# Why does it seem like my anus has become more tolerant to capsaicin than my mouth? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 21, 2021, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-seem-like-my-anus-has-become-more-tolerant-to-capsaicin-than-my-mouth/938375 "2021-03-21T21:39:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-seem-like-my-anus-has-become-more-tolerant-to-capsaicin-than-my-mouth/938375/21 "2021-03-22T18:54:50Z")
You are welcome. I have learned much in my multi-decade personal and professional effort to combat Wolf Ass. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-seem-like-my-anus-has-become-more-tolerant-to-capsaicin-than-my-mouth/938375/22 "2021-03-22T19:25:27Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > My mother treated his rectal area with aloe. I was eating some spicy chicken wings with a friend at a party and I nearly choked on a bite when he said, “I’m gonna have [his wife’s name] put Chapstick on my ass when we get home.” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-seem-like-my-anus-has-become-more-tolerant-to-capsaicin-than-my-mouth/938375/23 "2021-03-22T20:35:30Z")
Better his wife’s name than somebody else at the party wife’s name 😉 Or _your_ wife’s name. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-seem-like-my-anus-has-become-more-tolerant-to-capsaicin-than-my-mouth/938375/24 "2021-03-22T22:40:39Z")
I’ll be honest, I had to read that twice. @Qadgop_the_Mercotan TY for a new term for my vocabulary! Vindaloo is up there spice wise; as is Thai Gaeng Prik. Those have had me both crying the Call of the Wild 8 hrs later. I agree it seems age and experience has tempered the issue as I eat reaper wings now and no ill effects other than an upset stomach if I overdo it. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-seem-like-my-anus-has-become-more-tolerant-to-capsaicin-than-my-mouth/938375/25 "2021-03-22T23:39:45Z")
When I was practicing, I applied capsaicin cream to my feet before going to work. I learned the hard way not to use my bare hands, because licking my fingers, for any reason, led to rather unusual heartburn later on. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-seem-like-my-anus-has-become-more-tolerant-to-capsaicin-than-my-mouth/938375/26 "2021-03-22T23:41:21Z")
Bile and pancreatic enzymes not only break down food, but alkalize it as well (raise the pH) as Qadgop described. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-seem-like-my-anus-has-become-more-tolerant-to-capsaicin-than-my-mouth/938375/27 "2021-03-22T23:43:44Z")
What is the evolutionary advantage of having PRPV1 receptors (for capsaicin) and taste receptors in the anal region? Do they age in ways similar to the ways on the tongue age? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-seem-like-my-anus-has-become-more-tolerant-to-capsaicin-than-my-mouth/938375/28 "2021-03-23T00:11:31Z")
@DSeid I dunno, what better way to sample what’s emerging undigested and hence perhaps avoid ingesting it in the future? That’s my wild ass guess . . . ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-seem-like-my-anus-has-become-more-tolerant-to-capsaicin-than-my-mouth/938375/29 "2021-03-23T00:46:14Z")
Boys, you’ll never guess [where else you’ve got taste receptors.](https://www.businessinsider.com/taste-receptors-in-testes-and-fertility-2013-7) ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-seem-like-my-anus-has-become-more-tolerant-to-capsaicin-than-my-mouth/938375/30 "2021-03-23T02:20:41Z")
I wonder if it’s more a matter of dilution; even when you’re eating a spicy vindaloo, the capsaicin is in the sauce, but the chunks of meat, rice and whatever vegetables are not really impregnated with it. So when you chew it up, you’re in effect diluting it, and then your GI tract is going to do that even further, in that whatever else you eat/ate within close proximity might also get mixed in with it as well. Maybe that’s why post-spicy food ass pain isn’t as common or predictable as what you get in your mouth eating it? ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-seem-like-my-anus-has-become-more-tolerant-to-capsaicin-than-my-mouth/938375/31 "2021-03-23T11:30:11Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Get some bread down there to buffer it, and it’s fine. What are you supposed to do with the bread after you use it down there? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-seem-like-my-anus-has-become-more-tolerant-to-capsaicin-than-my-mouth/938375/32 "2021-03-23T14:53:52Z")
Feed the ducks. What else did you think? ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-seem-like-my-anus-has-become-more-tolerant-to-capsaicin-than-my-mouth/938375/33 "2021-03-24T22:58:48Z")
Bread pudding? ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2021, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-seem-like-my-anus-has-become-more-tolerant-to-capsaicin-than-my-mouth/938375/34 "2021-03-27T03:39:30Z")
Nope, don’t feed it to birds either. Bread is not part of their natural diet, and not nutritionally appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2021, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-seem-like-my-anus-has-become-more-tolerant-to-capsaicin-than-my-mouth/938375/35 "2021-03-27T13:27:55Z")
Especially not after being used as ass-wipe material by somebody suffering from burning butt syndrome. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2021, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-seem-like-my-anus-has-become-more-tolerant-to-capsaicin-than-my-mouth/938375/36 "2021-03-27T14:06:09Z")
Ultra pedantic nit-pick: Birds are unaffected by capsaicin. Pepper plants depend on birds to eat the peppers and spread the seeds. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-it-seem-like-my-anus-has-become-more-tolerant-to-capsaicin-than-my-mouth/938375.md?page=1)