Scientists Discover The Connection Between Spicy Food And Memory Loss

Dr. Zumin Shi of Qatar University is known for his projects studying the influence of spicy food on a human’s body. Chili is one of the most used spices around the world, especially in Asia. That’s why chili has become the main subject for Dr. Zumin Shi’s scientific research.

Not long ago, the research’s first phase released a statement about the benefits of chili for humans. Capsaicin, an active ingredient in chili can help boost metabolism, reduce fat and reduce the risk of blood vessel disorders. However, the recent research period has added the negative side of eating too much chili.

From 1991 to 2006, the team analyzed 4582 participants with ages ranging from 55 and older in China, a country with three-fourth of the population enjoy eating spicy food. Through extensive analysis, Dr. Zumin Shi discovered evidence on cognitive decline in people who consumed more than 50gr of chili per day. In fact, eating too much chili in a long time can even lead to memory loss.

In a recent press release, Dr. Shi explained that in the previous study, the team found out the benefits of chili in controlling human’s weight and blood pressure. However, with this study, they discovered how chili can badly affect the perception of people aged 55 and up.

People who are overweight can benefit more and suffer less harm than those of normal weight. Capsaicin, when in a body with less fat, will have less effect in terms of burning fat or speeding up metabolism. Instead, it will have a large impact on the brain, causing cognitive impairment.

According to WTO, around 50 million people around the world suffer from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease with people having Alzheimer’s disease account for 60 to 70%. At the moment, there is no cure for dementia.