From adding hot sauce to every meal to grinding extra pepper over dishes, you may crave an extra-spicy taste. However, spicy foods may increase joint pain. With 22 percent of American adults suffering from arthritis, and a projected 25 percent by the year 2030, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the increase in joint pain may be linked to excessive spicy intake.
Joint Pain Statistics
Arthritis, the clinical diagnosis for most joint pain, is caused by inflammation. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the U.S., costing $128 billion in medical care expenditures and earnings loss in 2003, according to the CDC. Inflammation is making it impossible for people to do common activities without pain, including working and exercising.
Biological Cause of Joint Pain
Inflammation is caused by chemicals from the body’s white blood cells, which are released into the blood and tissues when a foreign substance is detected. The release of the white blood cell's chemicals increases the blood flow to that area, and may result in warmth and redness. In addition, these chemicals may leak fluid into the tissues, which causes swelling. The swelling and inflammation stimulate sensory nerves and cause pain. In turn, the inflammation and joint pain cause a wearing down of cartilage and swelling of the joint lining, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
How Spicy Food Can Affect Joints
According to Dr. O.P. Kapoor's book "Role of Vegetarian Diet in Health and Disease," sulfur-containing foods -- which include spicy foods -- change the pH level of blood, causing it to be acidic. The overload of spicy, acidic foods is too much for the kidneys to filter, which leads to the blood becoming more acidic. This then leads to bone deterioration and inflammation, causing joint pain. Those who already have bone deterioration through diseases like osteoporosis may experience the joint soreness more acutely after spicy food consumption. The excessive intake of spicy foods prolongs the pain, but moderate to light consumption can bring the pH levels back to normal.
Foods That May Ease Joint Pain
Although Mother Nature has created many healthy and natural foods that cause numerous health benefits, everything is meant to be consumed in moderation, including spicy foods. For those who suffer from joint pain, some foods may ease the discomfort. For example, berries have antioxidant properties that may keep free radicals from damaging joints, and the vitamin C contained in berries strengthens collagen in bones. Plant-based foods like nuts, teas and chocolates have antioxidants and phytochemicals that decrease enzymatic activity, which may be linked to joint inflammation. Also, omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish like salmon and tuna, may reduce joint inflammation because of enzymatic activity.
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