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Quotes about Capsaicin from the world's top natural health / natural living authors

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"In particular the compound capsaicin, which is found in red peppers, is a powerful anesthetic and may even help keep blood vessels clear throughout the body. capsaicin blocks substance P a protein in the body that serves as a neurotransmitter of pain. In a strange-but-true recent study, fully 75% of headache patients who rubbed capsaicin cream on their nose (in the form of Zostrix and other over-the-counter remedies containing capsaicin) said they felt pain relief. Or, massage it onto your temples or the base of your skull for soothing relief from tension headaches." - Bottom Line Books, Uncommon Cures For Everyday Ailments (Get the book.)

"Capsaicin Applying a cream containing capsaicin (an extract of chili pepper) can relieve the pain of postherpetic neuralgia.9 This product is sold over the counter under the name Zostrix. capsaicin cream produces a burning sensation with each application during the first few days, but the pain does subside, and relief is often seen shortly thereaftet. Care should be taken to keep capsaicin away from the eyes. Summary of Recommendations for Treating Herpes Zoster (Shingles) • Injections of adenosine monophosphate, vitamin B12, vitamin C, and possibly other antiviral agents, in selected cases." - Jonathan V. Wright, M.D. and Alan R. Gaby, M.D., Natural Medicine, Optimal Wellness: The Patient's Guide to Health and Healing (Get the book.)

"Total capsaicinoid content is around 1 % of the dried fruit, the majority of which is usually capsaicin. Structurally, capsaicinoids are vanillyl-acyl amide analogues (Tucker and Debaggio 2000). Capsaicinoids stimulate receptors (known as vanillinoid receptors) ho' capsaicin—an aromatic amide on cutaneous sensory neurons, resulting in a massive release of neuropeptides including so-called 'substance P' molecules responsible for pain transmission to the brain and modulation of local inflammatory responses." - Andrew Pengelly, The Constituents of Medicinal Plants: An Introduction to the Chemistry and Therapeutics of Herbal Medicine (Get the book.)

"William Scoville, a chemist, developed a heat-ranking scale based on the amount of capsaicin a pepper has. Bell peppers rank a zero (no capsaicin) while the habanero varieties may go well beyond 350,000! In general, larger chilies are milder because they contain fewer seeds and white membrane (the hottest part of the chili) in proportion to their size. Most pepper varieties can be found dried, canned, or fresh. A Serving of Food Lore... Peppers have been traced back 6,000 years ago in Central and South America. Columbus brought pepper seeds back to Spain in 1493. Where Are Peppers Grown?" - David W. Grotto, RD, LDN, 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life! (Get the book.)

"Daily Dosage: Externally: daily dose: 10 g drug; Tincture: (1:10); Semi-solid preparations: maximum 50 mg capsaicin in lOOg neutral base. Storage: Protected from light and well sealed. LITERATURE Anonym. Behandlung chronischer Schmerzen: capsaicin -Lichtblick fur Schmerzpatienten. In: DAZ 137(13):1027-1028. 1997. Anonym, Phytotherapie:Pflanzliche Antirheumatika - was bringen sie? In: DAZ 136(45):4012-4015. 1996. Bascom R, Kageysobotka A, Prous D, Effect of intranasal capsaicin on symptoms and mediator release. In: J Pharmacol Exp Ther 259(3): 1323. 1991." - Joerg Gruenwald, Ph.D., PDR for Herbal Medicines (Get the book.) "Other Names: Capsicum, Grains of Paradise, African Pepper, Bird Pepper, Chilli Pepper, Sweet Pepper, Hungarian Pepper, Red Pepper, Goat's Pod, Zanzibar Pepper, Paprika ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY COMPOUNDS Capsaicinoids (amides of the vanillyl amine with C8 - CIS-fatty acids): chief components capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin Carotinoids; in particular capsanthin (dark red) Flavonoids Steroid saponins (mixture = capsicidin) EFFECTS Many documented trials are based on observations of various extracts of the drug." - Joerg Gruenwald, Ph.D., PDR for Herbal Medicines (Get the book.)

"In a strange-but-true recent study, fully 75% of headache patients who rubbed capsaicin cream on their nose (in the form of Zostrix and other over-the-counter remedies containing capsaicin) said they felt pain relief. Or, massage it onto your temples or the base of your skull for soothing relief from tension headaches. But there's no proof that eating red peppers will deliver the same results. • Don't Have a Cow ." - Bottom Line Books, Uncommon Cures For Everyday Ailments (Get the book.)

"Similarly, I don't think the first person who ever chewed a hot pepper thought, "Mmra, good." capsaicin, pepper's active ingredient, is literally caustic to the flesh. But somehow, human taste has evolved to enjoy the taste of pepper. Why? Because capsaicin is a natural disinfectant, and it kills many types of food-borne bacteria. Put hot pepper in slightly rancid meat, and it inhibits bacteria. The person who eats the meal with the pepper lives. The person who eats the meal without the pepper gets sick and could die." - Dan Buettner, The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest (Get the book.)

"Cayenne is a superstar because it contains the active ingredient capsaicin. capsaicin lowers blood pressure and cholesterol and prevents heart attacks and strokes. It is a natural blood thinner. However, it is not safe for everyone to take this herb, because for those taking certain medications, such as Coumadin (warfarin), there could be contraindications. So you have to ask your physician if any prescription drug you are taking may prohibit the use of cayenne. This is very important." - Gary Null and Amy McDonald, The Food-Mood Connection: Nutrition-based and Environmental Approaches to Mental Health and Physical Wellbeing (Get the book.)

"Its stickiness acts to prevent capsaicin from easily dissolving in water. You're much better off drinking milk (but this is one time to pass o j on the skim!) or eating something else with fat in it—since fat is hydrophobic, it helps to peel the capsaicin away from your mucous membranes and cool you down. Capsaicin doesn't just cause a burning sensation—it can actually cause selective degeneration of some types of neurons. In large quantities, hot peppers can be very harmful." - Dr. Sharon Moalem, Survival of the Sickest: A Medical Maverick Discovers Why We Need Disease (Get the book.)

"In a strange-but-true recent study, fully 75% of headache patients who rubbed capsaicin cream on their nose (in the form of Zostrix and other over-the-counter remedies containing capsaicin) said they felt pain relief. Or, massage it onto your temples or the base of your skull for soothing relief from tension headaches. But there's no proof that eating red peppers will deliver the same results. • Don't Have a Cow ." - Bottom Line Books, Uncommon Cures For Everyday Ailments (Get the book.)

"Cayenne is a superstar because it contains the active ingredient capsaicin. capsaicin lowers blood pressure and cholesterol and prevents heart attacks and strokes. It is a natural blood thinner. However, it is not safe for everyone to take this herb, because for those taking certain medications, such as Coumadin (warfarin), there could be contraindications. So you have to ask your physician if any prescription drug you are taking may prohibit the use of cayenne. This is very important." - Gary Null and Amy McDonald, The Food-Mood Connection: Nutrition-based and Environmental Approaches to Mental Health and Physical Wellbeing (Get the book.)

"Ben-gay and other "heat lotion" applications also have active ingredients that appear to work in a manner similar to capsaicin.) Capsaicin appears to work in part by lowering the amount of pain-producing Substance P in tissue. Medical researchers have strong evidence that suggests capsaicin also has anti-inflammatory properties when administered to animals with experimentally-induced arthritis. While research in regard to human arthritis is sketchy, it seems likely that this may explain why some arthritis sufferers find capsaicin helpful in dealing with their ailment." - Duncan Long, Attaining Medical Self Sufficiency (Get the book.)

"Fight Fire with Fire Many over-the-counter ointments for shingles contain capsaicin, the substance that makes hot peppers hot. Like St. John's wort, capsaicin cannot be used on open lesions, so use it after they've cleared to relieve the pain of postherpetic neuralgia, says Dr. Warnock. capsaicin cream is available in a number of different strengths, ranging from 0.025 percent to 0.075 percent. Capsaicin works by stimulating and then exhausting Substance P, the nerve-related transmitter that sends pain messages to your brain, in the skin." - Gale Maleskey, Nature's Medicines : From Asthma to Weight Gain, from Colds to High Cholesterol -- The Most Powerful All-Natural Cures (Get the book.)

"Long term effects of capsaicin on fat absorption and the growth of the rat. Growth 37, 269-279. 88. Sorensen, L. B., Moller, P., Flint, A., Martens, M., and Raben, A. (2003). Effect of sensory perception of foods on appetite and food intake: a review of studies on humans. Int. J. Obes. 27, 1152-1166. 89. Raben, A., Christensen, N. J., Madsen, J., Hoist, J. J., and Astrup, A. (1994). Decreased postprandial thermogenesis and fat oxidation but increased fullness after a high-fiber meal compared with a low-fiber meal. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 80,503-510. 90. LeBlanc, J., and Brondel, L. (1985)." - Ann M. Coulston and Carol J. Boushey, Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Disease (Get the book.) "Little is known about the role of irritancy in eliciting cephalic phase responses, but there has been interest in a contribution of capsaicin to a cephalic phase thermogenic response. Interest in this property stemmed from animal studies documenting effects on sympathetic nervous system activity and adiposity [78] as well as suggestive human evidence. For example, administration of 3g of chili and mustard sauces to the meals of 12 individuals resulted in a 25% increment of thermogenesis over a 180-minute period [79]." - Ann M. Coulston and Carol J. Boushey, Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Disease (Get the book.) "In one instance, the ingestion of 10 g of red pepper (-30 mg capsaicin) led to an increase of thermogenesis for the subsequent 30 minutes, but this returned to baseline for the subsequent 120 minutes of the study. [71]. This effect was blocked by treatment with propranolol, indicating it was attributable to beta-adrenergic stimulation. Additional studies have also revealed that the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation is transient [67]." - Ann M. Coulston and Carol J. Boushey, Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Disease (Get the book.)

"Brand names include Capsin, Capzasin-HP Arthritis Formula, Capzasin-P, Dolorac, Menthac Arthritis Cream with capsaicin, RT Capsin, Salonpas Pain Patch with capsaicin, Trix-aicin, and Zostrix. Be careful not to get these creams in or near your eyes—they'll sting! ?Acetaminophen (Tylenol). This drug reduces pain without affecting inflammation. It is implicated in tens of thousands of cases of liver damage, including around 450 deaths, every year, and is the single largest contributing factor to liver failure that requires liver transplants." - Hyla Cass, Supplement Your Prescription: What Your Doctor Doesn't Know About Nutrition (Get the book.) "Topical creams containing capsaicin. capsaicin, also known as substance P, is a compound derived from hot peppers. Creams containing it aren't really drugs, but natural medicines that happen to be available on most drugstore shelves among the OTC meds. Smoothing a Rheumatoid Arthritis and Food Allergy/Sensitivity Up to twenty percent of RA sufferers get better, while the rest have recurrent problems for the rest of their lives. If you or someone you care about is coping with RA, take note that there is a diet that is very helpful in relieving symptoms." - Hyla Cass, Supplement Your Prescription: What Your Doctor Doesn't Know About Nutrition (Get the book.) "Brand names include Capsin, Capzasin-HP Arthritis Formula, Capzasin-P, Dolorac, Menthac Arthritis Cream with capsaicin, RT Capsin, Salonpas Pain Patch with capsaicin, Trix-aicin, and Zostrix. Be careful not to get these creams in or near your eyes—they'll sting! ?Acetaminophen (Tylenol). This drug reduces pain without affecting inflammation. It is implicated in tens of thousands of cases of liver damage, including around 450 deaths, every year, and is the single largest contributing factor to liver failure that requires liver transplants." - Hyla Cass, Supplement Your Prescription: What Your Doctor Doesn't Know About Nutrition (Get the book.)

"Because of that, capsaicin is a frequent ingredient in pain-relieving creams. capsaicin is a vasodilator, which enhances circulation and increases body temperature. Hot peppers (and their powders) may act as a metabolism booster—in one study (on mice), the active ingredient promoted energy metabolism and suppressed body fat accumulation. Makes sense when you think of how eating hot peppers makes you sweat. Traditionally, some hot peppers like cayenne were used to aid digestion and stimulate the appetite. Counterintuitive though it seems, they probably do not irritate the stomach." - Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S., The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why (Get the book.)

"The active ingredient in chili peppers, capsaicin, works wonders on a stomach. It increases blood flow, gets digestive juices running, moves the muscles of your digestive system, and dispels gas. Still, a fiery bowl of chili is not to be taken lightly. Too much capsaicin can give you an even bigger bellyache. So talk with your doctor before making hot peppers a regular part of your diet. If she gives you the green light, try them in small doses first to see how your stomach reacts. Add a dash of cinnamon. The ancient Greeks and Romans gave us democracy and the Olympics." - The Editors of FC&A, Unleash the Inner Healing Power of Foods (Get the book.)

"Recently, capsaicin has been investigated for the treatment of premalignant and squamous cell lesions of the epithelium. It is normally used as capsaicin cream containing 0.025%, 0.075% or 0.75%. Toxicology Capsaicin can produce severe irritation. It causes burning on initial application. It should not be applied near the eyes, mucous membranes or to broken skin, and should be avoided in children and pregnant or breastfeeding women. NOCTURNAL LEG CRAMPS bedtime, in ambulatory patients. For further information on quinine, including the structure, see Chapter 17." - Dr. Michael Heinrich, Joanne Barnes, Simon Gibbons and Elizabeth M. Williamson, Fundamentals of Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy (Get the book.)

"CAYENNE Also known as the common chili pepper, this herb contains the element capsaicin, which alleviates nerve pain (neuropathy) associated with diabetes. HOLY BASIL Holy basil, known as the herb of Vishnu, is considered in India to be an adaptogen, improving immunity and generally strengthening the body. A significant placebo-controlled study published in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics showed a 17.6-percent reduction in blood sugar." - Gabriel Cousens, There Is a Cure for Diabetes: The Tree of Life 21-Day+ Program (Get the book.)

"Because capsaicin is a natural disinfectant, and it kills many types of food-borne bacteria. Put hot pepper in slightly rancid meat, and it inhibits bacteria. The person who eats the meal with the pepper lives. The person who eats the meal without the pepper gets sick and could die. Over time, the survivors acquire a taste for it, and a healthy culture evolves. "Can we say Okinawan longevity came with a similar cultural evolution?" I asked my traveling mates. "It makes sense to me," replied Craig. "Mugwort tastes horrible; it is very bitter." - Dan Buettner, The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest (Get the book.)

"The reduction of energy intake associated with the gastric load of capsaicin relative to placebo was l.lMJ/d (263kcal/d) for both males and females. This was a mean reduction of 9.6% and 11.7% in total daily energy intake. With oral exposure, energy intakes were 1.6MJ/d (382 kcal/d) and 2.0MJ/d (478 kcal/d) for males and females, respectively. These reductions were 13.9% and 21.3% of daily intake. There was a 0.5MJ/d (119 kcal/d) and 0.4MJ/d (96 kcal/d) greater loss in the oral versus gastric load conditions among males and females." - Ann M. Coulston and Carol J. Boushey, Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Disease (Get the book.)

"At the other extreme of solubility, consider capsaicin (Figure 5.1, part b), the component of chile peppers (Capsicum species) that is responsible for the burning sensation you feel when eating them. capsaicin also has medicinal properties: it interferes with the pain sensation process (by several means). Ointments containing capsaicin have proven useful for the treatment of painful arthritic joints. Why is this administered as an ointment? In part, it is because the application is local in that the cream is rubbed into the skin of the joint, such as a knee." - Bryan Hanson, PhD, Understanding Medicinal Plants: Their Chemistry And Therapeutic Action (Get the book.)

"The major difference between the two is that chiles contain fiery capsaicin and are used mainly as a spice. The sweet ones lack capsaicin and are mainly used as vegetables. The riper the pepper, the greater its nutrition and the better its flavor. In general, the thinner the skin the more "peppery" the taste; the thick-skinned ones are sweeter. Many peppers start life as a green vegetable and when they fully mature, change colors. Red is the sweetest of the bells and is actually a fully ripened green pepper with a milder flavor." - Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S., The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why (Get the book.)

"Brand names include Capsin, Capzasin-HP Arthritis Formula, Capzasin-P, Dolorac, Menthac Arthritis Cream with capsaicin, RT Capsin, Salonpas Pain Patch with capsaicin, Trix-aicin, and Zostrix. Be careful not to get these creams in or near your eyes—they'll sting! • Acetaminophen (Tylenol). This drug reduces pain without affecting inflammation. It is implicated in tens of thousands of cases of liver damage, including around 450 deaths, every year, and is the single largest contributing factor to liver failure that requires liver transplants." - Hyla Cass, M.D., Supplement Your Prescription: What Your Doctor Doesn't Know About Nutrition (Get the book.)

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