Scientifically Proven Health Benefits of Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne peppers are delicious spicy chili peppers that are packed with medicinal properties, vitamins, and minerals. People have been using cayenne peppers for thousands of years to spice up food and for their healing power. Cayenne pepper powder is full of antioxidants and helps reduce inflammation, prevents heart disease, and boosts your digestive health.

Most of the health benefits of cayenne pepper are due to a compound in the chili called capsaicin. This is the active component in chilies that gives them their spicy kick. The health benefits of using cayenne don’t just apply to consuming this type of chili pepper. You can also apply cayenne pepper capsaicin cream topically to relieve skin disorders and alleviate nerve pain and migraines.

In this article, you will learn about the many health benefits of cayenne pepper. You will also find out how to use capsaicin for its many therapeutic uses.

What is Cayenne Pepper?

Cayenne pepper is a type of hot chili pepper in the Capsicum annuum species of plants, related to bell peppers, jalapeños, and other types of chilies. The journal Food Chemistry reports that capsaicinoids develop in cayenne peppers as they ripen. From these compounds, capsaicin is the main active component that gives cayenne peppers and other chilies their hot, spicy flavor. Researchers say that capsaicin in cayenne pepper has many health benefits, including pain-relieving properties connected with treating arthritis symptoms.

Nutritional Value of Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper contains vitamins and minerals that provide many health benefits. It is low in fat and carbohydrates and contains vitamins A, C, K, and E. Many of these vitamins have antioxidant properties that strengthen your health.

For example, 5 grams (one teaspoon) of cayenne pepper contains the following key nutrients:

• 2185 IU vitamin A (44% RDI)

• 4 mg vitamin C (7% RDI)

• 6 mg vitamin E (8% RDI)

• 2 mg vitamin K (5% RDI)

• 1 mg vitamin B6 (6% RDI)

• 1 mg manganese (5% RDI)

• 105 mg potassium (3% RDI)

• 4 mg iron (2% RDI)

• 4 g dietary fiber (6% RDI)

Cayenne pepper also contains traces of B-group vitamins, protein, calcium, magnesium, selenium, copper, and zinc. However, the greatest health benefits of cayenne pepper come from its rich content of antioxidants like phenolic and flavonoid compounds.

Health Benefits of Cayenne Pepper

Let’s look in more detail at the many reasons why taking more cayenne pepper in your diet could be good for you.

1. Cayenne Pepper has Anti-Inflammatory Properties

One of the most important health benefits of consuming more cayenne pepper is its anti-inflammatory activity. Inflammation in the body has been linked to the development of many chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, asthma, and even cancer. A review published in 2018 on studies into the anti-inflammatory effect of capsaicin found that cayenne pepper can help prevent many chronic diseases by inhibiting inflammatory responses. It was also shown to have anticancer potential in laboratory tests.

The anti-inflammatory effect of cayenne pepper can also help to reduce pain. Research has shown that capsaicin also has an analgesic effect and was as effective as some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics (NSAIDs).

2. Cayenne Pepper May Relieve Osteoarthritis (OA) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Applying topical creams containing capsaicin extract can help to relieve the symptoms of arthritis like joint pain. The results of 5 double-blind randomized controlled trials found that capsaicin cream can relieve osteoarthritis. Patients who applied 0.025% to 0.075% capsaicin ointments 4 times a day to sore joints reported less arthritis-related joint pain after 4 weeks, with no significant side effects.

Cayenne pepper lotion can also help to relieve rheumatoid arthritis joint pain. In one double-blind randomized trial, 0.025% capsaicin cream was effective at relieving arthritic knee pain, with around 80% of patients reporting positive results after 2 weeks of treatment.

3. Cayenne Pepper Cream Can Relieve Nerve Pain and Migraine Pain

Another medicinal use for applying cayenne pepper ointments is to relieve nerve pain and headaches. The Journal of Palliative Medicine reported that the powerful analgesic effect of cayenne pepper can help to manage neuropathic pain. Commercially available capsaicin creams (0.025% to 0.1%) applied three to four times a day showed significant benefit in nerve pain relief compared to a placebo. The research found that capsaicin helps activate certain nerve receptors, which, over time, has a desensitizing effect on pain.

Extracts from cayenne pepper can also be effective in treating migraine pain. One small trial showed that the majority of patients who received a topical capsaicin treatment noted a 50% reduction in the intensity of their headache pain.

4. Cayenne Pepper Powder Promotes Lower Blood Pressure

Cayenne pepper may also help to lower blood pressure if you suffer from hypertension. Research on rats found that supplementing their diet with capsaicin had an anti-hypertensive effect. Capsaicin helped to dilate blood vessels and improve blood circulation. One way cayenne pepper seems to lower blood pressure is by decreasing the amount of salt stored in the body.

5. Capsaicin Pills May Help to Protect Your Heart

Cayenne pepper capsules can help to improve risk factors for coronary heart disease. A randomized, double-blind controlled clinical trial found that capsaicin supplements significantly increased HDL cholesterol levels (the “good” type of cholesterol) and decreased triglyceride levels, which can reduce your heart attack risk.

6. Cayenne Pepper May Prevent Blood Clots

Taking cayenne pepper supplements can help prevent blood clots from forming in your arteries. Research has shown that capsaicin can help to prevent platelets from clumping together to form clots. In fact, in one study, capsaicin was more effective at preventing complications from pulmonary thromboembolism than aspirin or indomethacin.

7. Cayenne Pepper Can Boost Your Metabolism and Help You Lose Weight

Cayenne pepper drinks or supplements can help you lose weight quicker through several mechanisms:

• Boosts metabolism: A medical report from 2017 reported that cayenne pepper extracts stimulate receptors that increase metabolism, which can help to offset complications associated with metabolic syndrome and obesity.

• Increases fullness: Taking capsaicin supplements may help increase your feelings of satiety. A study on the gastrointestinal effects of capsaicin found that consuming more capsaicin reduced fat intake and suppressed appetite.

• Affects hunger hormones: Another way cayenne pepper can help with weight loss is by inhibiting certain hunger hormones. Researchers discovered that capsaicin reduced the levels of the hormone ghrelin, often called the “hunger hormone.”

In conclusion, a review of the anti-obesity effect of capsaicin supplements found that they can help reduce obesity by increasing energy expenditure, helping to burn body fat, and increasing satiety.

8. Cayenne Capsules Can Improve Digestive Health

It may be surprising, but the spicy components in cayenne pepper can actually promote healthy digestion. A 2016 review on the digestive benefits of cayenne pepper plant extracts found that there are over 200 compounds in chili powder, many of which have a beneficial effect on gastrointestinal health. For example, taking capsaicin supplements can help to relieve heartburn, stimulate digestion, and even prevent ulcers.

9. Capsaicin Powder Can Help Heal Peptic Ulcers

Contrary to popular belief, chili powder doesn’t cause ulcers; it can actually help heal them. Scientists have discovered that cayenne pepper powder in the stomach helps prevent and heal ulcers by increasing mucus secretions and inhibiting excess stomach acid. This has a protective effect on the stomach lining and helps ulcers heal quicker.

10. Topical Capsaicin Cream Can Treat Psoriasis and Dermatitis

One of the benefits of using creams containing extracts of the cayenne pepper plant is to treat inflammatory skin conditions like psoriasis and dermatitis. Capsaicin-containing creams are effective at reducing pain and irritation associated with these conditions. Studies have shown that capsaicin inhibits inflammatory responses in the dermal layers of skin, which helps to reduce scaling, itchiness, and pain in psoriasis patients. While the cream may sting initially, with continued use, the sensation of pain goes down.

11. Cayenne Pepper Has Anticancer Properties

Research into the properties of cayenne powder extract has revealed its potential for use in treating various cancers. The journal Anticancer Research reported in 2016 that capsaicin could have many benefits in cancer treatment. In lab trials, capsaicin extracts have shown a potential to inhibit and kill off cancer cells. In some cases, capsaicin helps to prevent cancer cells from multiplying and spreading. Experiments using mice have shown that capsaicin could have therapeutic potential in treating lung and prostate cancer. Researchers are still investigating the potential use of cayenne pepper to treat cancer in humans.

How to Use Cayenne Pepper

There are various ways to use cayenne pepper to take advantage of its health benefits.

• Cayenne Pepper Water: Mix one-quarter to half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder in a glass of hot or warm water for a therapeutic drink.

• Cooking: Add a teaspoon or two to your dishes to get the health benefits. A study from 2012 found that stir-frying and roasting preserved the nutrient and antioxidant components of red peppers better than boiling and steaming. Another study from 2010 found that grilling caused a significant increase in the capsaicinoids content of Mexican peppers.

• Topical Application: Use topical cayenne pepper ointments, oils, lotions, or creams containing between 0.025% and 0.1% capsaicin to help relieve painful skin conditions. Apply 3 or 4 times a day, and you should start to notice a reduction in pain after several days.

• Supplements: Cayenne pepper is also sold in capsules or tablet form as capsaicin extract, with supplements typically ranging between 500 mg and 1,000 mg.

Cayenne Pepper Oil (Capsaicin Oil) for Joint, Muscle and Arthritis Pain

You can make your own cayenne pepper oil to help with rheumatism and other muscle aches. Recipe:

1. Mix 1 tbsp cayenne pepper, 2 tbsp crushed mustard seeds, 2 tsp grated ginger root, and 250 ml (8 fl oz) of sunflower oil in a glass jar.

2. Leave to infuse for 1 week.

3. Strain the oil and massage it into the affected areas to treat muscle and joint pain.

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Precautions and Side Effects

Cayenne pepper can irritate the skin and cause a lot of pain if it gets into your eyes. Therefore, you should exercise care when handling cayenne powder.

• If applying capsaicin cream topically, always wash your hands after use.

• Never use cayenne pepper ointments around the sensitive skin of your eyes.

• Don’t use capsaicin creams on broken skin.

• Consuming too much cayenne pepper can cause stomach upset, diarrhea, and a runny nose.

• It is not recommended to take large doses of capsaicin supplements for a long period of time.

• Capsaicin can interact with the blood-thinning medication warfarin.