Chili Pepper Compound Alters Genes In Fat Tissue

Capsaicin is probably the best known compound found in hot chili peppers.  It is responsible for the burning or hot sensation we feel when we eat these or similarly hot peppers.  Research has suggested for quite some time now that capsaicin might support healthy weight loss.  The primary reason for capsaicin's potential to help with weight loss is its ability to induce thermogenesis (heat formation in the body), which in turn could increase the number of calories burned.  Additional research has suggested that capsaicin might also induce a feeling of fullness, which could lead to smaller caloric intake.  Despite these early, positive findings for capsaicin's use as a weight management tool, the biological mechanisms by which it might support healthy weight loss remain unclear.

New research published in the June issue of the Journal of Proteome Research suggests that capsaicin's possible weight loss benefits might be mediated through changes in the gene expression profile of fat tissues.  For this study, rats were fed either (1) a normal diet with no capsaicin, (2) a high fat diet with no capsaicin, or (3) a high fat diet with capsaicin at a dose of 10 mg per kg of body weight.  Changes in body weight and changes in proteins produced by fat tissue were examined between treatments.

Results of this new study showed that rats fed a high fat diet that included capsaicin lost 8% of their body weight in comparison to rats fed a high fat diet and not getting any capsaicin.  Furthermore, inclusion of dietary capsaicin resulted in changes in 20 proteins, 10 of which dramatically increased and 10 of which dramatically decreased.  Most of these proteins were known to be involved in lipid metabolism and antioxidant status.  You can read more about this study and the metabolic differences between what adipose tissue and the more active brown adipose tissue in an accompanying editorial.

The results of this new study are very intriguing and provide additional support for the potential anti-obesity role of capsaicin as well as related compounds.  While research with human subjects is still fairly limited, early results suggest that capsaicin and/or capsinoids might increase thermogenesis, decrease appetite, support abdominal fat loss, and increase fat breakdown.  Should research continue to show weight loss benefits of capsaicin as well as its safety, this compound might become a useful part of a healthy weight management plan.

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Pepper Compounds Might Aid Weight Loss

When we think about pepper compounds that might support healthy weight loss, we typically think about capsaicin, the compound responsible for the heat in hot peppers.  However, recent research studies have shown that compounds in sweet peppers might also support healthy weight loss.

In a new study presented at the 2010 Experimental Biology meetings, researchers examined the impact of dihydrocapsiate, a non-hot pepper compound, on body metabolism endpoints.  For the study, 33 volunteers followed a very-low calorie diet using high protein liquid meal replacements for 4 weeks.  The volunteers were assigned to take either (1) no dihydrocapsiate, (2) 3 mg dihydrocapsiate per day, or (3) 9 mg dihydrocapsiate per day.  Changes in after-meal energy expenditure and fat oxidation were measured at the beginning and end of the study.  The results of this study showed that taking 9 mg dihydrocapsiate per day for 4 weeks increased both after-meal energy expenditure and fat oxidation, suggesting that this pepper compound might help support healthy weight loss.

This is not the first study to examine the potential weight loss benefits of these compounds (capsinoids) from sweet peppers.  A study (free to read online or download) last year examined the potential benefits of a capsinoid extract (containing three different capsinoids) on weight loss in overweight/obese individuals following a modest diet plan.  The results of this study showed that supplementing the diet plan with 6 mg capsinoids per day decreased belly fat and increased fat oxidation after 12 weeks compared to individuals not taking any capsinoids.

Overall, these two studies suggest that naturally occurring compounds found in certain sweet peppers (bell peppers and chili peppers) might support healthy weight management strategies.  Bell peppers are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, making them an good vegetable choice to include in any good diet plan, such as Dr. Tabor's easy diet plan.