2. Chilli peppers may help improve weight loss efforts
Capsaicin and gut microbiota
Researchers have discovered that capsaicin, chili’s major component, reduces endotoxemia, which contributes to chronic, low-grade inflammation and obesity.1✅ JOURNAL REFERENCE
DOI: 10.1128/mBio.00470-17
The researchers found an interaction between capsaicin and gut microbiota. Capsaicin’s anti-obesity effects act by preventing microbial dysbiosis and the resulting gut barrier dysfunction that can cause chronic, low-grade inflammation.
Capsaicin breaks down fats
According to a study, capsaicin may help with weight loss and prevent fat buildup. The researchers gave high-fat diets either with or without capsaicin to rats used for studying obesity. The rats that were fed capsaicin lost 8% of their body weight and experienced changes in levels of a minimum of 20 key proteins that break down fats.2✅ JOURNAL REFERENCE
DOI: 10.1021/pr901175w
An anti-obesity drug developed from capsaicin
In another study, a drug developed to release capsaicin slowly throughout the day given to mice that were fed a high-fat diet resulted in long-term weight loss and metabolic health improvements.3✅ JOURNAL REFERENCE
DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2017.11.2657
The researchers observed improvements in cholesterol and blood sugar levels, fatty liver disease symptoms, and insulin response, indicating the reversal of the high-fat diet’s damaging effects.
The drug was developed to target receptors known as TRPV1 that are found in large quantities in fat cells. Stimulation of the TRPV1 receptors leads to white fat cells burning energy rather than storing it, which theoretically should result in weight loss. The drug was administered to the mice for 8 months, and they maintained the weight loss without any safety issues.
Image Source – illustratedbites