Abstract
Medical management of obesity represents a large unmet clinical need. Animal experiments suggest a therapeutic potential for dietary capsaicin, the pungent ingredient in hot chili peppers, to lose weight. This is an attractive theory since capsaicin has been a culinary staple for thousands of years and is generally deemed safe when consumed in hedonically acceptable, restaurant-like doses. This review critically evaluates the available experimental and clinical evidence for and against capsaicin as a weight control agent and comes to the conclusion that capsaicin is not a magic “exercise in a pill”, although there is emerging evidence that it may help restore a healthy gut microbiota.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
