When we usually think of the effect of hot peppers on our bodies, the unbearable intensity comes to mind. We imagine a mouth that burns like a thousand suns... a tongue that feels like it was dipped in lava... sweat coming from every pore.... a burning desire to drink a gallon of milk. In other words, eating hot peppers is for masochists.

But is that the entire story?

Can Cayenne pepper lower blood pressure?

In 2009, I realized something was wrong with my heart health. I would periodically experience intense chest pains and could not figure out what was going on. After explaining the situation to my doctor and going through some tests, he concluded that I had a form of high blood pressure called hypertension. Apparently it runs in the family... and now I've been hit. Then he told me the worst part: uncontrolled hypertension can lead to heart failure.

The doctor prescribed a drug that claimed to lower blood pressure -- but knowing the risks of side effects, I was not too excited about this option. I took the prescription for a while, but after a few months, I knew I wanted an alternative.

I began to research natural remedies for high blood pressure online and came across cayenne pepper. Several natural medicine experts said regularly consuming it could lower blood pressure... and it was certainly cheaper than prescription medication.

So I decided to try it out. I bought a bottle of cayenne pepper capsules and took 2 pills every day with food.

And the results?

Within a week, the chest pains were gone! I was amazed. It felt so good to fall asleep at night without pain.

But was my hypertension actually improving?

A few weeks later, I went to my local blood bank to give blood... and my blood pressure reading came back 10 points lower than the last test a few months before.

While that gave me even more hope, I was still skeptical. The lower reading could be the result of an inaccurate meter or other issues. I needed more data to make a connection between the readings and the cayenne pepper -- and show that its effects are real.

Over the next 12 months, I continued to take cayenne daily, and I continued to give blood at the blood bank and get my blood pressure tested every time. With each reading, by blood pressure continued to drop.

The blood bank keeps records of each donor's blood pressure readings online, and when I logged in to my account I could see the change in my blood pressure over time. It dropped 25 points in less than 12 months!

The screenshot below is my blood pressure record from the blood bank.

And here is the data in chart format:

That change occurred without any other significant changes to my diet and exercise routine. As long as I included cayenne pepper in my daily regimen, my healthy blood pressure was maintained.

A Scientific Pathway to Change

So, is my experience a fluke, or is there some scientific basis for it? According to Science Daily, a lab study put the theory to the test in 2010 - with a promising outcome.

In the study, rats with hypertension who were fed a regular diet of capsaicin, the compound that makes peppers hot, experienced reduced blood pressure.

Even though the study was not performed on humans, it demonstrates the potential link between cayenne pepper and reduced blood pressure that has changed by health for the better.

Cayenne Consumption Tips

My favorite way to eat cayenne pepper is to sprinkle a dash of cayenne powder on meals -- it adds the perfect kick.

However, to get the maximum health benefit from cayenne pepper, I prefer to take cayenne in capsules so that the capsaicin is able to enter my digestive and circulatory system more effectively.

If you choose to go the capsule route, I strongly recommend taking cayenne pepper only after a meal. Consuming cayenne pepper pills on an empty stomach can cause temporary stomach pain.

If you have experienced health benefits from cayenne or other peppers, please feel free to tell your story in the comments below. I would love your feedback.

Sources:

Hypertension and heart failure: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/LearnHowHBPHarmsYourHealth/How-High-Blood-Pressure-Can-Lead-to-Heart-Failure_UCM_490534_Article.jsp

Cayenne lab study: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100803132734.htm)

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