Many studies have positively valued the incorporation of spicy food into our lives as a tool to live longer. Now, new research carried out by the School of Medicine of the University of California (USA) specifies that hot peppers can help reduce the risk of intestinal cancer .
To reach this conclusion, the experts conducted an experiment with mice genetically modified to develop multiple tumors in the gastrointestinal tract, feeding them capsaicin . The result revealed that capsaicin reduced the tumor burden and lengthened the lifespan of the mice by more than 30%.
The reason is the same: the capsaicin contained in hot peppers such as chili peppers or chili peppers, produces the activation of a receptor (the TRPV1 gene) in the cells that line the intestine, generating a reaction that reduces the risk of this type of tumors .
“Our data suggest that individuals at high risk of developing recurrent intestinal tumors may benefit from chronic activation of TRPV1. We have provided the proof of principle, ”says Eyal Raz, study leader.
The work has been published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation .
