Therapeutic Effects Of Cayenne Pepper

Capsicum frutescens, commonly referred to as cayenne pepper, is a shrub that grows in tropical and subtropical climates. Its hollow berries grow into long red, orange or yellow pods when they ripen and are eaten raw, cooked, dried or powdered. Cayenne has been used medicinally for thousands of years and can be taken orally as a spice or in capsule form, or applied topically as a cream for a variety of health promoting purposes. As with starting any new treatments, consult your doctor before using cayenne pepper for treatment of any condition.

Nutritional Benefits

The primary active ingredient in cayenne is capsaicin, the substance responsible for cayenne's characteristic hot, spicy flavor as well as for cayenne's pain-relieving properties. Cayenne has additional beneficial nutrients, however, and it is a source of amino acids, essential fatty acids; the minerals calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium and zinc; as well as vitamins A, B-1, B-5, B-6, C and E. Cayenne also contains numerous phytochemicals, including flavonoids, lutein, citric acid and beta-carotene. Phytochemicals are potent antioxidant compounds found in plants that help to scavenge free radicals and prevent and treat disease in humans.

List of Therapeutic Effects

Cayenne has been used traditionally as an oral remedy for digestive problems, poor appetite and circulatory problems, states the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMM. Phyllis Balch adds in her book "Prescription for Nutritional Healing" that cayenne promotes heart, kidney, lung, pancreas, spleen and stomach health, and helps to ward off colds, sinus infections and sore throats. Additional purported uses for cayenne include the treatment of diarrhea, colic, headaches, motion sickness, muscle spasm, burning mouth syndrome and high cholesterol. In addition, cayenne helps to temporarily boost the metabolism by increasing the body's production of heat. It also might help to regulate blood sugar levels, and is being studied as a potential weight loss aid.

Topical Benefits

Cayenne has potent pain-relieving properties when applied topically and is sold as a cream for the treatment of shingles, arthritis, back pain, fibromyalgia, psoriasis and muscle pain, and for the reduction of post-surgery pain. For the best results, UMM recommends choosing a cream that contains at least 0.075 percent capsaicin and applying it directly to the affected area up to four times daily. Cayenne also is used as a gargle for the treatment of laryngitis. Finally, administering capsaicin by the nose might help to relieve severe one-sided headaches, known as cluster headaches, but UMM warns that such treatment should be done only under the supervision of a health care professional.

Precautions

Cayenne might cause sweating, flushing, stomach irritation, or stomach pain, and can interact with certain medications, including aspirin and blood-thinning drugs. Cayenne passes into breast milk and nursing women should not consume cayenne. Cayenne is generally considered safe when consumed as a food, but as with any supplement you should talk to your health care practitioner before taking cayenne supplements.