Online challenges are not something new. However, there has been an upward trend of people attempting spicy food challenges. While eating fiery delectable sustenance’s won’t necessarily kill a person, they can cause issues with other medical issues.
Studies Have Shown
One study showed that constant consumption of spicy foods can trigger gastrointestinal symptoms for people with indigestion or dyspepsia. Additionally, spicy foods can also trigger symptoms for those who have:
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
- Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD).
- Crohn’s Disease.
- Or Ulcerative Colitis.
In a different study, scientist found that people who consumed spicy foods more than or around 10 times per week were 92% more likely to have IBS than individuals who never ate it.
Cause and Effect
The heat people feels when they consume spicy foods is caused by a chemical compound called capsaicin. It is found in all chili peppers, such as jalapenos, habaneros and shishito peppers.
When a person bites into foods that contains chili peppers the capsaicin is released in a fine spray. This triggers heat receptors in the skin which ultimately tricks the nervous system into think the body is overheating.
To help, the brain sends signals to the body’s cooling mechanisms to alleviate the high heat. This activates the sweat glands, among other areas, which leaves people dripping wet. Ultimately, people do not taste spicy foods they feel it.
Confusing Thoughts
There are many people who feel eating spicy foods is very dangerous. For example, they think it causes ulcers, hemorrhoids, and are dangerous. While the capsaicin filled peppers can be used as a weapon, like pepper spray, it’s not really all to dangerous. As too causing ulcers or hemorrhoids, experts say this is not the case, it just triggers existing issues.
Normally, people who consume foods with capsaicin experience some sort of mouth-on-fire sensation. Typically, this sensation fades after about 20 minutes after the “hot” molecules neutralize and stop binding to pain receptors.
However, as the fire sensation travels from the mouth to the gastrointestinal tract it can cause:
- Irritation to the nerve that controls the motor function of the diaphragm. This results in people developing hiccups.
- Nausea and vomiting. Though this generally only happens if the food is very spicy.
- Intestinal digestion to increase which can cause diarrhea.
- Increased production of mucus in the gut and a temporary increase in metabolic rate. This can cause stomach cramping and pain.
- Swelling of the throat. Which could make breathing difficult and/or causing hoarseness of voice.
- A burning sensation (heartburn) in the chest as capsaicin binds with pain receptors in the esophagus.
- Painful bowel movements. This is because capsaicin is never entirely digested. So a portion will pass through the gut and trigger more TRPV1 pain receptors.
Health Benefits
Moreover, a population-based study in a 2015 BMJ edition, showed the those who eat spicy foods six to seven times a week were more likely to live longer. In this study, scientists compared people who ate spicy food once a week to those who eat it several times a week.
Additionally, researchers have shown that consuming red chili peppers can lower a person’s levels of LDL (low-density lipoprotein). This is also known as “bad” cholesterol due to its connection to heart disease.
Spicy foods could help people with weight loss. This is because capsaicin has the ability to curb appetite and boost metabolism. Ultimately, this helps individuals burn more calories while at rest and exercising. Multiple studies have shown that capsaicin inhibits acid production in the stomach. Additionally, this may help prevent ulcers.
Moreover, spicy foods have been found to have a calming, anti-inflammatory effect in the gut and improve the microbiome. Additionally, capsaicin is a key ingredient in some pain reliving medications. Furthermore, the chemical compound is used in numerous creams an patches to treat people suffering from:
- Headaches.
- Joint pain.
- Fibromyalgia.
- Back pain.
- Neuropathy.
- Gout.
- Rheumatoid arthritis and Osteoarthritis.
- Shingles (post-herpetic neuralgia).
- Tendonitis, including tennis elbow.
- Sciatica.
- And Trigeminal neuralgia (a rare facial pain syndrome).
Other Studies on Capsaicin
Additionally, researchers have found that capsaicin can suppress the growth and spread of several types of cancer cells. Furthermore, capsaicin has been used to reduce inflammation, redness and scaling in skin conditions like atopic dermatitis and psoriasis.
However, excessive amounts of spicy foods (capsaicin) has been found to be harmful. University Hospitals dietitian, Jayna Metalonis, MS, RD, LD, touched basis on this fact in an article published on the facility’s website.
The good news is that for most healthy people – even those participating in ‘extreme’ challenges involving consumption of record-setting hot peppers – eating very spicy foods does not pose any serious or lasting dangers to your health and does not usually require medical treatment.
That being said, the doctor did note there are some exceptions. For example, some individuals participating in the recent viral trend called the “One Chip Challenge” have ended up hospitalized due to breathing issues. This challenge involves people eating a chip made from some of the hottest peppers available on the market.
Moreover, other individuals participating in the challenge have found themselves in the emergency room due to having a “thunderclap headache.” This is caused by constricted blood vessels in the brain. Some have even experience spontaneous esophageal rupture after eating the world’s hottest peppers. However, it should be noted these conditions are rare.
A Mother’s Cry
On Sept. 1, 2023, a 14-year-old from Massachusetts passed away. Harris Wolobah’s death came after he had participated in the “One Chip Challenge.” His family believes the spicy food challenge contributed to his untimely death. However, this has not been a proven fact.
After Wolobah consumed the chip at school, he became ill. His family picked him up from school and the teen reported he was feeling better. However, his brother found him unconscious around 4:30 p.m. (ET). The teen was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
The company that created the chip and started the challenge has a warning on the packaging and online.
By Sheena Robertson
Sources:
UChicago Medicine: A hot topic: Are spicy foods healthy or dangerous?
University Hospitals: Spicy Food Challenges: Harmful or Healthy?
Top and Featured Image Courtesy of Polina F‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Cajsa Lilliehook‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
