Chili, RHR and Vascular Function

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The effect of 4-week chilli supplementation on

metabolic and arterial function in humans

KDK Ahuja, IK on, DP Geraghty and MJ Ball

School of Human Life Sciences, University of Tasmania,

Launceston, TAS, Australia

Objective: To investigate the effects of regular

chilli ingestion on some indicators of metabolic and

vascular function.

Design: A randomized cross-over dietary intervention

study.

Setting: Launceston, Australia.

Subjects: Healthy free-living individuals.

Intervention: Thirty-six participants (22 women and 14

men), aged 46712 (mean7s.d.) years; BMI 26.474.8

kg/m2, consumed 30 g/day of a chilli blend (55%

cayenne chilli) with their normal diet (chilli diet),

and a bland diet (chilli-free) for 4 weeks each.

Metabolic and vascular parameters, including plasma

glucose, serum lipids and lipoproteins, insulin, basal

metabolic rate, blood pressure, heart rate,

augmentation index (AIx; an indicator of arterial

stiffness), and subendocardialviability

ratio (SEVR; a measure of myocardial perfusion), were

measured at the end of each diet. In a sub-study,

during week 3 of each dietary period, the vascular

responses of 15 subjects to glyceryl-trinitrate (GTN)

and salbutamol were also studied.

Results: For the whole group, there were no

significant differences between any of the measured

parameters when compared at

the end of the two dietary periods. When analysed

separately, men had a lower resting heart rate

(P¼0.02) and higher SEVR

(P¼0.05) at the end of the chilli diet than the bland

diet. In the sub-study, baseline AIx on the chilli

diet was lower (Po0.001)

than on the bland diet, but there was no difference in

the effects of GTN and salbutamol between the two

diets.

Conclusion: Four weeks of regular chilli consumption

has no obvious beneficial or harmful effects on

metabolic parameters but may reduce resting heart rate

and increase effective myocardial perfusion pressure

time in men.

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2007) 61,

326–333. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602517; published online

23 August 2006