Capsaicin is one of the popular ingredients in fat burners. It is this burning sensation that we feel when consuming hot peppers.
This “burning effect” subconsciously associates with beneficial properties for the body. And this is one of those cases where the subconscious does not deceive: the benefits of capsaicin for health in various aspects have scientific confirmation 12.
In this article, we will explore what scientists say about the effectiveness of capsaicin for weight loss.
Main thoughts:
Capsaicin suppresses appetite in rats, but becomes ineffective after just 10 days of use
Scientific studies confirm an increase in fat oxidation rate after the intake of capsaicin
Capsaicin affects the very mechanism of fat deposition in body tissues, suppressing it
What is capsaicin? Beneficial properties
Capsaicin is found in hot peppers or “chili peppers,” which are known for their flavor qualities and are used as a food supplement either on their own or as a seasoning.
It is capsaicin that possesses the characteristic burning action of hot peppers on the skin.
In historical records, red (hot) pepper is mentioned as far back as 7000 BC as a spice, dye, preservative, and medicinal agent 13.
In chili peppers, scientists have identified about 200 active ingredients that perform multiple functions in the body 14.
Capsaicin – one of the main active components of red pepper – has proven benefits for treating:
- inflammatory processes: joints (rheumatoid arthritis 15), nasopharynx (rhinitis 16);
- cancer: several recent studies have shown its effectiveness as an anti-cancer agent that suppresses the growth of cancer tumors 17,18;
- neurodegenerative diseases: capsaicin has antioxidant properties, providing powerful protective effects on nerve cells, making it useful for preventing and treating neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s disease 12.
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How effective is capsaicin for weight loss? Scientific studies
Epidemiological data suggest that obesity is less common among those who consume foods containing capsaicin 19.
Let’s consider a few indicative studies.
Experiment: The effectiveness of capsaicin for weight loss in the abdominal area
This study involved 40 men and 40 women aged 34-50 years with excess weight. Some of them took capsiate (a capsaicin analog with a milder taste) at a dose of 6 mg/day for 12 weeks, while others took a “dummy” (placebo) 20.
Result: in the capsaicin group, body weight decreased on average by ~0.4 kg more compared to the control group.
No significant changes in the overall percentage of fat were found in either group, but abdominal fat (= waist circumference) decreased more significantly in the capsaicin group.
Metabolic rate did not change in either group, but the efficiency of fat oxidation increased in the capsaicin group.
No side effects were reported by any of the participants taking capsaicin.
Experiment: The effectiveness of capsaicin for weight maintenance after weight loss
In this experiment, scientists aimed to determine how capsaicin helps prevent weight regain after losing 5-10% 21.
Nine individuals with moderate overweight participated. Initially, all participants lost weight on a low-calorie diet for 4 weeks (an average of 6.6 kg), followed by a 3-month weight maintenance phase, during which some participants took 135 mg of capsaicin daily, while others received a placebo (“dummy”).
Result: the rate of fat oxidation (burning) was higher in the capsaicin group; however, this did not limit the weight regained during the maintenance phase: both groups gained approximately the same weight.
Taking capsaicin after weight loss during the maintenance phase does not limit the weight regained
Experiment: Mechanisms of capsaicin action for weight loss
In this experiment, scientists demonstrated possible mechanisms of capsaicin action for weight loss 22.
It involved 44 individuals aged 30-65, who were divided into three groups: one took 3 mg per kg of body weight of capsaicinoids (a capsaicin analog), another 10 mg/kg, and the third received a placebo.
Result: those who took capsaicin showed an increase in oxygen consumption, resting metabolic rate, and fat oxidation. However, as noted by the scientists, these changes were very minor.
All three factors are a possible explanation for the positive effect of the fat burner capsaicin for weight loss, which we will discuss below.
Scientific studies confirm the effectiveness of capsaicin for weight loss, including in the abdomen, however, this effect is comparable to the caloric content of a third of a slice of white bread per day…
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Mechanisms of capsaicin action as a fat burner
1 Capsaicin suppresses appetite
Appetite suppression is one of the mechanisms of action of fat burners: you feel less hungry, fewer calories enter the body, and thus a smaller portion can be converted into fat.
According to recent scientific data, the total caloric intake is the main cause of obesity, rather than a lack of physical activity, as is commonly believed. We discussed this in detail in the article The main cause of obesity or How to lose weight without exercise?.
The suppressive effect of capsaicin on appetite has been demonstrated in both animal experiments and in humans.
Experiments on rats have shown that the intake of capsaicin on a high-fat diet reduces appetite. However, after 10 days, its effectiveness decreases and appetite returns 10.
Capsaicin suppresses appetite in rats, but becomes ineffective after just 10 days of use
In a study on Japanese women who were fed different types of breakfasts (high in protein, high in fat, with and without capsaicin), researchers found that consuming red hot pepper with food (6-10 g) suppresses appetite both in the current and subsequent meals, which is reflected in a decrease in the amount of protein and fat consumed, and thus total calories 1,23.
In another study, the intake of 750 mg of capsaicin with food as a supplement reduced the amount of food consumed by about 8%, mainly due to fats (13-15% less) 4.
Scientific research indicates that capsaicin may be beneficial for weight loss as it suppresses appetite
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2 Capsaicin stimulates the rate of internal metabolism
Capsaicin is known for its ability to stimulate the rate of internal metabolism, which accounts for about 70% of all daily calories (the remaining 30% is physical activity). See The main cause of obesity or How to lose weight without exercise?
These figures indicate that an effective weight loss method is one that increases the metabolic rate. And capsaicin can do that.
When capsaicin is consumed, adrenaline secretion is stimulated, which activates the internal metabolism or resting metabolism.
10 g of red hot pepper increases the metabolic rate for 30 minutes after consumption, but has little effect on it in the following 120 minutes 24.
The rate of internal metabolism can be managed not only through food. Exercise also affects resting metabolism, but the effectiveness varies among different types of training (exercises).
That is why strength training and high-intensity interval training are recognized as some of the best for weight loss: they boost internal metabolism for several days after completion. See How to lose weight in the gym or The best exercises to lose weight. Scientific research.
The benefits of capsaicin for weight loss may be explained by its effect on the adrenal glands, which release adrenaline that activates the internal metabolic rate – the main consumer of calories in the body.
3 Capsaicin affects the rate of fat oxidation
Fat oxidation is the process of breaking down fat cells to obtain energy from them. This is a direct effect on fat cells, which is hidden in the etymology of the word “fat burning.”
Scientific studies indicate that capsaicin may be beneficial for weight loss as a means to promote more active fat oxidation.
In an experiment on rats, it was shown that the rate of fat cell oxidation (more energy comes from the use of fat cells rather than glucose) increases after the intake of capsaicin; the maximum effect was observed at a dose of 10 mg/kg 5.
150 mg of capsaicin taken 1 hour before exercise increases the rate of fat oxidation during exercise in healthy untrained individuals 9.
Scientific research confirms the increase in the rate of fat oxidation after the intake of capsaicin.
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4 Capsaicin enhances thermogenesis
Capsaicin acts on the so-called TRPV1 receptors, whose function is to perceive and regulate body temperature 12.
The effectiveness of capsaicin for weight loss as a thermogenic agent has been demonstrated in numerous studies on Asians, who traditionally consume a lot of spicy seasonings, including red pepper.
Some of these studies mention an increase in energy expenditure due to heat production by 30% 6.
Experiment: The benefits of capsaicin for weight loss due to increased thermogenesis
In one of the experiments 11, scientists tested the effectiveness of red hot pepper for weight loss when consumed with different types of food.
The study involved 13 Japanese women, some of whom had a fatty breakfast, others had fatty food + hot pepper (capsaicin), the third group had high-carbohydrate food, and the fourth group had high-carbohydrate food + hot pepper (capsaicin).
Immediately after breakfast, the Japanese women were asked to evaluate their taste sensations, and after 210 minutes, the scientists measured the energy expenditure of the body by assessing the component composition of the exhaled air.
Result:
- The effect of heat generation by the body was significantly stronger after the high-carbohydrate breakfast than after the fatty one (without red pepper in both cases);
- Fat cells oxidized significantly less (= were used for energy) after carbohydrate-rich food than after fatty food;
- The addition of red pepper significantly enhanced the effect of thermogenesis and fat oxidation, especially in combination with fatty food;
- Carbohydrate oxidation was significantly reduced when consumed with red pepper, and at the same time, the perception of the food’s fattiness increased – it was perceived as more fatty.
The addition of red hot pepper (capsaicin) to fatty food may be beneficial for weight loss, as it significantly enhances the effect of thermogenesis and the rate of fat oxidation.
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5 Capsaicin prevents fat accumulation in fat cells
Describing how this happens is quite difficult without specific terms that are only understandable to biologists and chemists. You can read about the mechanism of action in the relevant scientific studies 12.
Here we will only mention that the consumption of capsaicin lowers the levels of the hormones leptin and insulin, as well as glucose in a fasting state and a whole range of other substances that play a role in fat deposition processes.
In one of the experiments, when rats were fed fatty food with the addition of capsaicin, they did not gain fat mass (did not become obese) over the 120 days of the experiment 10.
The process of fat accumulation in tissues in mice is significantly slowed down at a dose of 10 mg of capsaicin per kilogram of body weight 25.
Capsaicin affects the very mechanism of fat deposition in body tissues, suppressing it.
What contains capsaicin?
The primary source of capsaicin is hot pepper. There is a wide variety of its species, with different degrees of spiciness, which is determined by the concentration of capsaicin in them.
The table below lists some types of peppers with an assessment of their spiciness on the Scoville Scale (values are proportional to the concentration of capsaicin) 29.
| Table: Spiciness level of different types of peppers | |
|---|---|
| Spiciness Level | Type of Pepper |
| 16,000,000 | Pure capsaicin |
| 3,180,000 | Pepper X |
| 2,500,000 | Dragon’s Breath |
| 1,500,000—2,300,000 | Carolina Reaper, Pepper Spray |
| 1,200,000—2,000,000 | Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Red |
| 855,000—1,463,700 | Naga Jolokia, Naga Viper, Trinidad Scorpion |
| 876,000—970,000 | Dorset Naga |
| 350,000—577,000 | Red Savina |
| 100,000—350,000 | Madame Jeanette, Habanero, Scotch bonnet |
| 100,000—225,000 | Bird’s eye |
| 100,000—200,000 | Jamaican hot pepper |
| 50,000—175,000 | Piri-piri |
| 160,000 | Shogaol |
| 100,000 | Piperine |
| 60,000 | Gingerol |
| 50,000—100,000 | Malagueta pepper, Chiltepin pepper |
| 30,000—50,000 | Cayenne pepper, Ají pepper, Tabasco pepper |
| 10,000—23,000 | Serrano pepper |
| 16,000 | Capsiate |
| 10,000—11,000 | Wax pepper |
| 7,000—8,000 | Tabasco sauce (Habanero) |
| 2,500—8,000 | Jalapeño |
| 2,500—5,000 | Tabasco sauce (classic) |
| 1,500—2,500 | Rocotillo pepper |
| 1,000—1,500 | Poblano pepper |
| 600—800 | Tabasco sauce (green) |
| 500—1,000 | Anaheim pepper |
| 100—500 | Pimento, Pepperoncini |
| 0 | Sweet, Bell pepper |
Sweet pepper, unlike hot chili pepper, does not contain capsaicin.
It contains structurally similar substances (capsiates) that may also be beneficial for weight loss, as they, like capsaicin, increase oxygen consumption, have a thermogenic effect, and prevent fat accumulation 2,3.
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How to Take Capsaicin for Weight Loss?
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The dose of capsaicin used in scientific studies of its effectiveness as a fat burner varies widely: from 6 to 750 mg per day, with fresh hot pepper ranging from 6 to 20 g per day.
Experts from healthline.com – a website providing scientific reviews of dietary supplements – give the following recommendations on how to take capsaicin for weight loss 28:
- 28 g of fresh hot pepper per day or
- 1 g of dried red pepper or
- capsaicin in tablets 30-120 mg 1-3 times a day.
Is there a tolerance to the effects of capsaicin?
As is known, with prolonged use of certain fat burners, such as caffeine, the body gradually loses sensitivity to them, and their effectiveness for weight loss decreases over time.
It is unclear whether the body becomes insensitive to the effects of capsaicin over time, as almost all experiments investigating its benefits for weight loss are short-term.
Based on the available data, it can be concluded that the effectiveness of capsaicin’s action is maintained for at least 3-6 months 10,21 and, most likely, tolerance does not occur, although some studies indicate a decrease in effectiveness after just 10 days of use 10.
Harm of Capsaicin
Capsaicin is considered relatively harmless when taken in recommended doses.
Experiments on rats and mice have shown that dangerous doses of capsaicin for health are 120-160 mg/kg when taken orally and 0.6-1.6 mg/kg when injected 27.
Scientific literature describes a case of death of a young man exposed to pepper spray 8, as well as the death of an 8-month-old child, for whom a traditional Chinese remedy containing capsaicin was used 7.
When capsaicin is taken before exercise, negative side effects for the heart, which are characteristic of many other fat burners (caffeine, ephedrine, clenbuterol), have not been found 9.
Large doses of capsaicin may increase the risk of stomach cancer, while small doses have a protective anti-cancer effect 25,26.
Capsaicin is considered a safe fat burner. It does not have negative side effects on the heart when taken before exercise, which is characteristic of other fat burners, but in large doses may increase the risk of stomach cancer.
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Conclusion
Due to multiple mechanisms of action and the absence of serious side effects typical of other fat burners, capsaicin appears promising as a weight loss aid.
It suppresses appetite, enhances fat oxidation, prevents its accumulation, has a thermogenic effect, and boosts resting metabolic rate – this is practically a complete arsenal of tools available in nature for activating fat burning.
However, as with any other fat burners, it should be remembered that relying solely on pills, without adjusting diet, avoiding weight-loss hindering foods, and controlling the caloric intake of consumed food, makes it nearly impossible to lose weight and maintain it: the effect of any fat burner is equivalent to several hundred calories a day or, in terms of food, several pieces of bread…
