The reason we love spicy food is that the pain produced can induce the release of endorphins, according to Dr Shim. Some people may simply enjoy the sensation of heat and spice on their taste buds. “Capsaicin may also create a temporary sensation of warmth in the body, which some people find comforting,” he said.
There are adverse effects to consider as well. “If capsaicin is ingested in large amounts, it can stimulate the rest of the gastrointestinal tract and produce symptoms such as heartburn, chest pain and abdominal pain. It can also stimulate abnormal gut motility leading to reflux and diarrhoea,” said Dr Look.
He added that those with “a history of gastrointestinal problems such as gastroesophageal reflux, gastritis and irritable bowel syndrome are likely to be more sensitive to small amounts of capsaicin”.
WHAT’S THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF CAPSAICIN NEEDED TO START CAUSING STOMACH ISSUES OR EVEN BE FATAL?
About 0.5mg to 1mg is all it takes to kick off capsaicin’s mild, unpleasant effects, said Dr Look, citing human studies. “Serious adverse effects (eg. cold sweats, changes in blood pressure or dizziness) start to appear when more than 170mg is ingested” or the “equivalent of eating 1kg of jalapeno peppers”, he said. “These symptoms would be extremely unpleasant but they will likely abate in half a day or so.”
He added: “In comparison, the lethal dose for capsaicin is estimated to be far higher at around 35,000mg of capsaicin for an adult. You would usually have to force yourself to eat an amount of spice that is far beyond what is generally tolerable. This sometimes happens when people subject themselves to a spice eating challenge”.
