Regularly Eating Chili Peppers May Be Associated with Longer Lifespan: Large-Scale Studies Reveal Potential Connection
Multiple large-scale population studies show that regular chili pepper consumption is associated with lower risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all-cause mortality. Researchers are further investigating potentially active ingredients like capsaicin. However, current evidence primarily comes from observational studies, suggesting a correlation between spicy food and health benefits, but not proving a causal relationship, and requires further rigorous trials to confirm.
Spicy foods may not only stimulate the taste buds but also potentially extend lifespan to some extent. A study by the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, published in 2017, found that U.S. adults who consumed red chili peppers had approximately a 13% lower overall mortality risk compared to those who never or rarely ate them. This study used data from the third round of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) in the United States, including 16,179 adults, surveyed between 1988 and 1994, and followed up for a median of 18.9 years.
During a cumulative 273,877 person-year follow-up period, a total of 4,946 deaths were recorded. The total mortality rate among those who consumed red chili peppers was 21.6%, compared to 33.6% among non-consumers. Even after adjusting for differences in age, lifestyle, and health status, the association between chili pepper intake and lower mortality risk remained statistically significant, although it was a relatively modest “moderate reduction.”
Subsequent international collaborative research further reinforced this trend. A large meta-analysis presented at the 2020 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions integrated data from four major studies in the United States, Italy, China, and Iran, totaling over 570,000 participants. Compared to those who rarely or never ate chili peppers, those who frequently ate them had a significantly lower risk of death: approximately 26% lower risk of cardiovascular disease-related mortality, approximately 23% lower risk of cancer mortality, and approximately 25% lower risk of all-cause mortality.
Bo Xu, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic and the corresponding author of the meta-analysis, said the research team was surprised by the “risk reduction that repeatedly appeared in different studies,” but emphasized that existing results do not prove that chili peppers directly make people live longer. He pointed out that most of these studies are observational, with the potential for confounding factors, and require more rigorously designed clinical trials to clarify the underlying mechanisms.
The latest large-scale cohort study from China provides a more detailed regional and population perspective. A study published in the *Chinese Medical Journal* in 2024 tracked approximately 486,000 Chinese adults for about 12 years, analyzing the relationship between spicy food frequency and the risk of vascular disease. The results showed that participants who ate spicy food at least once a week had a slight decrease in overall vascular disease risk, especially in the incidence of ischemic heart disease and major coronary events.
However, the magnitude of the risk reduction observed in the study was relatively small, ranging from approximately 3% to 5%. In the primary analysis, researchers did not find a clear, significant association between spicy food consumption and stroke risk. Further stratification revealed that the association between spicy food and vascular protection was more pronounced in younger people, rural populations, and those with generally healthier lifestyles.
Taken together, researchers generally believe that spicy foods may have some benefits in terms of cardiovascular health, but the overall effect is moderate and the evidence is insufficient. Because these studies are observational in design, they can only indicate “correlation” and cannot prove that “eating spicy food” is a direct cause of increased lifespan or reduced disease risk. They also cannot completely rule out the possibility that people who eat spicy food have healthier diets, physical activity levels, and socioeconomic status.
Regarding potential mechanisms, capsaicin, the core component in chili peppers that imparts spiciness, is a key focus of research. Previous experimental studies suggest that capsaicin may have multiple biological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, certain anti-tumor potential, and helping to regulate blood sugar. Some studies also suggest that capsaicin may help improve cholesterol metabolism, promote vascular endothelial function, reduce oxidative stress, and indirectly affect metabolic and cardiovascular systems by influencing the gut microbiome.
The U.S. study from 2017 also proposed that Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels may be a key link. TRP receptors can respond to capsaicin and participate in regulating a series of physiological processes related to metabolism and circulation, providing a possible molecular pathway to explain the “statistical association between eating spicy food and reduced mortality risk.” However, studies vary greatly in terms of “what constitutes spicy food,” “how much is considered frequent consumption,” and “which specific chili peppers or dishes are used,” making it currently impossible to draw definitive recommendations regarding “optimal dosage” and “optimal frequency.”
Experts remind that although frequent chili pepper consumption has been linked to lower mortality risk in multiple studies, the public should not simply view “eating more spicy food” as a panacea for longevity. For people with gastrointestinal diseases, digestive sensitivity, or other related health problems, excessive or overly spicy diets may instead cause discomfort or worsen their condition, and should arrange their tastes and diet under the guidance of doctors and nutritionists.