Hot spices like chili peppers have an abundance of healthful substances, including vitamins and antioxidants. They add rich flavor to your diet without many extra calories. People with hemorrhoids may hesitate to eat spicy foods out of fear that they will aggravate hemorrhoidal pain and itching or lead to rectal bleeding. While there is evidence that spices alone do not cause bleeding hemorrhoids, spicy foods may lead to stomach upset that intensifies hemorrhoid problems.
Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids are swollen veins in the anus or rectum, which can tear due to diarrhea or constipation, resulting in bleeding into the toilet or blood on toilet paper, according to Columbia University Health Services. Both internal and external hemorrhoids can be painful and may itch, burn, hurt and rupture, causing bleeding if scratched or strained. A 2006 study by Italian researchers determined that red hot chili pepper powder had no effect whatsoever on formation or aggravation of hemorrhoids, according to a report published in the medical journal "Diseases of the Colon and Rectum." However, some people find that nuts, spicy food, coffee and alcohol make hemorrhoids worse, according to New York University Medical Center, and should avoid these based on personal observation.
Diarrhea
An excess of capsaicin, the fiery component of hot peppers and pepper-based sauces, can cause severe diarrhea. Sugary or spicy foods, as well as greasy fried foods, can bring on or worsen a bout of diarrhea, according to St. Louis University Cancer Center. Diarrhea, especially if it is chronic, can cause or aggravate bleeding hemorrhoids. If your stomach is sensitive to spicy foods, they may set off an incident of gastric distress, but often it is the grease underlying the spicy sauces -- such as a fried steak topped with fried hot peppers and onions -- that causes the diarrhea.
Constipation
Diets high in fatty foods, such as meats and cheese, are the most common cause of constipation, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. If the spicy foods you consume fit this definition -- for example, chicken wings with a butter-based hot sauce dipped in blue cheese dressing -- they may cause constipation, which in turn may contribute to bleeding hemorrhoids. In this case, it's not the hot peppers and spices that contribute to the hemorrhoid complications but the underlying fatty foods. Spicy foods that are low in fat and rich in fiber, such as a burrito containing black beans, rice and vegetables along with the hot sauce and chili peppers, should help avoid constipation and not contribute to bleeding hemorrhoids.
Considerations and Warnings
There are many potential causes of rectal bleeding. While hemorrhoids along with anal fissures or a small cut may be painful, they are also relatively harmless. However, rectal bleeding may also signify more serious health conditions such as an ulcer, cancer, cirrhosis or Crohn's disease, according to Columbia University Health Services. If you notice blood from the rectum after eating spicy foods or more often than on rare occasions, see your physician to rule out any serious negative health conditions. Drinking plenty of water can also help ease the symptoms of either constipation or diarrhea that may be at the root of bleeding hemorrhoids, so drink plenty of water whenever you consume spicy foods to help your digestion and excretion processes work properly.
References
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Constipation
- CNN.com; There's More to Hot Sauce Than Just Heat; Dr. Sanjay Gupta; Jan. 25, 2007
- St. Louis University Cancer Center; Diarrhea; Christina Popp, RD LD
- Columbia University Health Services: Hot Sauce -- Appetizing But Anally Aggravating?
- New York University Healthwise; Hemmorhoids; Monica Rhodes; Sept. 29, 2008
- New York University Langone Medical Center: Hemmorhoids
