The pros and cons of eating chilli on the body

2021 Angiology

Epidemiological studies suggest that the consumption of spicy chilli food is associated with reduced risk of all-cause as well as heart disease–related mortality.

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the association between spicy food (chilli pepper, chilli sauce, or chilli oil) consumption with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Medline and EMBASE were searched from their inception until February 2020 to identify relevant prospective cohort studies. Hazard ratios (HRs)/relative risk (RRs) were pooled via random-effect meta-analysis. Of the 4387 citations identified, 4 studies (from the United States, China, Italy, and Iran) were included in the meta-analysis. The included studies involved a total of 564 748 adults (aged ≥18 years; 51.2% female) followed over a median duration of 9.7 years. The pooled data suggested that compared with people who did not regularly consume spicy food (none/<1 d/wk), regular consumers of spicy food experienced a 12% (HR/RRpooled 0.88, 95% CI, 0.86-0.90; I 2 = 0%) lower risk of all-cause mortality. Moreover, spicy food consumption was associated with significant reduction in the risk of death from cardiac diseases (HR/RRpooled 0.82, 0.73-0.91; I 2 = 0%), but not from cerebrovascular disorders (HR/RRpooled 0.79, 0.53-1.17; I 2 = 72.2%). In conclusion, available epidemiological studies suggest that the consumption of spicy chilli food is associated with reduced risk of all-cause as well as heart disease–related mortality. Further studies in different populations are needed to confirm this association.

Association of Spicy Chilli Food Consumption With Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies Ofori-Asenso R, Mohsenpour MA, Nouri M, Faghih S, Liew D, Mazidi M.

2020 Scientific Reports

Chilli pepper supplementation had significant effect on low density lipoprotein-cholesterol and marginally significant effect on body weight.

In the present study, we found that C. annuum has marginally significant effects on body weight. Capsaicin is known to promote negative energy balance by increasing satiety and suppressing hunger, reducing energy and fat intake, and inducing thermogenesis. Capsinoids, including capsiate and dihydrocapsiate, are also known to exert beneficial effects on energy balance. Reinbach et al., reported that CH-19 sweet pepper (non-pungent) reduces energy intake during positive energy balance. Additionally, CH-19 sweet pepper is associated with increased oxygen consumption, diet-induced thermogenesis, and an activated sympathetic nervous system (SNS). Furthermore, a meta-analysis revealed that capsiate increases energy expenditure (EE), but capsaicin has no overall effect on EE; however, both capsaicin and capsiate enhance fat oxidation.

The effects of C. annuum on weight management are due to the activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) receptors. In a preclinical study, dose-dependent administration of a TRPV1 agonist, capsaicin, prevented adipogenesis in stimulated 3T3-L1-preadipocytes, and oral administration of capsaicin prevented obesity in males. Non-pungent capsiate is also an exogenous agonist of TRPV1 receptors and is associated with improved body metabolism including glucose homeostasis and obesity. TRPV1 activation leads to activation of the SNS, and inhibition of food intake by SNS activation accounts for reduced body fat stores and weight loss. Some herbs and their active compounds, including several piperine analogs from Piper nigrum, can also reduce weight through TRPV1-dependent mechanisms.

Effects of Capsicum annuum supplementation on the components of metabolic syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis Jang, HH., Lee, J., Lee, SH. et al.

2018 MOJ Food Processing & Technology

Chili pepper has preventive and therapeutic properties for many ailments such as different types of cancer, rheumatism, stiff joints, bronchitis and chest colds with cough and headache, arthritis, heart arrhythmias and used as stomachic.

A vanilloid receptor known as VR1 which was later found to be member of the family TRP and was called TRPV1 (transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1) is the receptor for capsaicin and is universally distributed in the brain, sensory nerves, dorsal root ganglia, bladder, gut, and blood vessels. Capsaicin is activate and then desensitize or block VR1 and was found to be powerful drug in animal models of human disease. Capsaicin plays a potential role in cardiometabolic protection through the activation of TRPV1 in different target organs or tissues, which suggests that TRPV1 may be a promising target for the management of cardiometabolic diseases such as obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes and atherosclerosis. However, association between the dosage of dietary capsaicin and the effect on cardiometabolic protection need to be clarified for determining the daily usage or intake of capsaicin or its derivatives. The activation of VR1 by capsaicin make it possible to be involved in various human disease states ranging from genetic pain insensitivity to chronic pain syndromes. In addition to that VR1 has much broader clinical benefits than mere pain case.

Chili pepper has preventive and therapeutic properties for many ailments such as different types of cancer, rheumatism, stiff joints, bronchitis and chest colds with cough and headache, arthritis, heart arrhythmias and used as stomachic. Chili preparations for treating ailments can be standard capsaicin, pharmaceutically prepared gels, creams and plasters, essential oils distilled from pods, powder prepared by crashing pods and extracts by soaking pods in water or ethanol.

Medicinal uses and health benefits of chili pepper (Capsicum spp.) : a review Saleh BK, Omer A, Teweldemedhin B.

2016 Molecules

Previous records suggest pleiotropic pharmacological activities of capsaicin such as an analgesic, anti-obesity, anti-pruritic, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, and neuro-protective functions. Emerging data indicate its clinical significance in treating vascular-related diseases, metabolic syndrome, and gastro-protective effects.

Capsaicin has elicited enormous interest for several centuries due to its conspicuous culinary and clinical applications. Despite its adverse effects, capsaicin is still being used as an active principle in several pharmaceutical formulations for treating various human ailments.

Moreover, emerging studies have shown that capsaicin is implicated in a broader range of functions than previously anticipated. Even though it is best characterized in the field of nociception and pain, several experimental and clinical studies also demonstrate its role in other important pathological states like cancer, obesity, skin disorders, cardiovascular diseases, etc.

Additionally, it has also been implicated in other activities including treatment of the upper respiratory reflexes, prevention of adipogenesis, boosting metabolic rate, and regulation of innate and adaptive immune responses.

Harnessing the Therapeutic Potential of Capsaicin and Its Analogues in Pain and Other Diseases Basith S, Cui M, Hong S, Choi S.

2015 Open Heart

Clinically, ingestion of capsaicin-or its less stable non-pungent analogue capsiate-has been shown to boost metabolic rate modestly.

This brief overview should make it clear that dietary capsaicin—and, likely to a more limited degree, non-pungent capsiate—has intriguing potential for health promotion. Rodent studies suggest that capsaicin may merit clinical evaluation with respect to endothelial function, progression of atherosclerosis (most notably in diabetics), angina, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, cardiac hypertrophy, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, obesity and gastric ulceration.

Capsaicin may have important potential for promoting vascular and metabolic health McCarty MF, DiNicolantonio JJ, O'Keefe JH