Hot Chilli Receptors In Stomach Unlock Feelings Of Fullness

First Posted: Aug 19, 2015 09:16 AM EDT

No. It's not some new diet fad.

According to a recent findings published in the journal PLOS ONE, literally "spicing" up your diet could help with feelings of fullness and weight loss.

Researchers at the University of Adelaide discovered that a high-fat diet may impair important receptors located in the stomach that signal satiety. In this most recent study, the University's Centre for Nutrition and Gastrointestinal Diseases investigated the association between hot chilli pepper receptors (TRPV1) in the stomach and the feeling of fullness, in laboratory studies.

"The stomach stretches when it is full, which activates nerves in the stomach to tell the body that it has had enough food. We found that this activation is regulated through hot chilli pepper or TRPV1 receptors," Associate Professor Amanda Page, Senior Research Fellow in the University of Adelaide's School of Medicine and lead author on the paper, said in a news release.

"It is known from previous studies that capsaicin, found in hot chillies, reduces food intake in humans. And what we've discovered is that deletion of TRPV1 receptors dampens the response of gastric nerves to stretch -- resulting in a delayed feeling of fullness and the consumption of more food. Therefore part of the effect of capsaicin on food intake may be mediated via the stomach.
"We also found that TRPV1 receptors can be disrupted in high fat diet induced obesity," she added.

Researchers also noted that the findings could help inform further studies, along with the development of new therapies.

The current worldwide epidemic of obesity shows that nearly one third of the world's population is obese, according to the World Health Organization. Information regarding these and other dietary methods could be extremely helpful for those in desperate need of weight-loss--both for fighting chronic conditions and to extend their life.

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TagsHealth, Human, Obesity, Food, Hot, Heat, Chilli, fat, diet, Receptors, University of Adelaide, Researchers, Impair, PLOS ONE, Journal, University's Centre for Nutrition