What is capsaicin?
Capsaicin is the ingredient found in different types of hot
peppers, such as cayenne peppers, that makes the peppers spicy hot. You can eat
it in raw or cooked peppers or as a dried powder, which you can add to food or
drinks. It also is available as a dietary supplement and in topical creams that
you apply to your skin.
What is capsaicin used for?
When a capsaicin cream or ointment is used on the skin (topical
use), capsaicin helps relieve pain. Capsaicin works by first stimulating and
then decreasing the intensity of pain signals in the body. Although pain may at
first increase, it usually decreases after the first use. Capsaicin stimulates
the release of a compound believed to be involved in communicating pain between
the nerves in the spinal cord and other parts of the body.
When you apply it to the skin, capsaicin may help relieve pain
from:
In general, you use creams containing capsaicin for pain relief.
You can put the creams on your skin up to 4 times a day. You may feel a burning
or itching sensation the first few times you use the cream, but this will
gradually decrease with each use. Wash your hands thoroughly after each use to
avoid getting the cream in your eyes or on other moist
mucous membranes, where it can cause a burning
sensation. Do not use the cream on areas of broken skin.
Supplement use
When you eat hot peppers or take capsaicin as a dietary supplement,
the capsaicin may improve your digestion by increasing the digestive fluids in
the stomach and by fighting bacteria that could cause an infection. It may also
help fight diarrhea caused by bacterial infection.
Capsaicin may help prevent heart disease. It may stimulate the
cardiovascular system and may lower blood
cholesterol levels and
blood pressure. It also helps prevent clotting and
hardening of arteries (atherosclerosis).
Capsaicin acts as an
antioxidant, protecting the cells of the body from
damage by harmful molecules called
free radicals. Capsaicin also may help prevent
bacterial infections.
Capsaicin may also make
mucus thinner and help move it out of the lungs. It is
also thought to strengthen lung tissues and help to prevent or treat
emphysema.
Is capsaicin safe?
Experts in the United States generally consider capsaicin to be
safe. But it can cause some unpleasant effects, especially for those who are
not used to it. Be careful when you cook with or eat hot peppers. Begin with
small amounts, and increase the amount as you get used to it.
An allergic reaction to capsaicin is possible. If you are just
beginning to use capsaicin, either as fresh or prepared food or in powder form,
start with small amounts. If you use a topical cream, you should first apply it
to a small area of skin to test for an allergic reaction.
Do not take capsaicin if you have
high blood pressure or are already being treated for
high blood pressure.
To reduce the burning sensation, remove the seeds from the peppers
before you eat or cook with them. Also, if you eat bananas along with the
peppers, you may reduce the burning sensation.
Extremely high intake of capsaicin may cause
ulcers, but it's rare for anyone to consume enough for
this to be a problem.
Don't let capsaicin come into contact with your eyes and other
moist mucous membranes. After you touch capsaicin (or hot peppers), use vinegar
or soap to wash your hands so you don't accidentally spread capsaicin to your
eyes, nose, or mouth. You can also use disposable gloves to handle hot peppers
or to apply capsaicin cream.
Do not apply capsaicin creams to areas of broken skin.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate
dietary supplements in the same way it regulates medicine. A dietary supplement
can be sold with limited or no research on how well it works.
Always tell your doctor if you are using a dietary supplement or if
you are thinking about combining a dietary supplement with your conventional
medical treatment. It may not be safe to forgo your conventional medical
treatment and rely only on a dietary supplement. This is especially important
for women who are pregnant or breast-feeding.
When using dietary supplements, keep in mind the following:
- Like conventional medicines, dietary
supplements may cause side effects, trigger allergic reactions, or interact
with prescription and nonprescription medicines or other supplements you might
be taking. A side effect or interaction with another medicine or supplement may
make other health conditions worse.
- The way dietary supplements
are manufactured may not be standardized. Because of this, how well they work
or any side effects they cause may differ among brands or even within different
lots of the same brand. The form of supplement that you buy in health food or
grocery stores may not be the same as the form used in research.
- Other than for vitamins and minerals, the long-term effects of
most dietary supplements are not known.
