Why Does Spicy Food Burn? The Science of Capsaicin and Why Chili Peppers Trick Your Brain

You take a bite of a hot chili pepper, and within seconds your mouth is on fire. Your eyes water, your nose runs, you break into a sweat, and your face flushes. You reach desperately for a glass of water — only to find, to your horror, that it makes the burning worse. Yet somewhere in the middle of this ordeal, a strange wave of pleasure washes over you, and you find yourself reaching for another bite. What is going on?

The burning sensation of spicy food is one of the most fascinating sensory experiences in all of biology, and the explanation overturns almost everything most people assume about it. Spiciness is not a taste. It does not come from your taste buds, and it is not detected the way sweetness, saltiness, or sourness are. The heat of a chili pepper is, in fact, a pain signal — a chemical trick played on your nervous system by a single molecule called capsaicin. Understanding how this trick works reveals the strange overlap between heat, pain, and pleasure, and explains why humans are the only animals that deliberately seek out a sensation our brains interpret as a real burn.

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Spiciness Is Not a Taste — It Is Pain

The most important fact about spicy food is also the most surprising: spiciness is not one of the basic tastes. The human tongue can detect five true tastes — sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami — through specialized cells in the taste buds. Capsaicin, the compound that makes chili peppers hot, does not interact with these taste cells at all. Instead, it bypasses the taste buds entirely and binds to pain-sensing nerve endings in the mouth, throat, and skin. This is why spiciness is classified by scientists as a form of chemesthesis — the chemical sensing of irritation — rather than a taste.

A Separate Nerve Pathway

The burn of a chili pepper is carried not by the taste nerves but by the trigeminal nerve, the same nerve that carries sensations of pain, temperature, and pressure across the face and mouth. This is why you can feel capsaicin's burn on your lips, the roof of your mouth, your throat, your skin, or even your eyes — anywhere these pain-sensing nerve endings are found, not just on your tongue. (This is also why rubbing your eyes after handling jalapeños is so excruciating.)

No Actual Tissue Damage

Here is the strange truth: although spicy food feels like a real burn, no actual tissue damage is occurring. Capsaicin does not chemically burn your mouth in the way a hot pan or a strong acid would. It merely tricks your nervous system into feeling as though you are being burned. The burn is an illusion — but the experience, neurologically, is entirely real.

Capsaicin and TRPV1 — The Molecular Trick

The entire mechanism of chili heat comes down to one molecule and one receptor. The molecule is capsaicin, the active compound found in chili peppers of the genus Capsicum. The receptor is a protein called TRPV1 (Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1), often called the "capsaicin receptor."

The Receptor That Detects Dangerous Heat

TRPV1 is a heat-detecting receptor found on pain-sensing nerve endings (nociceptors) throughout the body — especially in the mouth, throat, skin, and lips. Its normal job is to warn you about genuinely dangerous heat: it activates when tissue temperature rises above about 43°C (109°F), the threshold at which heat begins to damage cells. When TRPV1 fires, it sends an urgent "hot — this hurts!" signal to the brain, prompting you to pull your hand from a hot stove or spit out scalding food.

Capsaicin Picks the Lock

Capsaicin's remarkable property is that it binds directly to the same site on TRPV1 that heat uses. When capsaicin molecules lock into this binding pocket, they force the receptor's ion channel open — just as real heat would — allowing calcium and sodium ions to flood into the nerve cell. This generates the identical electrical signal that actual high heat produces. The brain receives this signal and has no way to distinguish whether it came from real heat or from capsaicin. It simply registers "burning," and you feel the fire.

This is why a chili pepper eaten at room temperature feels just as hot as food fresh off the stove: to your brain, the two signals are indistinguishable. The capsaicin is not fooling your tongue — it is fooling your entire pain system.

Where the Heat Lives

One common misconception is that the heat of a chili pepper comes from its seeds. In fact, capsaicin is concentrated not in the seeds but in the white spongy pith (the placenta) inside the pepper, to which the seeds are attached. Removing this pith — not just the seeds — is the most effective way to reduce a pepper's heat in cooking.

Other Compounds That Activate TRPV1

Capsaicin is the most famous TRPV1 activator, but it is not the only one. Piperine (the bite of black pepper), gingerol (from ginger), and eugenol (from cloves) all activate the same or related receptors, which is why each produces its own distinct warming sensation. The body even produces its own vanilloid-like molecule, anandamide (an endocannabinoid), which also modulates TRPV1.

The Body's Response — Why You Sweat, Cry, and Flush

When capsaicin activates TRPV1 in your mouth, your brain responds as though you were genuinely being burned. It launches the same cascade of physiological reactions it would mount in response to real heat or mild injury:

• Sweating — your body thinks it is overheating and tries to cool down.
• Watery eyes and runny nose — mucous membranes flood with fluid in an attempt to flush away the "irritant."
• Flushing and redness — blood vessels in the face dilate.
• Rapid heart rate — the nervous system enters a mild stress response.
• Drooling — the mouth produces extra saliva to wash out the capsaicin.
• Endorphin and dopamine release — the brain responds to perceived pain with its own natural painkillers and reward chemicals (more on this below).

All of these reactions are completely genuine — your body is mounting a real response to what it believes is a real threat. The only thing that is "fake" is the threat itself.

The Capsaicin Reaches the Gut

Capsaicin does not stop at the mouth. As you swallow, it travels down the throat and into the stomach and intestines, where it can activate TRPV1 receptors in the digestive tract. This is why very spicy food can cause stomach discomfort, a burning sensation during digestion, and — infamously — a "burning" sensation the next day when the capsaicin is excreted. For most people this is harmless, but for those with sensitive stomachs or conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, it can be genuinely uncomfortable.

Why Water Makes It Worse — and What Actually Helps

If you have ever desperately gulped water after a fiery bite, only to find the burn intensifying, you have experienced one of the most counterintuitive facts about capsaicin: capsaicin is fat-soluble and repels water. Water does not dissolve it — it simply spreads the oily capsaicin molecules around your mouth, pushing them onto even more nerve endings and making the burning worse.

Why Dairy Works Best

The most effective remedy for chili burn is full-fat dairy — milk, yogurt, ice cream, or sour cream. Dairy works in two ways: first, the fat content dissolves the oily capsaicin molecules, lifting them off your nerve endings; second, dairy contains a protein called casein that binds to capsaicin and pulls it away from the TRPV1 receptors, much like detergent lifts grease off a dirty plate. Skim milk works less well because it lacks the fat; plant milks vary in effectiveness depending on their fat and protein content.

Other Effective Remedies

• Sugar and honey — can bind capsaicin and help dislodge it from tissues.
• Starchy foods — bread, rice, and potatoes physically absorb and carry capsaicin out of the mouth.
• Acidic liquids — lemon or lime juice can break down some capsaicin bonds.
• Alcohol — capsaicin is soluble in alcohol, so a strong drink can help (though most beverages are too diluted to make much difference).
• Cold foods — ice cream or cold yogurt provides temporary relief by lowering tissue temperature, though they do not remove the capsaicin itself.

The one thing you should not do is reach for water or beer. Both are mostly water, and both will spread the capsaicin around — the opposite of what you want.

The Scoville Scale — Measuring the Heat

The heat of chili peppers is measured on the Scoville scale, a system developed by the American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville in 1912. The scale assigns each pepper a number in Scoville Heat Units (SHU), representing its concentration of capsaicin and related capsaicinoid compounds.

The Original Dilution Test

Scoville's original method, called the Scoville Organoleptic Test, was surprisingly low-tech. A panel of trained tasters sampled chili pepper extracts that had been increasingly diluted with sugar water until the heat was no longer detectable. The degree of dilution required became the pepper's Scoville rating. For example, a pepper rated at 10,000 SHU would need to be diluted 10,000-fold before its heat became undetectable. The method was clever but subjective — it depended on the sensitivity of individual tasters, which could vary widely.

Modern Measurement

Today, laboratories use high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to measure capsaicin content directly, with far greater accuracy than human tasters. The results are then converted back into Scoville units. The scale ranges from zero (no heat) to about 16 million SHU for pure capsaicin.

Where Common Peppers Fall on the Scale

• Bell pepper — 0 SHU (no heat at all)
• Poblano — 1,000–1,500 SHU
• Jalapeño — 2,500–8,000 SHU
• Serrano — 10,000–23,000 SHU
• Cayenne — 30,000–50,000 SHU
• Tabasco — 30,000–50,000 SHU
• Habanero — 100,000–350,000 SHU
• Scotch bonnet — 100,000–350,000 SHU
• Ghost pepper (Bhut Jolokia) — ~1,000,000 SHU
• Carolina Reaper — ~1,500,000–2,200,000 SHU (the current certified record holder)
• Pure capsaicin — 16,000,000 SHU

To put this in perspective, the Carolina Reaper is roughly 300 times hotter than a jalapeño. A meal is generally considered "hot" at around 500–1,000 SHU — far below the upper reaches of the scale. The hottest peppers in the world are genuinely dangerous to eat whole, and people who attempt it often experience severe vomiting, sweating, and even brief hospitalization.

Why Chili Peppers Are Spicy — An Evolutionary Story

Capsaicin did not evolve for human cuisine. It is a defense mechanism, and its evolutionary purpose reveals one of the most elegant stories in plant biology.

Deter Mammals, Attract Birds

Chili plants face a problem: mammals chew their seeds, destroying them, while birds swallow them whole and disperse them far and wide in their droppings. To solve this, chili plants evolved capsaicin — a compound that punishes mammals but leaves birds completely unaffected. Mammals (including humans, mice, and other rodents) have TRPV1 receptors that respond to capsaicin, so they find the peppers painful and tend to avoid them. Birds, however, have a slightly different version of the TRPV1 receptor that does not respond to capsaicin at all — they can eat the hottest peppers with no sensation of heat whatsoever.

An Antifungal Bonus

Capsaicin also has antifungal properties, protecting the pepper fruit from microbial damage. Studies of wild chili populations have found that peppers growing in wetter, more fungus-prone environments produce higher concentrations of capsaicin than those in drier areas. So the heat of chili peppers may serve a dual purpose: deterring mammals and fighting off mold.

Humans Are the Exception

From the plant's perspective, humans are a puzzling exception. We are mammals, so we should be deterred by capsaicin — yet we have spent thousands of years deliberately cultivating ever-hotter peppers and building entire cuisines around them. Why humans came to love a sensation our nervous system interprets as pain is one of the more interesting questions in food psychology — and the answer, as we will see, lies in chemistry that rewards us for enduring the burn.

Not All Spice Is Capsaicin

Capsaicin accounts for the heat of chili peppers, but it is not the only "spicy" compound in the culinary world. Different spicy foods use different chemicals, and they activate different receptors — which is why a jalapeño, a grind of black pepper, and a dab of wasabi produce such different sensations.

Wasabi, Mustard, and Horseradish — The Sinus Burn (TRPA1)

The sharp, sinus-clearing burn of wasabi, mustard, and horseradish comes from a class of compounds called isothiocyanates (especially allyl isothiocyanate). These compounds activate a different receptor called TRPA1 (Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin 1), sometimes called the "wasabi receptor." Unlike capsaicin, isothiocyanates are volatile — they evaporate easily and travel up into the nasal cavity, which is why wasabi feels like it is burning your nose rather than your tongue. The sensation hits fast and fades quickly (usually within seconds to a minute), whereas capsaicin lingers because it binds tightly to its receptors and is slow to wash away.

Black Pepper — Piperine

The milder bite of black pepper comes from an alkaloid called piperine. Piperine activates some of the same pain pathways as capsaicin but is far less potent — which is why even a generous amount of black pepper never approaches the heat of a habanero. Black pepper and chili pepper are completely unrelated plants (black pepper comes from Piper nigrum, chili peppers from Capsicum), and the fact that both evolved pungent compounds is a case of convergent evolution.

Cinnamon, Ginger, and Cloves

Several other spices produce their own mild warming sensations: cinnamon (from cinnamaldehyde, acting on TRPA1), ginger (from gingerol, acting on TRPV1), and cloves (from eugenol). Each has its own chemical fingerprint and produces a subtly distinct version of "spicy."

Why Chili Heat Lingers but Wasabi Fades

The difference between chili heat and wasabi heat comes down to chemistry. Capsaicin is non-volatile and fat-soluble, so it stays put on whatever tissue it touches and lingers for many minutes. Isothiocyanates are volatile, so they evaporate quickly — which is why the wasabi rush is intense but short, while a ghost pepper can burn your mouth for 20 minutes or more.

Spice Tolerance — Can You Build It Up?

Anyone who has watched a friend eat a dish that would send them into agony knows that spice tolerance varies enormously between people. The good news is that tolerance can be built — but the way it works is more interesting than simple "practice."

Receptor Desensitization

When you eat spicy food regularly, your TRPV1 receptors gradually become desensitized. Repeated activation causes the receptors to become less responsive — a process called defunctionalization. The pain-sensing neurons that carry the signal also become less reactive over time. This is real, physical desensitization: people who eat spicy food frequently literally have less responsive pain neurons, not just a stronger mental attitude. This same desensitization mechanism is why capsaicin is used in topical pain-relief creams — applied repeatedly to the skin, it eventually exhausts the local pain neurons.

Tolerance Is Reversible

Spice tolerance is not permanent. If you stop eating spicy food for weeks or months, your TRPV1 receptors resensitize, and a dish that once felt mild will burn again. This is why someone who grew up eating fiery food but later moves to a milder cuisine may find their old tolerance has faded.

Largely Learned, Not Genetic

Contrary to what many assume, spice tolerance is mostly learned, not genetic. Researchers have searched for genetic variants in the TRPV1 receptor that might explain differences in capsaicin sensitivity, but no study has found a strong genetic basis. People vary somewhat in how many TRPV1 receptors they express and how sensitive those receptors are, but the biggest factor by far is exposure. Growing up in a household or region where chili is a dietary staple builds tolerance early through repeated exposure paired with positive social experiences.

The Chili "High" — Why We Seek the Burn

This raises a deeper question: if spicy food causes real pain, why do so many people love it? Why do humans deliberately seek out a sensation their nervous system interprets as a burn? The answer lies in the brain's remarkable response to perceived pain.

Endorphins and Dopamine

When capsaicin triggers pain signals, your brain responds by releasing a flood of its own natural painkillers and reward chemicals. The most important are endorphins — the body's natural opioids, which blunt pain and produce a feeling of warmth and pleasure — and dopamine, a neurotransmitter central to reward and motivation. The combination creates a mild, genuine euphoria, sometimes compared to a "runner's high." You are, in effect, getting a neurochemical reward for enduring pain your body thinks is dangerous.

The Thrill-Seeking Loop

Over time, this loop of pain and pleasure can make spicy food genuinely addictive for some people. The brain learns that the burn will be followed by a rush of endorphins, and it begins to crave the experience. Regular spice eaters often describe hot food as both painful and deeply satisfying — precisely because it is both, simultaneously. The tolerance-building process also means that chili lovers tend to seek out ever-hotter peppers over time, chasing the same endorphin rush.

Bensophilia — the Love of Negative Sensations

Psychologists sometimes describe the enjoyment of spicy food as a form of "benign masochism" — the human tendency to enjoy experiences that the body initially perceives as negative or dangerous, once we learn they are actually safe. The same principle explains why people enjoy horror movies, roller coasters, and intensely sour candies. The body reacts with alarm, but the conscious mind knows there is no real danger, and the resulting cocktail of arousal and relief is pleasurable. With spicy food, the capsaicin pain is real, but the brain quickly learns it causes no actual harm — so the endorphin reward can be enjoyed without consequence.

A Learned Pleasure

Classic research on chili preference in humans has found that liking for capsaicin is almost entirely learned, not innate. Few children naturally enjoy spicy food on first exposure; the preference develops through repeated exposure, usually within a cultural or family context where chili is normal and socially rewarded. Once learned, however, the preference can be remarkably strong and lifelong.

The Health Effects of Capsaicin

Beyond the culinary thrill, capsaicin has a range of biological effects, some of which are now used in medicine.

Pain Relief

The same desensitization that builds spice tolerance also makes capsaicin a useful pain reliever. Topical capsaicin creams are used to treat arthritis, muscle strains, and neuropathic pain (nerve pain). A high-concentration capsaicin patch called Qutenza is FDA-approved for the treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia — the agonizing nerve pain that can follow shingles. Applied to the skin, capsaicin depletes the nerve endings of substance P, a chemical messenger that transmits pain signals, effectively quieting the local pain nerves.

A Small Boost to Metabolism

Capsaicin has a modest thermogenic effect: it slightly increases body temperature, heart rate, and the rate at which the body burns calories. Research (such as studies at Maastricht University) has found that consuming about 2.5 mg of capsaicin per meal (roughly one gram of red chili pepper) increases fat oxidation and diet-induced thermogenesis compared to meals without it. The effect is small — not enough to cause dramatic weight loss on its own — but it is real and measurable.

Possible Cardiovascular Benefits

Some large observational studies have found that people who eat chili peppers regularly have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and slightly lower overall mortality, though these findings are correlational and do not prove cause and effect. Capsaicin's anti-inflammatory properties and its effects on blood circulation may contribute.

Antimicrobial Properties

Capsaicin inhibits the growth of certain bacteria and fungi, which may explain why spicy cuisines are especially common in hot climates, where food spoilage is a greater concern. Before refrigeration, spicy seasonings may have helped preserve food and reduce foodborne illness.

Possible Anti-Cancer Effects (Preliminary)

Laboratory studies have suggested that capsaicin may induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in certain types of cancer cells without harming healthy cells. However, this research is still preliminary, and there is no evidence that eating spicy food prevents or treats cancer in humans. Much more study is needed.

Risks and Side Effects

For most people, spicy food is harmless and even beneficial in moderation. But capsaicin can cause problems in some situations:

• Gastrointestinal irritation — high doses can cause stomach pain, nausea, cramping, and diarrhea, especially in people with sensitive stomachs, gastritis, or irritable bowel syndrome.
• Worsening of acid reflux — capsaicin can relax the lower esophageal sphincter, worsening heartburn in susceptible people.
• Skin and eye irritation — handling very hot peppers without gloves can burn the skin, and rubbing your eyes afterward is extremely painful.
• Extreme reactions — eating super-hot peppers (like the Carolina Reaper) whole can cause severe vomiting, intense abdominal pain, and in rare cases, brief hospitalization.

As with most things, moderation is key. Spicy food is safe and often healthy in reasonable amounts, but pushing to extremes can cause real discomfort.

FAQ

Why does spicy food burn?

Spicy food burns because of a chemical called capsaicin, found in chili peppers. Capsaicin binds directly to a receptor on your pain-sensing nerve endings called TRPV1, which is the same receptor that detects genuinely dangerous heat above about 43°C (109°F). When capsaicin locks onto TRPV1, it forces the receptor open and triggers the identical electrical signal that real heat would produce. Your brain receives this signal and has no way to tell whether it came from a real burn or from capsaicin — so you feel burning pain, even though no actual tissue damage is occurring. Importantly, spiciness is not a taste; it bypasses the taste buds entirely and is detected by the trigeminal nerve, which carries pain and temperature sensations across the face and mouth.

Why does water make spicy food worse?

Because capsaicin is fat-soluble and repels water. When you drink water, it does not dissolve the capsaicin — it simply spreads the oily molecules around your mouth, pushing them onto even more pain-sensing nerve endings and making the burning worse. The most effective remedy is full-fat dairy (milk, yogurt, ice cream): the fat dissolves the capsaicin, and a protein called casein binds to capsaicin molecules and lifts them off your nerve endings like a detergent. Other helpful remedies include sugar, honey, starchy foods (bread, rice, potatoes), acidic liquids (lemon or lime juice), and alcohol. Water and beer, which are mostly water, are the worst choices.

What is the hottest pepper in the world?

As of recent measurements, the hottest certified pepper in the world is the Carolina Reaper, with an average heat of about 1.5 million Scoville Heat Units (SHU) and individual peppers reaching up to 2.2 million SHU. To put that in perspective, a jalapeño measures about 2,500–8,000 SHU, so the Carolina Reaper is roughly 300 times hotter. Other super-hot peppers include the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, the 7 Pot Douglah, and the Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia) at around 1 million SHU. Pure capsaicin measures about 16 million SHU. Eating these super-hot peppers whole can cause severe reactions — vomiting, intense pain, and occasionally brief hospitalization.

Why do some people love spicy food if it hurts?

Because the brain responds to the perceived pain of capsaicin by releasing a flood of natural painkillers and reward chemicals, especially endorphins and dopamine. This produces a mild, genuine euphoria, sometimes compared to a "runner's high." Over time, the brain learns that the burn is followed by a pleasant chemical reward, and it begins to crave the experience — which is why regular spice eaters often seek out ever-hotter foods. Psychologists call this "benign masochism" — the human tendency to enjoy experiences the body initially perceives as dangerous, once we learn they are actually safe (the same principle behind horror movies and roller coasters). Research shows that liking for spicy food is almost entirely learned, not innate, developing through repeated exposure usually within a cultural context.

Can you build a tolerance to spicy food?

Yes. Eating spicy food regularly causes your TRPV1 receptors to desensitize — they become less responsive to capsaicin through a process called defunctionalization. The pain-sensing neurons that carry the signal also become less reactive over time. This is real, physical desensitization, not just mental toughness: people who eat spicy food frequently literally have less responsive pain neurons. Tolerance is reversible, though — if you stop eating spicy food for weeks or months, your receptors resensitize and the same dish will burn again. Tolerance is mostly learned, not genetic; researchers have not found strong genetic variants explaining why some people handle more heat than others. Exposure is the key factor.

Why do birds eat chili peppers without feeling the heat?

Because birds have a different version of the TRPV1 receptor that does not respond to capsaicin. From the chili plant's perspective, this is no accident — it is an evolutionary strategy. Mammals chew and destroy seeds, so the plant evolved capsaicin to deter them. Birds swallow seeds whole and disperse them far and wide in their droppings, so the plant "wants" birds to eat its fruit without being deterred. The result is a chemical that agonizes mammals (humans, mice, and other rodents) but leaves birds completely unaffected. Birds can eat the hottest peppers in the world and feel no heat at all. Humans are the strange exception — mammals that deliberately seek out the very sensation the plant evolved to punish.

Is spicy food bad for you?

For most people, spicy food is safe and even beneficial in moderation. Capsaicin has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and modest metabolism-boosting properties, and it is used medically in topical creams and patches for pain relief. Some large studies have linked regular chili consumption to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, though this is correlational. However, capsaicin can cause problems in some situations: it can irritate the stomach (causing pain, nausea, or diarrhea in people with sensitive stomachs or IBS), worsen acid reflux, and irritate the skin and eyes if handled carelessly. Eating super-hot peppers whole can cause severe vomiting and, rarely, brief hospitalization. The key is moderation: reasonable amounts of spicy food are healthy for most people, but pushing to extremes can cause real discomfort.

References

• Caterina MJ, Schumacher MA, Tominga M, et al: The capsaicin receptor — a heat-activated ion channel in the pain pathway — identification and characterization of TRPV1 (Nature, 1997; foundational discovery).
• Tewing C: CAPSICIN — Evolutionary and ecological perspectives on the production of capsaicin by chili peppers and its effect on mammals versus birds (Nature, updated reviews 2023).
• ScienceInsights: What makes spice spicy? How capsaicin works — TRPV1, trigeminal nerve, and the difference between chili heat and wasabi (updated 2026).
• BiologyInsights: Why are things spicy? The science of heat and pain — receptor desensitization, tolerance, and the chili "high" (updated 2026).
• HKUST Science Focus: Understand spiciness — a pain but not a taste — casein, trigeminal nerve, and TRPA1 (updated 2024).
• Rozin P and Schiller D: The nature and acquisition of a preference for chili pepper in humans — the learned preference and benign masochism (Motivation and Emotion; updated reviews 2023).
• Scoville W: A note on Capsicums — the Scoville Organoleptic Test and the origin of the Scoville scale (Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association, 1912; HPLC modernization).
• Synapse/PatSnap: What is the mechanism of capsaicin? — TRPV1 activation, substance P depletion, desensitization, and metabolic effects (updated 2024).
• NeuroLaunch: Spicy food and the "high" feeling — endorphin and dopamine release and the comparison to runner's high (updated 2024).
• FDA and clinical references: Qutenza (capsaicin 8% patch) for post-herpetic neuralgia — medical application of capsaicin desensitization (updated 2024).

This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have a digestive condition such as gastritis, ulcers, or irritable bowel syndrome, or if you experience severe discomfort after eating spicy food, please consult a qualified healthcare provider.