Editor’s Note: This article has been reprinted. It was originally published on May 15, 2017.
Research has recently discovered that hot peppers may help soothe your gut when you’re suffering from: inflammatory bowel disease IBD should not be confused with inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS), a less serious functional disorder that does not cause ulcers or intestinal damage as IBD does.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an autoimmune condition that can lead to serious consequences. There are currently approximately 3 million Americans living with IBD, with approximately 70,000 new cases diagnosed each year.1 This figure is nearly three times previous estimates, and may be due to a combination of rising rates and improved diagnostic criteria.
Increased incidence rates may be related to genetic factors, environmental factors, diet, and changes in your lifestyle. gut microbiomeResearch has shown that your body’s microbiome is so important that doctors may use it as a diagnostic tool.2
While improving your microbiome plays an important role in reducing or eliminating symptoms, capsaicin and endocannabinoids may also play a role in reducing symptoms by controlling your neuroimmune axis.3 Before we understand how it works, it helps to understand the case.
What is inflammatory bowel disease?
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammation of part or all of the intestine that can lead to ulcers, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and weight loss. The condition is often debilitating and can be life-threatening. There are two different types of IBD — Crohn’s disease Ulcerative colitis (UC). Both types of IBD are more common in developed countries, while former smokers and non-smokers are more likely to have ulcerative colitis, and smokers are more likely to have Crohn’s disease.
People with ulcerative colitis often have sores and inflammation in the lining of their large intestine, while Crohn’s disease is a disease that affects the entire digestive system. Doctors believe your symptoms are the result of a widespread, repetitive immune response centered in your intestines.4
Your immune system mistakes substances in your gut as foreign and sends out white blood cells that cause inflammation.5 Without significant changes to your lifestyle, symptoms continue to worsen and affect your quality of life.
Unfortunately, symptoms are often associated with stigma, fear, and isolation, which has led to the condition being relatively hidden and people suffering in silence. While there is no real cure for the condition, there are strategies that may reduce or eliminate symptoms.
Why might hot peppers help calm your gut?
Research has found that when mice were fed CapsaicinAnd when they consumed chili peppers, the substance in them that makes them “hot,” they had less inflammation in their gut — and some even reversed type 1 diabetes in a mouse model.6 Researchers have discovered that capsaicin acts on receptors, causing local production of anandamide.
Anandamide works through the cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) which increases the number and function of immune phagocytes in your gut. You have endocannabinoids or endocannabinoids that are produced in your system from glycerophospholipids. Anandamide is an endocannabinoid in your gut.
It controls your appetite and energy balance through the nervous system in the gut. This study reveals the immune role that anandamide and endocannabinoids play in regulating immune tolerance in the gut,7 And in maintaining the immune balance between the nervous system and the immune system.
After the discovery of endogenous cannabinoid production in the mid-2000s, a large number of studies were conducted to explore the regulatory system and function, with scientists hoping to come up with a pharmaceutical approach to health.8
The reactions in the endocannabinoid system are very similar to those in the brain, as your gut contains a very large nervous system that is affected by the endocannabinoids produced after eating chili peppers. Researchers wonder if people who use edible cannabis might experience the same relief.9
What is cannabidiol (CBD)?
The cannabis plant, commonly known as marijuana, contains two main active ingredients. The most well-known molecule is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is known for its psychoactive properties that make people feel high or euphoric.10 The second chemical compound found in the cannabis plant is cannabidiol (CBD). This compound does not cause psychoactive effects but still affects your body. CBD may actually counteract the psychoactive effects of THC.11
The amount of THC and CBD present in the plant depends on the strain. In the past decade, much research has been done to determine the medical effectiveness of CBD in treating certain conditions. There has been promising evidence of positive effects as an antidepressant,12 Anti-inflammatory,13 Antioxidant14 And neuroprotection.15
Medical cannabis oil is often used in oil form, and is extracted from strains of the plant that are specifically grown with high CBD and low THC content. CBD works by binding to cannabinoid receptor cells, some of which are highly concentrated in the nervous system. However, receptors are found in almost every organ in your body.16
Your endocannabinoid system is made up of a mix of endogenous cannabinoids and receptors, which are involved in many of your organ systems. However, the four primary purposes appear to be neuroprotection, immune balance, recovery from stress, and homeostasis.17
Although both THC and CBD are cannabinoids, they interact with your body in different ways. THC interacts with CBD1 receptors, many of which are found in the central nervous system or brain. When combined with its psychoactive properties, this results in a feeling of euphoria.18
CBD results prompt further research
Neurologist Dr. Ethan Russo discussed the difference between THC and CBD and how they interact with your receptors in an interview with Project CBD. He noted that cannabis has been selectively bred over the years to produce high levels of THC to enhance the plant’s psychoactive effects.19
However, medicinal plants that are bred to have high levels of CBD and low levels of THC do not interact with CBD1 receptors in the same way. He explains:
“It doesn’t tend to bind directly to what’s called the orthosteric site where THC binds. Instead, it binds to what’s called the synergistic site, which is another site on the receptor, and thus alters the binding of both THC and the endocannabinoids, or endocannabinoids.
So, cannabidiol is what’s called a negative synergistic regulator, which is a fancy way of saying that when THC is present it interferes with its activity – which is good in terms of wanting a lot of psychoactivity and reducing side effects like anxiety or a rapid heart rate that can be a problem if someone has too much THC.
This difference has fueled a group of “medical cannabis refugees,” who have moved to Colorado in search of medicinal plants that have proven unique and powerful success in treating conditions like Parkinson’s disease.20,21 Obsessive-compulsive disorder.22,23
Over the past decade, the endocannabinoid system has been linked to a number of biological and physiological functions that show increasing promise in the treatment of a wide range of disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease, neuropathic pain, and multiple sclerosis.24
However, despite significant advances in research, the socially unacceptable psychoactive properties of cannabis pose a significant challenge to families seeking treatment. The use of selective receptors could improve treatment options.
How CBD Can Affect Your Gut Health
A study from the University of Vermont found that people who ate hot peppers had a 13% lower risk of death, especially from heart disease or stroke.25 The data indicated that participants benefited from the results of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of capsaicin, especially in the intestine.
as a result of excessive inflammatory response In your intestines there is intestinal damage and disturbances in motility and secretion – the hallmarks of inflammatory bowel disease.26 Since there is no known drug cure yet, the success of treatment methods is measured by the severity of symptoms.
Active inflammation in the intestine may be caused by intestinal glial cells releasing factors, which amplify the immune response.27 This represents an important link between your nervous system and your immune system in your gut. CBD can control these glial cells in your nervous system without any psychological activity, thereby reducing the inflammatory response in the intestinal tract. These findings suggest that CBD meets the criteria for a therapeutic strategy for treating inflammatory bowel disease.28
The gut-brain connection offers a powerful explanation for how your gut health responds to stress and, conversely, why acute or chronic celiac disease can lead to emotional complaints. CBD is increasingly recognized for the important role it plays in healing this neuro-immune axis.29
Finally, the side effect profile of CBD oil and other CBD-containing medications is very low. In fact, the products have fewer side effects than current medications used to treat ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.30,31
Prevention and treatment without drugs
As with most health conditions, prevention is the best cure. Gut bacteria have a powerful influence on the immune system and inflammatory response in the body, as I discuss in the video above.32,33 Individuals with IBD often share an altered microbiome that leads to a prolonged state of inflammation and symptoms.34 Replanting your intestines to achieve a more normal configuration should be at the top of your list to reduce symptoms or prevent the condition.
Fermented, unpasteurized, traditionally cultured foods are full of healthy bacteria and are easy to prepare from scratch at home. Other beneficial foods that are important if you have IBD include:
• Blueberries — These little berries are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber, and research has shown that they may help reduce and protect against inflammation in your gut.35,36 They are rich in polyphenols, which have antimicrobial and antioxidant effects.
When combined with probiotics, Blueberries It may reduce inflammatory bacteria in your gut and increase the amount of beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus. Fiber does not break down in the large intestine, which protects the intestinal lining from substances that cause inflammation.
• Coconut oil — This is a great addition to your overall diet and has anti-inflammatory effects that may help treat injuries to the digestive system.37 Coconut oil It also has antimicrobial properties that may kill microorganisms, including yeast, that can cause chronic inflammation.
• Caprylic acid — This is a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil that is also a powerful antifungal. Dr. Leon Chaito, author of “Candida Albicans: Could Yeast Be Your Problem?” recommends it instead of antifungal medications to treat candida overgrowth.
• Omega 3 of animal origin — This is another key element in preventing and controlling IBD. However, remember that omega-3s are also a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), and when consumed in excess, they cause similar metabolic damage to that of omega-6s, as they also break down into dangerous metabolites known as ALEs (advanced fatty oxidation end products). Eat omega-3s in moderation.
• Foods rich in fiber Foods rich in fiber such as: Organic Psyllium HuskBerries and vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, root vegetables, and tubers help feed the beneficial microbes in your gut.
However, while fiber and starches are often recommended for gut health, they can actually worsen symptoms by feeding harmful bacteria if your gut health is poor. Excess fiber combined with slow movement feeds bacteria along your digestive tract, leading to conditions like small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), which is often associated with bloating, along with increased production of endotoxins.
