Chili Peppers May Hold Key to Weight Loss

For hundreds of years, indigenous societies around the globe have turned to chili peppers to ease pain. Later, it was discovered that capsaicin, the active chemical in chili peppers, effectively blocks pain by depleting a neurotransmitter called substance P at nerve ending sites, preventing the neural signal to the brain to experience pain from being communicated. According to researchers at the University of Wyoming School of Pharmacy, capsaicin also appears to enhance metabolism, triggering an anti-obesity effect.

Using a modified, slow-release form of capsaicin called Metabocin, the scientists observed mice in which the formula was administered for eight months. They found that the formula stimulated transient receptor potential vanilloid subfamily 1 (TRPV1) receptors that reside in white fat cells to expend energy that would otherwise be stored. The research team, who presented their findings at the annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior, report that the mice maintained weight loss throughout the duration of the study without presenting any adverse side effects. In addition to promoting weight loss, the scientists also noted improved insulin utilization, reduced cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and fewer indications of fatty liver disease.