Have a love of all things spicy? If so, you’re among the ranks of the many capsaicin fans out there. This is the phytochemical in hot peppers that creates the sense of heat in your mouth when you bite into one. In addition to that fiery flavor, though, there are many other capsaicin effects that you should understand. It’s really an amazing little chemical.
In the Brain
Capsaicin is a powerful chemical, capable of much more than just heating things up on your plate. Among the effects of capsaicin is the ability to elevate your mood. This happens when your taste buds notice the sense of heat from the food you’re eating. The brain immediately unleashes a barrage of dopamine and other feel-good hormones in response.
The result is an uplift in mood. In fact, there is such a thing as a “capsaicin high”. That is, a natural feeling of elation and even euphoria when eating hot foods directly related to the flood of dopamine in the body. This makes capsaicin a powerful tool for fighting depression, or just a great way to pick yourself up after a bad day at the office.
In the Body
Capsaicin does much more than just spice things up. After you’ve eaten the food and felt the flood of endorphins lift your mood, there are other effects. It has been linked with an improvement in breathing, clearing of the sinuses, and even the easing of stomach pain, although that definitely goes against common wisdom that says spicy foods irritate the stomach (a myth I’m passionate about debunking).
Other effects of capsaicin include the potential to fight many types of cancer. There have been several clinical studies of this. In one, capsaicin was able to arrest the growth of prostate cancer cells in a test tube. In another, it was able to not only stop the growth of pancreatic tumors in mice, but actually reduce the size of the tumors. There’s even research in Canada to find out if capsaicin might be able to treat, or even cure, diabetes.
On the Skin
The same effects of capsaicin that give you that sense of heat in the mouth also make it a powerful pain reliever. As such, you’ll find it in use within many different topical treatments. There are creams, oils, ointments and gels, all designed to be applied to the skin several times per day. The tingling/burning sensation is a sign that the capsaicin is working.
Over time, it desensitizes the affected area, helping to reduce pain. It also reduces the amount of substance P in that area of the body, which is an important element in sending pain signals to the brain. The effects of capsaicin are so strong that it is being used to treat everything from rheumatoid arthritis to neuropathy in diabetic patients.
As you can see, the effects of capsaicin are powerful, whether you just love spicy foods, or you’re looking for a way to relieve the ache in your hands or knees from arthritis.