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Richard Ofori‐Asenso, Mohammad Ali Mohsenpour, Mehran Nouri | Angiology | (2021)
Primary Link Pubmed DOI Openalex

Abstract

= 72.2%). In conclusion, available epidemiological studies suggest that the consumption of spicy chilli food is associated with reduced risk of all-cause as well as heart disease-related mortality. Further studies in different populations are needed to confirm this association.

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Plain English Takeaway

Eating spicy chili foods may help people live longer and lower their chances of dying from heart disease, but more research is needed to be sure.

Study Aim

The main goal of this paper is to find out if eating spicy chili foods is linked to a lower risk of dying from any cause or from heart disease. The authors want to see if people who eat these foods live longer or have fewer heart-related deaths compared to those who do not. Simply put: The study asks if eating spicy chili foods helps people live longer or avoid dying from heart problems.

Study Design

The authors conduct a meta-analysis (a study that combines results from several previous studies) using data from prospective cohort studies (long-term studies that follow groups of people over time). They look at how often people eat spicy chili foods and compare death rates from all causes and from heart disease. The analysis includes studies from different countries and populations to see if there is a consistent pattern. Simply put: The researchers combined results from several long-term studies to see if people who eat spicy chili foods die less often from any cause or from heart disease.

Findings

The research shows that people who eat spicy chili foods have a lower risk of dying from any cause and from heart disease compared to those who eat them less often or not at all. The authors report that this link is seen in different populations, but they also note that more studies are needed to confirm these results in other groups. They suggest that eating spicy chili foods might be a simple way to help reduce the risk of early death, especially from heart problems. Simply put: People who eat spicy chili foods seem to live longer and have fewer deaths from heart disease, but more research is needed to be sure.

Referenced In

Lee Johnson
14 days ago
Health, Fitness, and Nutrition

The Surprising Benefits of Eating Spicy Food

Capsaicin is the molecule that gives chilli peppers their distinctive, spicy kick; a potent irritant found in the fleshy, seed-holding parts of peppers and any dish that has you reaching for the milk after a few bites. But growing evidence links it to reduced all-cause mortality and protection from many specific vascular conditions.

The 2025 Chinese Cohort Study

One study in particular is making the rounds on Reddit and some news outlets: a huge cohort study following 500k adults living in China.

The researchers compared people who eat spicy food less than once a week with people who eat it more often, following up with them for an average of 12 years. They looked for differences in rates of vascular disease, major coronary events, ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, stroke, and non-stroke cerebrovascular disease.

They rated them on how healthy their lifestyles are, and adjusted some models for relevant factors like BMI, drinking and smoking status.

They found some statistically significant benefits to eating more spicy foods:

  • Reduced rates of vascular disease (3 to 5% risk reduction)

  • Lower risk of ischemic heart disease (2 to 5% risk reduction)

  • Lower risk of major coronary events (4 to 13% risk reduction)

  • No significant differences for other conditions

Benefits were more pronounced in people with better lifestyle scores (from better diets, less smoking, less drinking and more exercise), and were confined to people who ate mildly spicy or moderately spicy food (rather than very spicy).

Other Studies with Similar Results

This wasn’t the first study on the topic, either. Other research on 16k American adults found a 13% reduction in all-cause mortality, and a meta-analysis covering studies from four different countries broadly agreed, finding a 12% risk reduction.

Why Capsaicin Might Be Helpful

The research from the Chinese study proposed three possible mechanisms for this benefit:

  1. Capsaicin’s effect on messenger RNA and some specific cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP7A1) results in lower cholesterol.

  2. Its effect on TRPV1 receptors (known as vanniloid or capsaicin receptors) helps regulate vascular tone.

  3. It reduces the level of an oxidative stress marker (MDA) and boosts superoxide dismutase, increasing the antioxidant capacity of blood vessels.

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