Capsicum: 9 Things To Consider Before Taking Each Day
When it comes to supplements, there are so many options and so many different ingredients that it can be nearly impossible to figure out what is right for you. This is why it is so important to figure out which ingredients you want to see in a supplement and which ingredients you don’t.
You may have seen capsicum as an ingredient in a supplement you’re taking or thinking about taking. But, what is it really? Is it a good ingredient? Will it actually give you the benefits that it is claimed to have?
Don’t worry! We’ve done all the research and are here to answer all of these questions and more!
In this article you can find its history, side effects, doses, researched benefits, and anything else you may need to know about this ingredient.
Best for those that: Want to get faster and more powerful weight loss, improve their immune system, and/or boost their metabolism.
History of Capsicum
Capsicum is most commonly recognized for chili peppers and bell peppers although it encompasses all peppers in the nightshade family. We currently know of at least 36 plants in the capsicum species. These peppers can now be found all over the world, but originated in South America.
They were introduced to agriculture in 7500 BC but were used as food even earlier. Although they have such a long history, we are still finding new benefits that can come from them and their components.
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- Increased weight loss
- Maintains Gut Health
- Improved overall health
- High in antioxidants
- Safe and simple
- Great for detoxing
- None
Table of Contents
Capsicum, Capsaicin, and Capsinoids: What’s the Difference?
All of these words look pretty similar and their meanings are pretty similar as well. However, there are some slight differences in what they are.
- Capsicum: A genus of peppers in the nightshade family that contain compounds called capsinoids. In supplements the most popular source used is the cayenne pepper but the most popular fresh source is bell peppers.
- Capsinoids: A class of compounds within the capsicum family that are very beneficial for health and provide many different benefits. They are the component that gives peppers their spiciness so more spicy peppers contain more capsinoids.
- Capsaicin: A specific capsaicinoid that is found within the capsicum family. It is most commonly used in research and can be found in high quantities in cayenne peppers.
Because capsicum is the name of a certain genus of peppers, it can be a fairly broad term. This is why most high quality supplements will specify the source it is coming from.
Different sources contain different amounts of capsinoids. The best type comes from the cayenne pepper. Essentially the spicier the pepper, the more capsinoids it contains.
Should I Take Capsicum?
It depends on the benefits that you’re looking for, but it is a great ingredient to find in supplements. We recommend it for anyone who would like to lose weight, support their immune system, increase their metabolism, improve skin health, decrease inflammation, and/or boost overall health by raising their antioxidant levels.
Taking capsicum is a very safe and powerful way to achieve all of these benefits and more. If you are wondering if you should take it, then you probably should.
Capsicum can be quite the asset and can give people powerful results.
Benefits of Capsicum
People take it in supplements to help improve immunity, relieve pain/reduce inflammation, boost metabolism, support skin health, high in antioxidants, increase detoxification, and enhance weight loss.
Some studies have found success with its benefits of reducing anxiety, increasing bone health, and improving eye health. But in this article we will be mainly focusing on the benefits that were listed previously.
Capsicum Improves Immunity
Your body’s immune system is very important for your health. When your immune system is boosted, it can reduce the likeliness of you getting sick, decrease your recovery time if you do get sick, and increase your energy.
Improving immunity is one of capsicum’s less popular benefits, but it should not be overlooked. By boosting your immune system, you give your body a chance to be healthy and happy.
In one study, capsaicin was shown to be an effective immunity booster. Test subjects taking capsaicin increased antibody producing cells and two types of antibodies when compared to the control group.
It was concluded that capsaicin can enhance your immune system as well as improve your immune functions. (6)
Capsicum Can Relieve Pain/Reduce Inflammation
Reducing inflammation is a great way to relieve pain, plus it can help you improve digestive health, increase energy, and decrease the risk of certain diseases.
When you eat regular foods like white bread it can cause inflammation in your body. By taking capsicum you can reduce these effects and avoid the side effects, increasing your overall health.
Relieving pain and reducing inflammation can be very useful benefits for everyone. In one study, scientists found that capsaicin acts as a selective sensory blocking agent in humans. (3)
In a separate research article, written about the benefits of capsaicin, it was reported that it is popularly used as an effective pain relief treatment. It was also explained that capsaicin has anti-inflammatory benefits that can help reduce pain and normalize fasting glucose levels. (2)
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Capsicum Boosts Metabolism
The metabolism is responsible for many of the chemical reactions within your body. When you boost your metabolism it helps your body increase weight loss, burn more calories, and reduce the amount of fat that you store.
A lot of people enjoy a boosted metabolism because of its benefits towards weight loss. Losing weight comes with a whole set of benefits on its own, so boosting your metabolism can make a big difference in your life.
In a review written on some of the benefits of capsaicin, researchers investigated its impact on metabolic health.
Consuming capsicum helps increase metabolic rates, whole body energy expenditure, and browning of adipose tissues. (4)
Capsicum Supports Skin Health
Having healthy skin is a benefit that a lot of people are after. However your skin’s appearance isn’t the only reason you should want healthy skin.
Your skin is the biggest organ in your body and it plays a very large role in protecting your body. It helps prevent damage to your muscles, organs, and bones. Plus, it is also very important for preventing illness.
A review was written on the effects that capsaicin has on skin health. Researchers found that when taken as a supplement it binds with the TRPV1 receptor which can help reduce skin inflammation.
By reducing inflammation of the skin, capsaicin is able to help reduce acne, psoriasis, eczema, rosacea, and many other skin conditions. (7)
Capsicum Is High In Antioxidants
We’re sure that you have heard of antioxidants before. They are a substance that is known to provide incredible health benefits. Everyone gets so excited over foods, drinks, and other products that contain antioxidants.
However, not as many people are aware of how truly important they are and what they actually do. Antioxidants are extremely important for neutralizing free radicals.
Free radicals are unstable molecules that harm healthy cells. By preventing free radicals from attacking, antioxidants help you improve cognitive and physical function.
Capsicum is a great source of antioxidants which means it can provide you with these benefits and more. (5)
Capsicum Enhances Weight Loss
Increasing weight loss can help you by supporting multiple aspects of your health. Losing weight is a great way to reduce stress on your joints, decrease your risk of certain diseases, relieve back pain, and improve your quality of life.
By helping you burn more calories, capsicum is able to improve your weight loss. This ingredient can also increase your metabolism causing enhanced thermogenesis which allows your body to turn your fat into body heat.
In 2018, 75 healthy volunteers were recruited for a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled experiment. Subjects were given either a placebo or a supplement containing capsinoids everyday for 12 weeks.
At the end of the trial, researchers found that supplementation caused a greater reduction in body fat percentage and fat mass. (1)
Plus, capsicum can also reduce your appetite which can lead to a lower calorie intake. (4)
Capsicum Helps You Detox
Giving your body a good detox is a great way to improve overall health and increase weight loss. A lot of people also detox for its ability to help increase energy, improve gut health, reduce fatigue, and decrease headaches.
Taking capsicum helps your body improve detoxification by activating local channels in your gastrointestinal tract. Research has found that capsaicin can also increase intestinal blood flow. (4)
This is helpful because it allows your body to flush out all the toxic substances that it has been dealing with. This allows your body to focus on more important tasks instead of trying to fight off toxins.
By causing such powerful benefits for your gastrointestinal health, capsicum is an excellent ingredient for helping your body detox in a safe and natural way.
What’s The Proper Dose of Capsicum?
The doses vary depending on the source. The most common source used in supplements is from cayenne peppers because they have such a high amount of capsinoids.
Most studies use about 2-6mg of capsinoids. Because of this we recommend taking approximately 200mg-500mg of cayenne pepper (capsicum) each day. It is most common for people to take it in two doses throughout the day.
You will usually start to see weight loss results after taking capsicum for 12 weeks or less. For other benefits like increasing your antioxidant intake you can get results within hours of taking it.
Capsicum Side Effects
When taking capsicum in supplements at the proper dose it should not cause any negative side effects. Even though most people only focus on the negative side effects, we like to look at the positive side effects too.
Positive side effects:
- Improved immunity
- Relieved pain
- Reduced inflammation
- Boosted metabolism
- Better skin health
- High antioxidant intake
- Enhanced weight loss
- And more!
Negative side effects:
- None
If you are worried about side effects and want to go the extra mile to avoid them, you can take it with food. However, we do not typically recommend doing this because capsicum is a very safe ingredient and taking it with food can make it less effective.
Bottom Line: Does Capsicum Work?
Overall, this is a great ingredient to see in supplements. Although it is most commonly used to help improve weight loss, it has many other useful benefits.
This is a highly researched ingredient that has been tested for safety and effectiveness. It is an effective solution for helping improve immunity, relieving pain/reduce inflammation, boosting metabolism, supporting skin health, increasing antioxidant levels, removing toxins, and enhancing weight loss.
If you are wondering if capsicum is a good ingredient for you, we recommend trying it. Even if you aren’t looking for any of the specified benefits it can still help you improve your overall health, which is something that everyone could use!
Capsicum FAQs
How Should I Take Capsicum? When taking capsuicum it is best to take it on an empty stomach so it can be better absorbed into your body. Typically it is taken in two even doses at different times of the day. However, we alway suggest following the directions on the supplement you are using.
How Much Capsicum Should I Take? It is recommended to take about 200mg-500mg every day. People most commonly split it into two servings that are taken separately throughout the day.
What Are The Different Ways I Can Take Capsicum? Capsicum is most easily taken supplements, but you can get smaller effects from eating the fruit in the capsicum genus. Because capsaicin is also the cause of spiciness, we recommend taking it as a supplement so you can get more potent effects without feeling a burning sensation in your mouth.
Can I Take It On An Empty Stomach? Yes, taking caspsicum on an empty stomach is fine and usually even recommended. However, we suggest taking it however it is suggested by the instructions on the supplement you are using.
Will It Affect My Sleep? No, capsicum supplementation does not negatively affect sleeping patterns in humans.
What’s The Best Time Of Day To Take Capsicum? When it comes to capsicum, the time of day isn’t especially important. However, we recommend taking it earlier in the day so you can carry the benefits with you all day long.
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