Can you die from spicy food

However, they cannot prove that one factor causes another. Volunteers took a variety of tests and questionnaires relating to their health, family health, diet, exercise, income, tobacco and alcohol use, occupation and many other factors.

They also answered a food frequency questionnaire, which asked how often they ate hot, spicy foods and what types of spices they used. The researchers followed up the volunteers for an average of 7.

They looked at whether people who eat chilli or other spices were more or less likely to have died during that time. They adjusted their figures to take account of many factors we know affect length of life, such as smoking. They then calculated how likely people who ate spicy food regularly were to die, compared with people who ate spicy food less than once a week. The researchers looked at data from , men and , women. During the study period, 11, men and 8, women died.

People who ate food containing fresh chilli pepper more than six times a week were less likely to die than those who ate dried chillies this frequently. The researchers looked at the causes of death and found people who ate spicy food more often were less likely to die from cancer, heart disease or respiratory lung diseases.

However, the amount of spicy food made little difference to the chances of dying from stroke, diabetes or infections. The researchers said their results showed "significant inverse associations" between eating spicy food and dying of any cause or of some specific causes, meaning that people who ate spicy food were less likely to die of these causes.

They said the active ingredient in chilli pepper, capsaicin, has been shown to have a range of health-promoting effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. However, the researchers were cautious about their results. They said they could not conclude that spicy food protected against death, and that it is "essential" to carry out research in other groups of people outside China to be sure the results apply elsewhere.

They say further research could lead to evidence that will allow for updated guidelines on what people should eat for a healthy diet. This large, well-designed observational study adds to the evidence that certain spices such as chilli pepper may have a beneficial effect on health.

So what is going on here? This molecule may have evolved as an anti-fungal agent for the plants that bore it. Those particular neurons send a message of heat to the brain, whether the cells are activated by an actual burn or by a hot pepper. Eating hot chillies - even veritable scorchers - is unlikely to do you any lasting harm Credit: iStock. Sweating is an adaptation for cooling off.

Biologists have observed, however, that administering capsaicin over long periods of time in young mammals does result in the death of the pain neurons, Bryant says. Interestingly, there is even a theory that pepper plants might have developed the molecule as a way to deter mammals from chewing up their seeds.

Birds, which eat pepper seeds whole and helpfully spread them in their faeces, do not have the necessary receptors to feel the burn. But in humans, pepper plants have encountered a special kind of mammal that courts the feeling, to the edge of reason and probably a little bit beyond. If you liked this story, sign up for the weekly bbc. In these cases, the capsaicin may not cause inflammation, but it can worsen symptoms.

The extent to which capsaicin can combat or prevent illness is still up for debate, but some experts and spicy-food enthusiasts like Currie remain hopeful. You might still be wondering, how hot is too hot? Can eating too much spicy food harm you?

The answer is According to the experts, these cases are rare. Not to mention, both of these people were participating in chili pepper—eating contests, noshing on stuff beyond a reasonable level of spiciness and at an unusually high quantity and rate. But if you are participating in a contest, be mindful of your body and stop if you start to feel sick.

The only group Currie actively warns not to eat his hottest peppers is children, especially if they are under the age of 8 or not used to spicy food. So why does spicy food still send some adults to the hospital? The fiery effects of capsaicin in the body can feel pretty shocking, or even scary.

There have been claims of extremely hot peppers causing people to feel numb or hallucinate. Even if you know that the pain will go away after a period of time, it can still be a horrible experience. So yes, people may end up seeking medical care when the heat feels unbearable. What happens at the hospital? Not much, according to the experts. This applies to people who have eaten hot peppers and those who have Yes, that is a thing. And keep it out of your eyes, too.

Wear plastic gloves while handling and preparing peppers, and after carefully removing them, wash your hands with soap before touching anything, especially your face. But if the worst happens and you accidentally eat a hotter-than-normal meal or a fiery pepper, try to stay calm — the burning sensation will pass. One explanation is a theory called benign masochism , coined by Dr. Paul Rozin , professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. It refers to situations in which humans are able to enjoy experiences that are initially negative — like the burn of a chili pepper or the stomach-flipping sensation of riding a rollercoaster.

It helps if there are social pressures, like everyone in your family or friends eating spicy food. It also helps if the spicy food is also delicious. Some people are just better able to tolerate the pain, either because they were raised on spicy food or they eat it frequently. So yes, you can teach yourself to love spicy food. As for people who participate in hot pepper—eating contests, they may have a high tolerance for heat but also a desire for the thrill that drives them to sign up for something they know will hurt.

Others, perhaps, do it to show off.