Burn Fat With Red Pepper?

Does supplementation with red pepper increase energy expenditure and support weight loss?

Overview

• What did they test? This study is a meta-analysis examining the effects of capsaicin/red pepper supplementation on energy expenditure and appetite in both short and long-term studies and in participants that did and did not restrict their calorie intake. 
• What did they find? The findings of this study showed that red pepper supplementation did not significantly affect energy expenditure but did enhance fat oxidation and decrease appetite during calorie restriction. 
• What does it mean for you? Supplementing with culinary doses of red pepper may lead to a modest improvement in fullness and fat oxidation during calorie restriction. It may be worthwhile to consider adding spice to your meals, but it is important to note that these effects are quite modest, and cannot replace a good diet and exercise program.

What’s the Problem?

Obesity is a health epidemic that is overburdening the healthcare system in the US 1. Combating obesity has proven to be challenging and requires multi-factorial efforts to promote either increased energy expenditure or reduced energy intake. Dietary approaches focused on reducing calorie intake are challenging, and there is a need for simple nutrition or lifestyle approaches that may shift energy balance in a negative direction. 

Previous research has shown that capsaicin, a compound in red pepper, can improve body composition through several mechanisms 2. Capsaicin activates transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), a potential anti-obesity target due to its ability to increase lipid oxidation, inhibit adipogenesis, induce thermogenesis, and suppress appetite 2.

A previous meta-analysis concluded that capsaicin did increase energy expenditure 3. However, this study was published in 2012 and included only studies published up to 2010. There is a need for an updated meta-analysis covering more recent studies to determine if the effects of capsicin are dependent on dose, duration, or other factors.

Purpose

Capsaicin, an ingredient in red pepper, has been shown to improve fat oxidation, reduce energy intake, and improve energy expenditure in previous research. The findings from these studies are mixed, so the purpose of this study was to conduct an up-to-date meta-analysis of the available research on red pepper and energy expenditure and fullness during energy restriction, and determine if there is an effect and if it is dose, duration, or dietary intake. 

Hypothesis

The authors did not present a hypothesis in this paper. 

What Did They Test and How?