There are several studies out there that have looked at using capsaicin for therapeutic reasons.
The spicy hot part of chili peppers has already shown promise in certain types of pain relief, plus in potentially fighting cancer and cardiovascular disease. It’s even been shown to help with obesity, as capsaicin is said to help speed up your metabolism and curb hunger. But there’s something else capsaicin could potentially help with that could improve your health. Researchers have been looking at using capsaicin to help treat disorders of the respiratory system.
For those that suffer from things like a chronic cough, it’s thought capsaicin may help.
Researchers looked at around two-dozen investigations involving things like unexplained chronic cough and allergic rhinitis, which commonly results in a runny or stuffy nose, a sore throat, itchy, watery eyes, and sneezing. Also called hay fever, many people suffer from allergic rhinitis when the seasons change. Researchers have also looked at using capsaicin on non-allergic rhinitis and nasal polyposis, as well as to prevent aspiration pneumonia. To use capsaicin against these conditions, researchers used a variety of different delivery methods, including an ingestible form of capsaicin, a nasal spray, inhaled capsaicin, soaked pads, a solution of capsaicin and an aural ointment.
In more than a dozen investigations, they found improved clinical outcome with pneumonia, chronic cough, rhinitis, and nasal polyposis.
In most of those, capsaicin was shown to be safe with fair to good patient acceptance and no serious observable side effects. The studies showed more research is needed, but it’s promising that there could be yet another health benefit tied to capsaicin. Of course, it’s easy to get your hot pepper fix and take in some capsaicin at the same time. There are all kinds of varieties of hot peppers out there, measured by their degree of heat on the hot pepper scale.