Is Fiery Pepper Fatal For Fat Cells?

Capsaicin, A Compound In Hot Red Peppers, May Halt Fat Formation

(WebMD)  Capsaicin, the fiery compound in hot red peppers, may make fledging fat cells self-destruct, Taiwanese scientists report.

But don't drown your dinner in hot pepper sauce just yet. So far, the Taiwanese team has only pitted capsaicin against fat cells in test tubes, not people.

Scientists included Gow-Chin Yen, a professor in the food science and biotechnology department at Taiwan's National Chung Hsing University.

They focused on cells called preadipocytes, which develop into fat cells. The researchers wanted to see what effect capsaicin would have on such cells.

First, they brewed a capsaicin extract in their lab. Then, they marinated preadipocytes from mice in the capsaicin extract for eight days, freshening the capsaicin extract every other day. The preadipocytes exposed to capsaicin died before becoming fat cells,
according to the study, which appears in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Looking to lose weight? The researchers aren't making diet recommendations at this point.

The basic principle of weight loss is simple — burn more calories than you consume — doesn't require spicy red peppers or any other exotic ingredient. But for many people, losing weight is anything but simple. That's why any food that could help would be hot.

[tucson23]

BTW There's only one way to lose weight--eat less and exercise more. All the popular diets (Atkins, Zone, etc.) do nothing more than reduce your calorie intake by reducing your intake of the highest calorie foods (those that contain lots of fat and/or carbs). You can reduce your calories without such diets by simply eating less of whatever you eat now. Doesn't cost a dime.

[govtdr]

Yes, capsaisin is in a certain type of pain medication. It is used to help relieve pain from neuralgia, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. It is a topical (e.g. cream/ointment) med, not an ingested one, for those conditions.

[crater7]

ITS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS COULD BE A TRUE DIET: IF YOU EAT HOT PEPPERS, AND THEN EAT A BUCKET OF FRIED CHICKEN, I DONT THINK THERES ENOUGH PEPPERS IN THE WORLD TO KILL THE FAT CONTENT OF THE BUCKET OF CHICKEN.

[rray52]

"Capsaicin, the fiery compound in hot red peppers, may make fledging fat cells self-destruct, Taiwanese scientists report."

Capsaicin, is contained in all hot peppers, red, yellow, or green. It%u2019s what makes them hot. The picture accompanying this article is a sweet pepper. They contain little or no Capsaicin, They also may be red, yellow or green.

[darkfyreaol]

Acetaminophen (pain medication) and capsicin are virtually completely opposite of one another. Capsicin is the 'pain chemical', activating nerve receptors that trigger painful sensations... In concentrated quantities it can cause blistering.

[scootnok-2009]

It is hard for me to believe this story could be a true diet. I have been eating hot peppers all my life and still can't keep off the weight. I would wonder about the ingredient capsaicin, isn't it in pain medication?