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Comparison of Capsaicin and Capsiate’s Effects at a Meal

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Chemosensory Perception

Abstract

Introduction

Capsaicin, the major pungent component of hot peppers, promotes negative energy balance; however, many individuals avoid capsaicin-containing foods due to pungency. Capsiate, a capsaicin analog found in CH-19 sweet peppers, is a non-pungent alternative that promotes negative energy balance when consumed as an encapsulated supplement. No studies have investigated capsiate’s effects on energy balance when consumed orally with a meal. This randomized cross-over trial’s purpose was to compare effects of capsaicin and capsiate consumed orally at a meal.

Methods

Participants were 24 healthy, lean individuals. Following capsaicin (2 mg), capsiate (2 mg), or control (no pepper) meals, appetitive sensations were recorded at 30-min intervals for 4.5 h, and blood pressure was taken every 15 min for 1 h. Energy intake was recorded at an ad libitum challenge meal (4.5 h after test meals) and self-reported for the remainder of the day.

Results

All meals were neutral to liked (≥3.2 on a 5-point category scale). The flavor of the control was better liked than the capsaicin-containing meal (p = 0.022). Purchase intent for similarly flavored restaurant meals was neutral to likely (≥2.9 on a 5-point category scale), with participants tending to prefer the capsiate or control meals (p = 0.066). Appetite, blood pressure, and energy intake did not vary between meals.

Conclusions

This suggests that meals with low capsaicin and capsiate doses are acceptable and unlikely to cause unfavorable effects. Lack of metabolic changes could be related to dose, insufficient power to stratify by habitual spicy food intake, or that capsaicin and capsiate are not effective stimuli.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation McCormick Science Institute Research Award. Ground CH-19 sweet pepper was donated by Ajinomoto. The contents of this manuscript are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the McCormick Science Institute, or Ajinomoto.

Compliance with Ethical Standards

ᅟ

Conflict of Interest

Mary-Jon Ludy has received research grants from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation and McCormick Science Institute. Jenna Swint, Katrina Beining, Jennifer Bryant, and Robin Tucker declare no conflicts of interest.

Funding

This study was funded by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation’s McCormick Science Institute Research Award.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Family and Consumer Sciences, Bowling Green State University, 16G Family and Consumer Sciences Building, Bowling Green, OH, 43403, USA

    Jenna M. Swint, Katrina M. Beining, Jennifer A. Bryant & Mary-Jon Ludy

  2. Department of Public and Allied Health, Bowling Green State University, 136 Health Center, Bowling Green, OH, 43403, USA

    Robin M. Tucker

Authors
  1. Jenna M. Swint
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  2. Katrina M. Beining
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Correspondence to Mary-Jon Ludy.

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Swint, J.M., Beining, K.M., Bryant, J.A. et al. Comparison of Capsaicin and Capsiate’s Effects at a Meal. Chem. Percept. 8, 174–182 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12078-015-9188-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12078-015-9188-5

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