Cayenne peppers may cure your head ache according to recent studies. People who struggle with headaches, even chronic headaches, pay attention. According to an article in the New York Times, cayenne peppers may actually help. The active ingredient in cayenne peppers is capsaicin. Research has show capsaicin to actually bring relief by depleting Substance P, a neurotransmitter that helps transmit pain impulses. But hold on to your hot sauce… Research also shows that ingesting cayenne may not be the way to go, but rather applying it topically. A study by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital revealed some interesting facts when they took two groups of chronic headache sufferers and conducted an experiment. One group was given very small amounts of diluted capsaicin [from cayenne peppers] that was applied inside the nose for a week. Group two received only a placebo. The study found “a significant decrease in headache severity in the capsaicin group,” but not the placebo group. Similar type studies have been conducted where similar findings were the result. We may soon see some cayenne-products being developed for headaches.
