How Eating Spicy Food Affects Your Brain And Body | The Human Body
1,148,837
Published 2017-10-30
It's all about a chemical compound in peppers called capsaicin. Capsaicin binds to pain receptors on our nerves called TRPV1.
Normally, it reacts to heat by sending warning signals to the brain. Capsaicin causes TRPV1 to send those same signals. So, you react as if there's something hot in your mouth.
Your body tries to cool itself off. So, you start to sweat and your face turns red. At the same time, your eyes tear up and nose runs. This is your body's way of removing the "threat".
After swallowing, the capsaicin binds to more receptors on its way down.
In severe cases, you may develop blisters in the throat, vomit, and even go into anaphylactic shock.
So, why do so many people enjoy spicy food?
In response to the pain, your brain releases endorphins and dopamine. Combined, these chemicals create euphoria similar to "runner's high".
Ultimately, your response to spicy food depends on your tolerance. So, if you're the type who cries over a jalapeรฑo, don't sweat too much.
You can build up a tolerance over time with practice.
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How Eating Spicy Food Affects Your Brain And Body | The Human Body
All Comments (21)
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I love spicy food! But why would anyone eat something so spicy that makes them throw up or have internal blisters. Geez. ๐
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You can feel the spicyness when you poop.
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Now I know why I like to consume something spicy when I'm stress.
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Paying People to Eat the World's Hottest Pepper!
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Who else here is watching this while eating painfully spicy food?
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my white friends after eating a taki ๐
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As an Indian, I enjoy chillies so much. I literally have 3-4 green chillies with every meal ๐
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Glad to see a video pointing out the only reason spicy foods are enjoyed. The endorphin and dopamine. You have to go out of your comfort-zone of spicy tolerance in order to feel this effect. I eat spicy foods til I'm crying, and you literally get a head-rush from it. It's so pleasurable. It's almost like a drug, which is probably why there is a constant fight to get the "spiciest pepper" etc. The pain needs to continue to go higher as tolerances continue to become stronger.
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Horchata with crushed ice is hands down the best extinguisher for spicy food
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"cries after a jalapeno" my god, you need to increase your spice tolerance, a jalapeno should not make you cry
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Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore practically eat spicy food everyday ๐
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Being Mexican American I always enjoy spicy foods since I was 4. I remember feeling all that and asking my mom for more ๐ it's so good!
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I like spicy food because it always helps me clear up my sinuses. Also the spice was awesome.
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I actually thought this channel would make a video about how spicy things affect your body yesterday, and they did!
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Spicy foods are always my go too when managing symptoms of schizoaffective disorder, it helps me so much. I think doctors should really look into this.
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My head tingles when I eat spicy food but it still doesnโt make me hate spicy food! It actually makes me love it even more.
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You can grow a tolerance for spicy food over time, as I did during my years in Singapore. But you can also start developing an allergy to spicy food (bloated + guaranteed diarrhea several hours later) as I also did. No more spicy for me, the aftermath is not worth the dopamine rush ๐
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Asians love spicy food. btw I'm a Filipina ๐
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I'm addicted to spicy food. Jalapenos and hot sauce goes on almost everything I eat.
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me: not gonna stop me from spicy foods!
