The video has become viral on the social network X, formerly Twitter. We see Daniel, the customer of a London restaurant, The Bengal Village, to quickly leave the establishment after having tasted an “intolerably spicy” dish.
Spicy sauce, a sauce that can cause you health problems
Experts seize the anecdote to recall the dangers linked to extra-tie peppers, especially in people at risk. Why do these foods have a danger to health? Simply because they contain capsaicin, the active component of the chili.
“”This is the compound which gives this spicy character to the peppers“Explains Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency artist and medical director of True Medical.”It is also used in medicine for its analgesic properties, in particular in the treatment of peripheral neuropathic pain“.
Capsaicin, dangerous in high doses
But in very high doses, capsaicin is not without danger. Several American specialists agree that it can cause a massive influx of blood and a brutal elevation of heart rate.
Mechanisms that can attack a fragile heart. This is the case of the young man who died in September 2023, after having ingested a chips classified as the most spicy in the world. The autopsy revealed an underlying heart disease aggravated by a large dose of capsaicin.
Capsaicin and heart: why the danger is real in some people
According to Dr. Allan Capin, who responds to the Daily Mail, people suffering from hypertrophy heart or congenital malformations are particularly vulnerable. And the phenomenon is not isolated.
“”There have been acute toxicity relationships with capsaicin causing ischemia (abnormal blood flow) of heart muscles “ Also specifies Dr. James Udelson, Head of Cardiology at the Medical Center tuffs, in the same article.
So, should we ban the spicy dishes? Not necessarily, answers Dr. Kierzek. “”There is no cardiac contraindication“, he underlines. But the danger lies in the cascade effect.
“The chilli increases heart rate, blood pressure and therefore the work of heart muscle. If you combine this with a malformation or even unknown pathology, this can lead you to a heart attack, infarction and cardiac arrest”.
And without going to these extreme situations, the more the intensity of the chili increases, the more the undesirable effects multiply.
“”Gastric reflux, abdominal cramps, respiratory difficulty, even vagal discomfort or chest pain are part of it“Lists our expert.”So in case of difficult digestion, chest pain or respiratory problems after eating a very spicy dish, it is necessary to contact the emergency services“Concludes Dr. Kierzek.