Chilli Peppers might help you to keep you fit, and your horse!
6 Jun 2010
J. Valverde
Capsaicin, one of nature's most pungent spice constituents, present in Chilli peppers may play an important role to increase fat burning and energy production, according to new study from Daegu University in Korea.
In this study, obese rats were supplemented with capsaicin (see below), had 8% less body weight than control animals. In addition, rats fed with capsaicin showed changes in levels of at least 20 proteins related with obesity.
Capsaicin has been previously identified as a very interesting phytochemical against obesity. However, the mechanism of action is not completely clear. This last study shows that capsaicin's mode of action could be due to thermogenesis (generation of heat in the body). Other mechanism such as inhibition of growth of fat cells (Hsu, 2007) or by suppressing appetite or in other words by promoting satiety (Reinbach, 2009).
Researchers studied the proteins regulation in white adipose tissue (fat tissue) by two dimensional electrophoresis gels combined with MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry to elucidate the mechanism of action of the capsaicin. The results revealed significant alterations on a number of proteins, most of them related with thermogenesis, lipid metabolism and redox regulation.
Therefore this data shows the potential interest of capsaicin phytochemical for the regulation of obesity. Nevertheless, capsaicin might ring the bell to some of our readers for different reasons. Capsaicin is also a strong pain relief, used frequently in sports, although its use is banned in some disciplines, like horse riding.
In the recent Beijing Olympics, the Irish jockey David Lynch was disqualified (and consequently lost his medal) when his horse gave positive results on capsaicin testing.
For further details on this study please see:
Joo, J. I.; Kim, D. H.; Choi, J.-W.; Yun, J. W., Proteomic Analysis for Antiobesity Potential of Capsaicin on White Adipose Tissue in Rats Fed with a High Fat Diet. Journal of Proteome Research 9, (6), 2977-2987.
Link: http://pubs.acs.org/stoken/presspac/presspac/full/10.1021/pr901175w
Other Literature:
Hsu, C.-L.; Yen, G.-C., Effects of Capsaicin on Induction of Apoptosis and Inhibition of Adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 Cells. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2007, 55, (5), 1730-1736.
Link: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf062912b
Reinbach, H. C.; Smeets, A.; Martinussen, T.; Møller, P.; Westerterp-Plantenga, M. S., Effects of capsaicin, green tea and CH-19 sweet pepper on appetite and energy intake in humans in negative and positive energy balance. Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) 2009, 28, (3), 260-265.
Link: http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/yclnu/article/PIIS0261561409000235/abstract
