If you're a man over the age of 50, you may well have been thinking about your prostate health for some time now. A great percentage of men will have some level of dysfunction of their prostate, especially after age 50.
According to the best medical studies, cayenne pepper is very helpful in aiding your body's ability to resist prostate cancers and BPH.
Let's do a quick dive into what cayenne is, what it can do for you and why you might want to supplement with this stuff.
What Is Cayenne
When someone talks about cayenne, most people think of cayenne peppers. And that is understandable. But cayenne peppers are actually one type of "Capsicum Annuum" which is actually a species of many plants, including cayenne peppers, jalepenos and sweet peppers.
.So, when we are talking about cayenne and prostate cancer, we are really talking about the chemical called "Capsaicin" [b] which is in these different peppers.
So, what about this chemical? How good is it for the prostate?
Cayenne Kills Cancer Cells
Cayenne (also seen as an ingredient in some prostate formulas as "Capsicum Anuum") kills cancer cells. [a] [c]
In fact, a study from Cedars-Sanai Hospital had a stunning headline that says capsaicin is "hot enough to trigger suicide in prostate cancer cells."[i] That's pretty dramatic.
The study found that when they treated mice for this stuff, their tumors went down to 1/5th the size of the equivalent tumors in untreated mice. And human studies have also proven that cayenne causes the cells to die off.
Cayenne Helps With Enlarged Prostate (BPH) Symptoms
Cayenne (also seen as an ingredient in some prostate formulas as "Capsicum Anuum") kills cancer cells. [a] [c]
Cayenne May Help Reduce The Urge To Urinate
Cayenne has been studied to see what effect it might have on this problem of a hyperactive "urge to pee." The studies are a little removed from taking it as a supplement.
But in these studies, they injected patients with microquantities of capsacian and it had the effect of lessening the urge to urinate for several days after the treatments.[e]
It is challenging finding studies directly addressing cayenne supplements and urgency. It seems, though, the mechanisms of BPH and urgency are related, and perhaps this is the connection. (Remember, prostate enlargement can also aggravate the sense of urgency to go. But we are still exploring the research on this one.
So, reports are mixed on a direct effect of cayenne reducing urgency. However....
Cayenne Is Good For Treating Bladder Infection
Cayenne is known for its antibacterial properites[f] especially with regard to bladder infections.
It's wise not to overdo it, though, regarding dosages. (That is actually the case with most herbal formulas). See below for dosage recommendations and limits.
How To Take Cayenne Pepper Capsules
You should take cayenne pepper with water, and not on an empty stomach.[g]
There are studies which looked at stomach irritation from red and black pepper and found that it was a possibility (though no more than would be caused by aspirin).[h] Nevertheless, it's a good reason to take it with food to buffer the stomach lining a little to avoid the risk.
So, take it with water just before a meal.
How Much Cayenne Pepper Per Day
According to one report at MSN.com, a single serving of cayenne is 7 grams. It says safe to take in moderation.
One thing to consider is using cayenne capsules. This prevents having to deal with hot spice in your mouth if you're sensitive to it but still get the benefits of it for dietary purposes.
If you get capsules, they run about 300 to 400 mg per capsule so based on that, taking a couple before each meal would put you under the 7 grams mentioned in the MSN article. Nature's Way Cayenne capsules are a good one to look for, if you think you want to try them.
Nature's Way is a trusted brand and they are pretty economical. You'll know pretty quickly if you can handle the capsules in your diet and see if it gets you the results you're looking for.
For an alernative, Herba Me Bloodflow Care capsules combine cayenne with ginger and hawthorne so you're not only getting cayenne to assist your body's ability to deal with your prostate issues, but getting the benefits of these other items for overall support for your overall bloodflow.
Start in moderation and monitor for the side effects in case you're sensitive to it.
If you're taking cayenne, remember to talk to your doctor
It's important that your healthcare provider is aware if you're taking cayenne (or any other supplement) as there are always possibilities of interactions between natural supplements and prescription meds. [d]
Not only are there possibilities of interactions with other supplements or medications, but there can also be possible "side effects" from using cayenne.
Are they serious? You'll have to decide for yourself, but you need to be aware of them.
Potential Side Effects Of Cayenne
As with any herbal remedy, there are always possibilities of side effects[d] including:
- burning
- redness
- swelling
- dryness
- itching
- cough
- runny eyes/nose
So if you're taking a supplement, be aware and watch for any changes when you're taking it and let your healthcare provider know what is going on.
Something else to consider
Some men don't really take the issue of enlarged prostate seriously until they are quite far down the road. As with most things, the sooner an issue is dealt with, the better.
But if you and your prostate are in serious difficulty, along with seeing your doctor and getting a PSA test, you really need to get a look at this book. It's a deep-dive (over about 10 weeks) approach to a radical dietary treatment of your prostate issues.
The book discusses PBH from the perspective of "inflammation," and how you need to give your prostate a chance to recover by temporarily eliminating all the things in your diet that can aggravate your prostate and cause inflammation in that area of your body.
Definitely worth a look.
Conclusion
Cayenne has wonderful natural health benefits - not only for your prostate health but also for circulation and for its anti-inflammatory properties.
But supplements in isolation get you only part way there. If you're looking for some long-term help for your prostate, you'll want to consider a prostate supplement. This one is quite good, and is the best value for the money.[j]
[e] Cystometric evidence that capsaicin-sensitive nerves modulate the afferent branch of micturition reflex in humans - PubMed (nih.gov)
[f] 7 Powerful Urinary Tract Infection {UTI} Remedies You Have In Your PantryConners Clinic | Alternative Cancer Coaching
[j] (As a word of caution, the experience of my readers is that if you're ordering from Canada or elsewhere, choose the "postal" option for shipping rather than UPS or other shipping companies, as it's the best chance to avoid brokerage fees.)