The Truth About 6 Possible Benefits of Drinking Cayenne Pepper Water

Adding a little spice to your diet can boost your health. Research has shown many health benefits of capsaicin, the active ingredient in cayenne pepper. But that doesn't necessarily mean you'll get all that goodness from drinking cayenne pepper water.

Cayenne pepper water usually refers to a mixture of water, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice, served warm or iced. It may not hurt to try, but more research is needed to assess the benefits.

About Cayenne Pepper and Capsaicin

Cayenne pepper is better known for adding a kick to many savory dishes rather than drinks. But in recent years, celebrities such as quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Beyonce have publicly sworn by its reported health benefits, which include pain relief and weight loss.

But can a few sips of pepper powder really do all that?

The benefits of cayenne pepper stem from the active component, a chemical compound known as capsaicin. Cayenne pepper typically has about 2,500 micrograms of capsaicin per gram of powdered red pepper, according to research published in 2017 in ‌Folia Veterinaria‌.

Large amounts of capsaicin could be toxic, but the amount found in cayenne is so small that drinking cayenne pepper water shouldn't cause much harm. In preliminary animal research, rodents benefited from capsaicin intakes that made up less than 1 percent of their diets. The researchers, writing in ‌Open Heart‌ in June 2015, hypothesized that dosages in the range of 20 to 40 milligrams may be appropriate for most people, though more studies are needed to determine safe levels for humans.

This suggested range is more than most people would naturally eat, especially those who don't enjoy or tolerate spicy foods. The hotness of cayenne pepper is measured by the Scoville heat scale, which evaluates the heat units of the peppers according to the amount of capsaicin they contain. Pure capsaicin is at the top of the scale with 16 million heat units, and bell peppers have zero. Cayenne pepper has 5,000 to 25,000 heat units, according to the American Chemical Society, and is considered at the top end of "mild" peppers.

Depending on your tolerance, too much cayenne can cause mouth pain and gastric upset. You may find it most comfortable to gradually add cayenne pepper drinks to your diet. Keep in mind, cayenne can aggravate acid reflux, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. If you're familiar with heartburn, you may need to skip this peppery drink.

If you can stomach it, here are the potential benefits of cayenne pepper water you might expect.

1. It Provides Antioxidants

Cayenne pepper — and other brightly colored produce — is rich in antioxidants, which are natural plant compounds that help fight off damage to our cells, according to a review published in July 2016 in ‌Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition‌.

Regularly drinking beverages and eating foods that are high in antioxidants reduces your risk of developing heart disease and certain types of cancers, according to Cleveland Clinic.

2. It May Quell Your Appetite

Cayenne pepper can act as an appetite suppressant, reducing hunger so you eat less and feel full for longer. A review in Biologia Futura found that capsaicin and pepper extract can reduce the sensation of hunger, which may help ward off overeating.

3. It May Support Weight Loss

Cayenne pepper water is often touted as a drink for fast weight loss. And while there is some evidence linking capsaicin and fat breakdown, it's not exactly a quick fix.

After reviewing 15 randomized controlled trials, a meta-analysis in The British Journal of Nutrition reported that supplementing with capsaicin resulted in modest success in reducing weight, waist circumference, and BMI in those who were overweight or had obesity.

That said, exactly how much cayenne pepper water you'd need to drink to have a positive effect isn't clear, and you'd also need to make changes to your overall diet, according to Cleveland Clinic. Plus, there are healthier, more sustainable ways to lose weight.

4. It Might Improve Digestion

Cayenne pepper may help improve your digestive health. The paper in ‌Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition‌ also concluded that cayenne pepper is a powerful gastrointestinal stimulant that can increase your digestive tract's ability to receive and process micronutrients. The capsaicin in cayenne also boosts gastric blood flow.

A review in the ‌Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine‌ noted other GI benefits of capsaicin, including stimulation of digestion. But the researchers emphasized that more research is needed to determine the right dosage of cayenne to provide these benefits in general, let alone in cayenne water form.

5. It May Protect Your Heart

Cayenne pepper water may have cardiovascular perks, as it can help dilate blood vessels. This makes blood flow more freely, boosting circulation.

Animal studies, such as research published in June 2015 in ‌Open Heart‌, suggest this blood vessel dilation may discourage plaque formation that can lead to clogged arteries. But it's not clear yet how these results translate to humans and how much cayenne pepper water you'd need to drink to get the benefits.

6. It Possibly Reduces Pain

When applied directly to the skin, capsaicin creams can decrease pain for people with arthritis and muscle injuries, according to Mayo Clinic. But research has not been conducted on drinking cayenne pepper water for similar benefits. Even though some people tout pain relief as a benefit of pepper water, there are no studies that support this.

The Takeaway

• Cayenne pepper water may deliver potential benefits, but there is only minimal research supporting these benefits, and most of it is preliminary and focused instead on the perks of capsaicin.
• There are currently no official recommendations for the best way to take cayenne — whether through water, capsules, or another means — or the amount to take.