A new way to spell relief

Far worse than the garden variety indigestion that we all endure every so often, dyspepsia is a chronic stomach pain with no clear cause – and no clear cure. Over the years, there have been many different schools of thought on treating it, and many different treatment approaches, both conventional and alternative. Now, Italian researchers are suggesting another way to treat dyspepsia that may surprise you.
Spicy condiment actually cuts indigestion symptoms in half

In a recent letter to the editors of the New England Journal of Medicine, three Italian doctors describe how they were able to reduce patients’ reported dyspepsia symptoms by more than half – by prescribing red pepper powder. In a study of 30 patients with functional dyspepsia, half of the participants received a placebo, while the other half took 2.5 grams of red pepper powder each day (divided into capsules taken before each of three meals). Both groups took their respective treatments for five weeks, and rated their symptoms each day on a scale of zero to three (higher scores indicated more severe symptoms).

By the third week, the red pepper group showed a significant advantage over the control group. And by week five, the pepper group’s symptoms had declined 60 percent from their baseline scores – while the control group’s scores had only decreased about half as much. The symptom scores included ratings for pain, a feeling of fullness, nausea, and an overall score. The red pepper powder produced significant gains in all four areas.
Arthritis favorite beats abdominal pain

The doctors speculate that the relief is related to capsaicin, a phytochemical that occurs naturally in red peppers (also known as cayenne peppers). Capsaicin, a popular ingredient in arthritis creams and ointments, is known to selectively impair the activity of fibers that carry pain sensations to the central nervous system.

But using it to treat indigestion is a new idea – and it flies in the face of conventional wisdom. Most people think that spicy foods aggravate indigestion-prone stomachs. And the amount used in this study is a significant amount. According to a New York Times article on the study, the daily dose of red pepper capsules is equivalent to eating two or three spicy meals a day.

According to the study, each gram of the red pepper powder contained .7 mg of capsaicin, which means each patient in the experimental group received a 1.75 mg dose of the active ingredient each day.

Red pepper powder is not for everyone, however. In this study, the doctors excluded patients that had gastroesophageal reflux or irritable bowel syndrome. And the authors caution people to check with their doctors before trying red pepper powder, to ensure that they do not have any underlying gastric disorders.

But if you get the ok, you can get red pepper powder at just about any health food store or vitamin supplier. If you’re searching online, make sure you search by “cayenne.” However, be aware that the products we saw all contained capsules with at least 450 mg of red pepper powder, so you would need to take more than five of them to get the gram dose used in this study. As an alternative, you can use plain red pepper or cayenne powder; teaspoon equals about 2.5 g, the amount used in the study.* Use it in cooking, dissolve it in hot water and drink, or buy plain gelatin capsules at a pharmacy and fill them yourself.

And if you just can’t get your hands around the idea of using cayenne to soothe your stomach, you may want to consider another product that HSI has recommended before. Potter’s Acidosis is an herbal blend that’s been widely used in Europe for years. We first wrote about it back in the December 10, 2001 e-Alert, and in more detail in the February 2002 issue of the Members Alert newsletter. Follow the links at the end of this e-Alert to read either of those, and learn more about how Potter’s Acidosis may help you relieve your indigestion pain.

Of course, dyspepsia or any chronic ailment can also be an indication of another underlying illness. So while there are options for relieving your symptoms, you may want to work with your doctor to discover – and treat – the cause.

Copyright 1997-2002 by Institute of Health Sciences, L.L.C.