Cayenne & Goldenseal Benefits

Aside from being popular in food for its spicy properties, cayenne is a natural remedy that may help control pain, reduce weight and regulate blood sugar. Though not popular in food, goldenseal is an herbal remedy for skin conditions and digestive problems and may help improve the function of your immune system. As these two herbal remedies have a variety of potentially overlapping health benefits, taking goldenseal with cayenne can help boost the benefits of both.

Goldenseal

The primary active compound in goldenseal is berberine, which has potential immune-boosting and antiseptic properties. Despite the human body's low potential to absorb the berberine in goldenseal, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports that it may be used medicinally. Among its numerous potential effects, goldenseal can promote the healing of wounds due to its antiseptic properties, reduce pain due to sore throats and may boost white blood cell activity.

Cayenne

Due to its widespread use in cooking and medicine around the world, cayenne's potential medicinal properties are well explored. Capsaicin, the compound that gives cayenne its spicy flavor, can help you lose weight by increasing the amount of heat that your body emits. It also helps regulate the breakdown of carbohydrates, thus helping reduce surges in blood sugar levels. When applied to the skin, cayenne can reduce pain due to arthritis, nerve problems, post-surgical discomfort and general lower back pain.

Wounds

Taking cayenne and goldenseal together can ease and speed up your recovery from wounds. As goldenseal can improve white blood cell activity and serves as an antiseptic, it can reduce your risk of infection and reduce the time it takes to heal. With a variety of antioxidants and small amounts of vitamin C, cayenne can further improve these immune and healing benefits. In addition, as both compounds provide pain relief, using cayenne and goldenseal topically can make your transition to recovery both quicker and less painful.

Cardiovascular Health

In addition to its effects on blood sugar levels, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports that cayenne can help reduce your risk of heart disease by clearing plaque buildups in your blood vessels. According to nutrition experts Peggy Stanfield and Dr. Y. H. Hui in their 2009 book "Nutrition and Diet Therapy: Self-Instructional Approaches," goldenseal can improve cardiovascular health by helping blood vessels dilate. By clearing and dilating blood vessels, the combined effects of goldenseal and cayenne can help improve your blood flow and reduce your risk of future cardiovascular health issues.