Poopy Peppers

How's this for a headline?

Common bowel problem linked to chilli pepper pain receptor
Study increases understanding of irritable bowel syndrome

It's of interest to me due to my suffering symptoms of IBS. And while I don't have unusual sensitivity to pain in general, I do have a serious sensitivity to strong spices, particularly capsaicin. 3-alarm chili will send me to the bathroom in minutes. It's amazing how fast that stuff works its "magic" on me.

Here's the gist of the article if it's something that might interest you. The research is published in the June 11 issue of Gut.

People with irritable bowel syndrome have a higher than usual number of chilli pepper pain receptors, according to a new study published tomorrow (Wednesday 11 June).

The research, published in the journal Gut, could lead to new therapies for the estimated one in five UK adults who have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a painful condition which is poorly understood. Symptoms of IBS include abdominal pain, bloating, and bowel problems such as constipation or diarrhea.

The new research shows that people with IBS have higher than usual levels of nerve fibers expressing the pain receptor TRPV1, responsible for causing a burning sensation when people eat chilli peppers. The study's authors, from Imperial College London, hope that doctors could treat the pain that people with IBS experience by targeting and blocking this receptor.

People with severe pain from IBS are currently treated with opiates, which can have serious side-effects. Painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen tend to offer little relief. New painkillers to target TRPV1 are currently being developed by pharmaceutical companies and the new findings suggest that such drugs could tackle some of the symptoms of IBS.

The researchers believe their findings may explain why some people's IBS symptoms worsen after eating spicy food. They also suggest that the presence of more nerve fibers expressing the TRPV1 pain receptors might mean that people with IBS are more susceptible to pain.

Comments

kenju said…
Me too, Dave. I hope that you and I are never eating chili together in a house with one bathroom!!! Could be a disaster....LOL
Shephard said…
You're a font of info. lol
~S
Ditsy Chick said…
I don't have IBS, I don't think, but I keep away from the 3 alarm chili none the less. My pain receptors in my mouth don't much appreciate it!
Chili and other spices don't bother me much, but I had a bad experience with a Wendy's chicken sandwich more than a decade ago and that's the last chicken sandwich I ate from there.

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