Why don’t spicy foods burn when you urinate?

[BZ00000]

They burn when you shit.

[Urban Ranger]

Different systems.

[Qwisp]

Wow.That answer sure was informative.

[kniz]

Originally posted by BZ00000
They burn when you shit.

^{Did he really say that? Am I really going to say this?}

• CITE

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Qwisp
Wow.That answer sure was informative.

And succinct to boot.

[Rubicon]

Did he really say that? Am I really going to say this? CITE

I offer my testimony as a citation. Spicy foods do indeed singe the O-ring on the way out. A big night of jalapenos and wings can ruin an otherwise satisfying morning evacuation. I have often wondered if I should self-medicate the same way I do when eating the fiery foods in the first place (perhaps by dipping my posterior in bleu cheese dressing, or cramming some bread in for example).

As for the OP, the conspiracy theorist in me believes there must be a connection to the asparagus pee issue.

[Mangetout]

To add to what Urban ranger said; we could conclude from the available experiential evidence that one (or possibly more than one) of three things is happening:
1 - The urethra is not equipped with the kind of nerve endings that are stimulated by capsaicin.
2 - Capsaicin does not enter the bloodstream and does not therefore exit via the kidneys.
3 - Capsaicin does enter the bloodstram but is broken down into non-active components before exiting via the kidneys.

Given that number 2's can indeed be fiery the morning after, I suggest that theory number 2 be considered.

[G. Cornelius]

Excuse me for not offering a cite, but I would think that the answer was fairly obvious. Urine is produced by the body and everything that is in urine has been ingested, digested, processed and passed though the kidneys. I imagine that, simply, the chemicals that give a hot sensation are either not get passed into the blood stream at all or do not survive body's processes.

However, I once drank several, very tasty, pints of home-made ginger beer. It was strong stuf. Next day, there was a distinct stinging sensation. I guess it must have been the ginger - I have always wondered.

[Mangetout]

Oh and yes, I was assuming we're talking about chillies, while remaining fully aware that there are other 'hot' spices.

[SC_Wolf]

I once made the mistake of eating a very spicy chilli for dinner one night, followed by a large bowl of raisin bran the next morning, followed by leftover chilli for lunch. This was a big mistake. The high fiber content in the cereal moved the first wave through the system with a vengence, leaving me that much more raw and sensitized for when the lunch leftovers made it down there.

Thank God they make creams to soothe this sort of irritation.

[Bob Scene]

Capsaicin isn't water soluble. You can see its structure here. Since it's not water soluble, it doesn't make it from the digestive tract to the bladder.

Capsaicin is used to treat overactive bladders, but when it's used thay way it's inserted into the bladder (as an alcoholic solution) through a catheter. From what I've read, this procedure causes intense burning initially, but it goes away pretty fast and it seems to be mostly in the bladder as opposed to the urethra.

[Bob Scene]

By the way, capsaicin does make it into the blood to at least some extent, because it has systemic effects when taken orally, but the kidneys tend not to concentrate hydrophobic substances in the urine.

[G. Cornelius]

...I meant to say that after drinking ginger beer I had a stinging sensation when urinating. Could the ginger have been the cause?

[SC_Wolf]

I can't say if the ginger is to blame or not, but for your sake, I truely hope so, given that many unplesant diseases can have "stinging sensation while urinating" as a major symptom.

[blueadpet]

If you eat a very large amount of chili, which is becoming easier with the use of extremely hot chili peppers like the Bhut Jolokia and other Naga types, as well as hot sauces which have a very much higher concentration of capsaicin than "traditional" ingredients... I can personally confirm that it is quite possible to get enough capsaicin in urine to be very noticeable... however, it does not manifest as a burning sensation while urinating and I imagine that it would only be noticeable if you are un-circumcised since the foreskin traps a little urine against the glans which are more sensitive when not exposed by circumcision... The urethra is not very sensitive to capsaicin, but the glans are. The warming can be quite strong and lasts anything up to 5 minutes or more, but is not unpleasant IMO.

[Johnny L.A.]

If it doesn't burn on the way out, it wasn't spicy enough when you ate it.

[blueadpet]

Originally Posted by Johnny L.A.

If it doesn't burn on the way out, it wasn't spicy enough when you ate it.

Get one of the 1 million+ SHU hot sauces like Blair's "Ultra Death" and add a tablespoon's worth to a meal, and you can be sure it will be hot enough when you eat it..

[Freudian Slit]

I've had lots of spicy food of varying...spiciness (my family is South Asian) and I've NEVER had it burn when I took a crap. Ever. And I've never experienced the whole, "Spicy food gives you diarrhea/GI distress" thing. I always assumed it was just a UL.

[Ferret Herder]

Originally Posted by Freudian Slit

I've had lots of spicy food of varying...spiciness (my family is South Asian) and I've NEVER had it burn when I took a crap. Ever. And I've never experienced the whole, "Spicy food gives you diarrhea/GI distress" thing. I always assumed it was just a UL.

Me neither - though strangely, I've only ever heard these "ring of fire" complaints from men. Maybe they just talk about their bowel movements more than women.

(The question is, do zombiefied threads burn?)

[Waffle Decider]

Originally Posted by Bob Scene

Capsaicin is used to treat overactive bladders, but when it's used thay way it's inserted into the bladder (as an alcoholic solution) through a catheter. From what I've read, this procedure causes intense burning initially, but it goes away pretty fast and it seems to be mostly in the bladder as opposed to the urethra.

OMFG

Originally Posted by Freudian Slit

I've had lots of spicy food of varying...spiciness (my family is South Asian) and I've NEVER had it burn when I took a crap. Ever. And I've never experienced the whole, "Spicy food gives you diarrhea/GI distress" thing. I always assumed it was just a UL.

FWIW, I've never experienced the "ring of fire" with spicy South and South East Asian food (My family is SE Asian). It does burn pretty badly with spicy Mexican food, however. I wonder if there are some differences in the food that affect how the body breaks it down.

[Darth Panda]

flaming zombie poo, excellent

ETA: @ Ferret Hereder I have heard one burning sphincter comment from a woman. It was noteworthy in that most women tend not to discuss such things, or at least not with dudes.

[Freudian Slit]

Well, we're all on the Internet here, and as a female, I've never had any burning pain whatsoever from my sphincter. Have had some burning feeling during urination (UTI which got treated). I hope to god that I don't suddenly have a burning poop tonight. Karma and all...

[longPath]

IMHO, wins the thread, seat down.

Why can't I edit the title?

[FuzzyOgre]

You definitely can sometimes feel it when peeing.

I made a special trip to the doctor at age 18 because it BURNED to pee. I had taken a strong liking to spicy food in grade 6. By age 18 it became a free(cheap!) condiment on every meal and i really over did it. I liked to drink hot sauce and swallow teaspoon fulls of crushed chili flakes.

Around that time I had an interesting encounter with a slightly older woman and I figured she lent me something other than experience. So off to the doctor, right?

My regular doctor was not in(suspicious!) and I ended up with an intern of some sort. I did the pee test and then he looked me in the eye and said "We have to do another test and I'm really really sorry", which just made me nervous. I laughed it off.

And he said, "No, really, I really want to apologize for what I'm about to do."

He swabbed my urethra with a long cotton Q-tip. If you think cotton is soft, you have no idea. It was like sand paper.

Needless to say, no unwelcome 'gifts' were found, no infections and no stones or anything. They chalked it up to the large amount of spicy food I was eating. I got used to it.

Or something.

[Hilarity N. Suze]

I am soooo glad that spicy thing doesn't happen to me. Especially after last night.

[whiterabbit]

...through a catheter?...owowowowowowowow!!!! The one time I had one, it was inserted after they knocked me out (I was nine, major back surgery) but I remember the removal all too well! I'm left wondering how you could distinguish the burning from capsaicin from the burning of having a catheter shoved up there, which can't be any fun judging by the removal.

FuzzyOgre, I say this assuming you are male (these days, you never know) -- I am so glad I don't have a penis, that sounds ghastly!

[Qadgop the Mercotan]

Scientifically addressing this zombie thread, let me note that capsaicin is what burns; on the way in, and on the way out if it is not properly broken down and digested.

But capsaicin either gets broken down, or it stays in the digestive tract. It does not get significantly excreted by the kidneys (at least as far as a very few studies have shown), so won't come out the urethra.

[FuzzyOgre]

Originally Posted by whiterabbit

...through a catheter?...owowowowowowowow!!!! The one time I had one, it was inserted after they knocked me out (I was nine, major back surgery) but I remember the removal all too well! I'm left wondering how you could distinguish the burning from capsaicin from the burning of having a catheter shoved up there, which can't be any fun judging by the removal.

FuzzyOgre, I say this assuming you are male (these days, you never know) -- I am so glad I don't have a penis, that sounds ghastly!

It wasnt a catheter, he just swabbed an inch deep or so into my penis. The swabbing was way worse than the burning whilst peeing.

[whiterabbit]

I know, I meant the swabbing sounds horrid. You have my sympathy.

[BigT]

Originally Posted by Freudian Slit

I've had lots of spicy food of varying...spiciness (my family is South Asian) and I've NEVER had it burn when I took a crap. Ever. And I've never experienced the whole, "Spicy food gives you diarrhea/GI distress" thing. I always assumed it was just a UL.

Originally Posted by Waffle Decider

FWIW, I've never experienced the "ring of fire" with spicy South and South East Asian food (My family is SE Asian). It does burn pretty badly with spicy Mexican food, however. I wonder if there are some differences in the food that affect how the body breaks it down.

I also wonder if it's maybe that you are used to the food, and so your body doesn't have the same reaction. I know relatives who ate spicy food all the time growing up, and they have less dietary distress when consuming spicy foods than I do. But only the same type of spice they grew up on.

Of course, correlation does not prove causation: it could even be the other way around--they ate spicy foods because they were less sensitive to them already.

[QuercusMax]

I can corroborate what FuzzyOgre says. I have definitely had cases where there's a burning sensation going in, going out, and... going out. Especially when I use too much Dave's Insanity sauce, or order my Thai food "Thai Hot". Just this past week, in fact.

I do have some digestive issues due to low pancreatic enzyme levels, so that might explain it to some degree, as I have issues breaking down fats, and capsaicin is fat-soluble.

[Guinastasia]

Isn't the OP the guy who asked about how fast you'd have to reverse the Earth's rotation to go back in time, like Superman did? And then threw a hissyfit when everyone pointed out that it was just a movie?

[Darth Panda]

Originally Posted by Guinastasia

Isn't the OP the guy who asked about how fast you'd have to reverse the Earth's rotation to go back in time, like Superman did? And then threw a hissyfit when everyone pointed out that it was just a movie?

He really wanted to uneat that burrito.

[BigT]

Originally Posted by Guinastasia

Isn't the OP the guy who asked about how fast you'd have to reverse the Earth's rotation to go back in time, like Superman did? And then threw a hissyfit when everyone pointed out that it was just a movie?

Shh. You need to ask that question in a PM.

[CookingWithGas]

Originally Posted by blueadpet

If you eat a very large amount of chili, which is becoming easier with the use of extremely hot chili peppers like the Bhut Jolokia and other Naga types, as well as hot sauces which have a very much higher concentration of capsaicin than "traditional" ingredients... I can personally confirm that it is quite possible to get enough capsaicin in urine to be very noticeable... however, it does not manifest as a burning sensation while urinating and I imagine that it would only be noticeable if you are un-circumcised since the foreskin traps a little urine against the glans which are more sensitive when not exposed by circumcision... The urethra is not very sensitive to capsaicin, but the glans are. The warming can be quite strong and lasts anything up to 5 minutes or more, but is not unpleasant IMO.

Can this happen up to 8 years after you eat the chili?

[Floater]

This discussion reminds me of the story about a curry paste manufacturer that asked Johnny Cash's estate if they could use his recording of the song "Ring of Fire" in their advertising. They couldn't.

[Guinastasia]

Originally Posted by BigT

Shh. You need to ask that question in a PM.

Oh no you didn't!