{"id":35298,"date":"2022-11-16T14:22:53","date_gmt":"2022-11-16T13:22:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/?p=35298"},"modified":"2026-11-03T17:11:40","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T16:11:40","slug":"capsaicin-for-athletes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/capsaicin-for-athletes\/","title":{"rendered":"Capsaicin for athletes: everything you should know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Capsaicin <\/span>is attracting attention<\/b> for its potential role in <\/span>improving sporting performance<\/b><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

How might that work?<\/span><\/p>\n

Read on to find out.<\/span><\/p>\n

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What is capsaicin?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Capsaicin <\/span>is an active compound<\/b> in <\/span>hot peppers<\/b>. It produces a<\/span>burning sensation<\/b> when eaten, which is why these peppers are used to add heat to dishes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Interestingly, mammals experience this characteristic burning sensation, while birds, for example, are not affected in the same way.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy should I care about peppers?\u201d you might ask. \u201cI came here to <\/span>improve my body composition<\/b><\/a> and boost my <\/span>performance,<\/b> not make a taco.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Capsaicin <\/span>could still interest you<\/b> because it may influence your <\/span>sporting performance<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

If tacos also appeal, the<\/span> INDYA sports nutrition app<\/b><\/a> offers<\/b> <\/span>7000+ recipes<\/b> that one of our<\/span> nutritionist<\/b>s can incorporate into your weekly plan.<\/span><\/p>\n

Did someone say tacos for dinner?<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Trail<\/p>\n

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Potential benefits of capsaicin<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Studies have reported <\/span>ergogenic effects<\/b> in <\/span>high-intensity exercise<\/b> involving<\/span> strength and endurance<\/b>. In other words, there is evidence that it could <\/span>improve performance<\/b> in these training settings.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reported effects include <\/span>delayed fatigue<\/b>, <\/span>reduced perception of pain<\/b> through potential <\/span>analgesic effects<\/b>, and improved <\/span>explosive or endurance performance.<\/b><\/p>\n

Proposed mechanisms involve the <\/span>stimulatory effect of capsaicin<\/b> on <\/span>transient receptor potential vanilloid 1<\/b> (TRPV1) and <\/span>epinephrine<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

– <\/span>TRPV1 receptors<\/b> occur in <\/span>muscle cells<\/b>. Stimulating them can increase <\/span>calcium release<\/b> within the muscle, supporting <\/span>contraction and reducing fatigue<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

– <\/span>TRPV1 receptors<\/b> are also found near the<\/span> neuromuscular junction<\/b>. Stimulation may have a <\/span>modulatory effect<\/b>, increasing <\/span>acetylcholine release<\/b>. This<\/span> neurotransmitter<\/b> has an <\/span>excitatory effect<\/b> on <\/span>muscle contraction<\/b>. Acetylcholine is essential for <\/span>contracting muscles<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Cyclist<\/p>\n

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– The <\/span>analgesic effect<\/b> is also linked to<\/span> calcium release in muscle cells<\/b>. A <\/span>calcium overload<\/b> can inhibit <\/span>nerve endings in these cells<\/b> and thereby <\/span>reduce pain perception<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

– An <\/span>increase in fatty acid oxidation<\/b> has also been reported. <\/span>Capsaicin<\/b> appears to increase<\/span> epinephrine, or adrenaline, release<\/b>, increasing <\/span>uptake<\/b> and use of <\/span>free fatty acids<\/b> by muscles. Studies also report effects on genes involved in <\/span>fatty acid oxidation<\/b>. This could improve <\/span>switching between energy sources<\/b> and prolong <\/span>muscle glycogen availability<\/b>, potentially supporting <\/span>endurance capacity<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Which foods contain capsaicin?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Capsaicin is found in <\/span>hot peppers, chillies and other spicy Capsicum varieties<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

For another spicy recipe idea, try this <\/span>blackberry and ginger frapp\u00e9<\/b><\/a>.<\/b><\/p>\n

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\"Blackberry<\/p>\n

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Capsaicin in an athlete’s diet<\/span><\/h2>\n

How might <\/span>capsaicin<\/b> help an athlete?<\/span><\/p>\n

Its possible effects on <\/span>muscle function and contraction<\/b> are relevant to people who enjoy training.<\/span><\/p>\n

If your goal is to improve <\/span>endurance capacity<\/b>, it may also be relevant to training adaptations.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Do you need capsaicin supplements?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Although food sources exist, would you want every meal to be spicy?<\/span><\/p>\n

The effective dose is not firmly established, and obtaining it from food might involve large quantities of chillies. Fortunately, capsaicin is not an essential nutrient needed for normal function.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you are considering it for a <\/span>potential performance benefit<\/b>, discuss <\/span>capsaicin<\/b> with a professional. Controlled supplementation is available in <\/span>capsule or powder form<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like other <\/span>supplements<\/b>, it is the finishing touch, or chilli on top. Without a sound nutritional foundation, additional effects will be limited. Once that foundation is in place, it may be worth considering for specific performance goals.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Capsaicin<\/p>\n

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Side effects of capsaicin<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Promising benefits are no reason to take excessive supplements. An <\/span>excessive dose<\/b> can cause <\/span>stomach pain, bloating and diarrhoea<\/b>, depending on individual tolerance.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Putting it together<\/span><\/h2>\n

Still unsure whether this<\/span> supplement<\/b> could help you?<\/span><\/p>\n

Keep it simple<\/span><\/i>: a <\/span>sports nutritionist<\/b><\/a> can advise on both your meals and a supplement plan tailored to your activity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Explore our <\/span>subscription options<\/b> and let us make nutrition easier.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What is capsaicin, and how might it affect sporting performance? Our nutritionists explain.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":18085,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[213],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35298","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nutrition"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35298","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35298"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35298\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35642,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35298\/revisions\/35642"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18085"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35298"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35298"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35298"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}