Spicy foods could lead to weight loss, Arizona State University study finds

PHOENIX — The newest trend in weight loss is spicing up the competition — literally.

Chili peppers could be a key ingredient in weight loss, after a new study from Arizona State University found a “promising link” between capsaicinoids – the active ingredient in chili peppers – and one’s energy-burning ability.

The pilot study was held by the university’s research team, led by scientists Yue Deng and Fang Chen at the Biodesign Institute. Forty people were given a placebo or 2 milligrams of a capsaicinoid supplement per day, then the researchers measured both their metabolism and their heart rates.

Deng told ASU Now that the study aimed to “validate the effectiveness of capsaicinoids during the first real-time tracking of an individual’s metabolism.” The person’s metabolism had to be measured because it was the “most straightforward way to tell people this actually works or not,” she said.

The people who took the supplements burned an average of 130 calories per day, while the people who took the placebos only burned an average of 8 calories per day, the study found. However, there was no significant difference in the heart rates of any of the participants.

While this may sound like good news for spicy food lovers who are looking to shed some pounds, the researchers caution that the supplements alone are not “magic bullets,” but they should be taken as part of a “holistic” weight management practice that includes a healthy diet and exercise.

“Although the results did show that the supplements had a positive effect on people’s metabolic rate on average, this study also brought the attention to the necessity of measuring real-time individual parameters with an affordable mobile device, which is becoming more and more important in individualized diagnose and precision medicine,” Deng told ASU Now.

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