse saffron lines.

What the Herbal Extras Add to Each Formula

Two of the Herbs of Gold products add herbs that the Eternal Elixir products do not. Saffron Mood Balance adds lemon balm. Magnesium Night adds passionflower and California poppy. It is fair to ask whether those additions are worth paying for.

The honest answer is that the research base is much thinner for the herbal extras at these amounts than it is for affron® at 28 to 30 mg. Herbs of Gold describes passionflower and California poppy as herbs traditionally used in Western herbal medicine, which is a statement about tradition rather than a trial result. Lemon balm has a longer research history, but we did not find a published trial of the exact 60 mg daily amount in Saffron Mood Balance. So count the extras as a preference, not the main reason to buy.

If you want to keep things simple, a single-ingredient product makes it easier to tell what is working for you. You can add or remove one thing at a time. Our guide to saffron for mood and stress walks through how to judge a four to eight week trial of saffron on your own.

How We Evaluated These Herbs of Gold Alternatives

Eternal Elixir products sit at #1 and #2 because they are our picks. Within that, we scored every product on the same five criteria and kept every figure true to the seller’s page:

• Quality and purity (30%): whether the label names a studied extract or form, and whether batch test results are available.
• Australian availability and shipping (20%): where you can buy it locally and what delivery costs.
• Price per day in AUD (20%): shelf price divided by days per pack at the label’s own directions.
• Range for stacking (15%): whether the same store sells the other half of a mood and sleep routine.
• Reputation and reviews (15%): brand history and how consistently the product is stocked.

We did not test the competitor products ourselves. Doses come from each label, and prices come from the brand store or Chemist Warehouse on 25 October 2026. Prices change often, so check the live page before you buy.

Swapping a Herbs of Gold Routine Product by Product

Most people looking at Herbs of Gold alternatives already take one or two of the brand’s products. This table maps each one to the closest alternative and shows what changes per day.

Pairing the two Eternal Elixir products in one order costs $109.98 at full price, which clears the $100 free-shipping line. Bundle pricing on the product pages takes 10% off when you buy two of the same product.

Herbs of Gold Alternatives: Frequently Asked Questions

Which Herbs of Gold alternative should I choose for saffron?

Eternal Elixir Saffron Extract 30mg is our pick. It gives the same 30 mg of affron® a day as Herbs of Gold Saffron Mood Balance in one capsule instead of two, and a 90-capsule bottle costs $49.99, or $0.56 a day against $1.47 for Saffron Mood Balance at full price.

Does Herbs of Gold make a magnesium L-threonate supplement?

No. On 25 October 2026 the Herbs of Gold online range had seven magnesium products, using glycinate, citrate and other forms, and none used magnesium L-threonate. For threonate in Australia, Eternal Elixir Magnesium L-Threonate 2000mg and Switch Nutrition Mag3 powder are two local options.

How much affron is in Herbs of Gold Saffron Mood Balance?

Each capsule contains 15 mg of saffron stigma extract from affron®, plus 30 mg of lemon balm extract. The label directs one capsule twice daily with food, so the daily amount is 30 mg of affron, just above the 28 mg dose that reduced negative mood against placebo in a four-week trial.

Is magnesium glycinate or magnesium L-threonate better for sleep?

No trial we found compares them head to head. Glycinate is a well-absorbed way to top up elemental magnesium. Threonate has its own small trials at 1 g and 2 g a day in adults with self-reported sleep complaints, with mixed results on objective sleep measures. Choose glycinate for a magnesium top-up and threonate if the brain-focused form is what you are after.

Can you take saffron and magnesium L-threonate together?

Many people take saffron with a meal during the day and magnesium L-threonate in the evening, and the labels do not list each other as a conflict. If you take prescription medicines, particularly for mood, or you are pregnant or breastfeeding, check with your GP or pharmacist before adding saffron.

Are there side effects with saffron extract?

In the 2017 affron® trial, participants taking 28 mg a day for four weeks reported no side effects. Higher amounts of saffron than supplements provide are not advised. Our guide to saffron supplement side effects covers what has been reported and who should take care.

How long does each bottle last?

Eternal Elixir Saffron Extract 30mg lasts 90 days at one capsule a day. Herbs of Gold Saffron Mood Balance and Thompson’s Saffron each last 30 days at two a day. Eternal Elixir Magnesium L-Threonate lasts 30 days at three capsules a day, and a 60-tablet Magnesium Night lasts 20 to 30 days.

Verdict: Which Herbs of Gold Alternative to Buy in Australia

Of all the Herbs of Gold alternatives here, Eternal Elixir Saffron Extract 30mg is our pick for saffron. It matches the Herbs of Gold affron® dose, takes one capsule instead of two and costs $0.56 a day. Choose Saffron Mood Balance only if you specifically want lemon balm in the same capsule. Thompson’s has the cheapest bottle, but its label does not name the extract.

For magnesium at night, start by deciding which form you want. If it is threonate, Eternal Elixir Magnesium L-Threonate 2000mg gives the 2 g trial dose in capsules, and Switch Nutrition Mag3 is the lower-cost powder. If you want a general glycinate top-up with herbs, Herbs of Gold Magnesium Night does that job well. For a full mood and sleep routine from one store, the two Eternal Elixir products together cost $2.56 a day and ship free.

Want the wider view? Our best supplements for stress in Australia guide puts saffron and magnesium alongside the other common options.