It seems like we’re constantly hearing about more and more health benefits tied to hot peppers.
But one of the latest benefits may have to do with battling hair loss. Researchers in China recently looked at using a treatment made up of capsaicin, curcumin and piperine on certain people with conditions commonly tied to hair loss. Capsaicin, of course, is naturally found in hot chili peppers, while piperine is the chemical in black peppers and curcumin is the compound found in turmeric. Researchers wanted to know if using these three things together would be just as effective as minoxidil. That’s the conventional treatment used on people with alopecia areata, which is a common skin disease that leads to hair loss. Millions of people in the US suffer from it, but it’s not completely understood.
In the past, researchers have looked at using capsaicin, curcumin and piperine individually to combat hair loss.
When used topically, capsaicin seems to improve blood circulation, stimulate the scalp, and promote hair growth, but this time researchers wanted to use all three together and compare the results. They took 60 patients with alopecia areata already and broke them into two groups. The first group used a mixture of capsaicin, curcumin and piperine twice a day. The other group used the conventional treatment of minoxidil once a day. After three months, they compared the two groups and their results.
Researchers found there wasn’t much variation and change between the two groups.
They also found that the hair growth rate was pretty similar and that both types of treatment seemed to work for those with the condition. They were not able to determine whether the new mix was any more effective than the conventional treatment. The study was also limited because it was only used on a short-term basis. Still, the study may show yet another benefit for hot peppers and capsaicin.
