# Is too much capsaicin is dangerous/harmful? (TMI) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 19, 2019, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-too-much-capsaicin-is-dangerous-harmful-tmi/829810 "2019-02-19T03:50:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Barack\_Obama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dc4da7/32.png) [@Barack\_Obama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barack_Obama)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-too-much-capsaicin-is-dangerous-harmful-tmi/829810/1 "2019-02-19T03:50:47Z")
So sometimes I eat too much excessively hot food (eating things around a million scolvic units) and will poop light colored blood. It’s happened maybe 5 times in my whole life over the course of years, and each time It’s happened it’s always been the day after eating large amounts of super hot food. The first time it ever happen I was pushing too hard for some reason and I heard a pop in my anus it felt like I had pooped, but then I noticed I had bright red blood. After researching online I came to the conclusion it was internal hemorrhoids, then the fact it’s happen against somewhat consistently when I eat large amounts of super hot food, kinda confirms that it is internal hemorrhoid. So let me explain the degree that I have to consume spicy food to cause this. There is a 800,000 scovlic unit hot sauced called ultra death sauce. I’ve pretty much drank a whole bottle basically, or at least consumed the whole bottle. I’ve done this before with hotter sauces and had the same effect. The next day after consuming an insane amount of very hot stuff, theres a chance I’ll have some blood typically watery blood with the poop. There is no pain, from what I understand external hemorrhiods are the things where ur asshole basically turns inside out, but internal hemorrhiods are inflamed lumps in ur anus that can rupture causing the bleeding. So with all this said, does anyone with actual medical knowledge find this interesting or agree with my conclusion? It’s completely painless, and It consistently happens when I consume large amounts of super hot stuff. I can eat large amounts of regular hot stuff that most people can’t handle just fine. But once you start creeping up into the pure extracts of capsasin or whatever, it seems like it just inflames my anus and causes this to happen. I haven’t experienced any other medical problems either btw healthy as can be unless I down a entire bottle of ultra death sauce. When I eat this level of spicy food I also kinda feel it in my stomach boiling. I think the excessive amount of capsaicin is actually dangerous or harmful. Although what I’ve been told my whole life and from real life doctors is that a super hot sauce isn’t going to kill you, but it could make you hyperventilate possibly, or possibly cause you to drink too much water. But generally the point seemd to be, spicy food isn’t bad for you. Now maybe that was just in regards to moderation, and the level that I take it to is far beyond that moderate or above moderate level. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-too-much-capsaicin-is-dangerous-harmful-tmi/829810/2 "2019-02-19T04:23:58Z")
Reported for missing “TMI” in the thread title. ---
**Author:** ![Littleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ccd318/32.png) [@Littleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Littleman)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-too-much-capsaicin-is-dangerous-harmful-tmi/829810/3 "2019-02-19T04:30:21Z")
Looks like it may actually help prevent ulcers > **[Capsaicin and gastric ulcers - PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16621751/)** > > In recent years, infection of the stomach with the organism Helicobacter Pylori has been found to be the main cause of gastric ulcers, one of the common ailments afflicting humans. Excessive acid secretion in the stomach, reduction in gastric mucosal... However it’s also known to irritate existing ones , and hemmerrhoids so … I found lots and lots of articles even referring to hot hunters specifically eating the spiciest peppers ever all the time and all seem to say there aren’t long term danger besides maybe killing some pain receptors. ( Found in rat studies) Though id have to agree, I don’t think anything can be taken to excess without some harm. Maybe this is an exception…idk ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-too-much-capsaicin-is-dangerous-harmful-tmi/829810/4 "2019-02-19T04:48:56Z")
Medical advice is best suited to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-too-much-capsaicin-is-dangerous-harmful-tmi/829810/5 "2019-02-19T22:00:44Z")
And while we’re at it, yeah, a TMI warning is justified. ---
**Author:** ![Barack\_Obama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dc4da7/32.png) [@Barack\_Obama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barack_Obama)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-too-much-capsaicin-is-dangerous-harmful-tmi/829810/6 "2019-02-20T06:05:19Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And while we’re at it, yeah, a TMI warning is justified. I figured it’d be good to lay out my findings. I kinda tested my own body to figure this out. Was hoping someone with medical knowledge might share their thoughts on this, considering the general consensus about capsaicin being completely safe for human consumption. ---
**Author:** ![Pithily\_Effusive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pithily_effusive/32/252_2.png) [@Pithily\_Effusive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pithily_Effusive)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-too-much-capsaicin-is-dangerous-harmful-tmi/829810/7 "2019-02-20T08:09:59Z")
Capsaicin once had an undeserved reputation for causing ulcers, but research has shown that while it can aggravate ulcer pain, it does not cause ulcers to develop. As hot pepper passes through and out of your system, it can prompt painful, burning diarrhea. The more you eat, the more likely this is to occur. If you are seeing blood in your stools it would be something else and would be wise to see a doctor about it.