Capsaicin and Its Effect on Exercise Performance, Fatigue and Inflammation after Exercise

Abstract

Capsaicin (CAP) activates the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) channel on sensory neurons, improving ATP production, vascular function, fatigue resistance, and thus exercise performance. However, the underlying mechanisms of CAP-induced ergogenic effects and fatigue-resistance, remain elusive. To evaluate the potential anti-fatigue effects of CAP, 10 young healthy males performed constant-load cycling exercise time to exhaustion (TTE) trials (85% maximal work rate) after ingestion of placebo (PL; fiber) or CAP capsules in a blinded, counterbalanced, crossover design, while cardiorespiratory responses were monitored. Fatigue was assessed with the interpolated twitch technique, pre-post exercise, during isometric maximal voluntary contractions (MVC). No significant differences (p > 0.05) were detected in cardiorespiratory responses and self-reported fatigue (RPE scale) during the time trial or in TTE (375 ± 26 and 327 ± 36 s, respectively). CAP attenuated the reduction in potentiated twitch (PL: −52 ± 6 vs. CAP: −42 ± 11%, p = 0.037), and tended to attenuate the decline in maximal relaxation rate (PL: −47 ± 33 vs. CAP: −29 ± 68%, p = 0.057), but not maximal rate of force development, MVC, or voluntary muscle activation. Thus, CAP might attenuate neuromuscular fatigue through alterations in afferent signaling or neuromuscular relaxation kinetics, perhaps mediated via the sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) pumps, thereby increasing the rate of Ca2+ reuptake and relaxation.

Dihydrocapsiate does not increase energy expenditure nor fat oxidation during aerobic exercise in men with overweight/obesity: a randomized, triple-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover trial

“…Another study that evaluated the ingestion of 12 mg of capsaicin before a high-intensity intermittent bout of exercise did not find any effects on metabolic parameters, such as oxygen consumption, EE, and fatigue perception during or 20 min post-exercise in physically active men [ 43 , 44 ]. In line with these results, the ingestion of 1.9 mg of capsaicin and 0.7 mg of dihydrocapsaicin in 10 young healthy males that performed constant load cycling exercise time to exhaustion (TTE) trials (85% maximal work rate) did not affect substrate oxidation rates [ 45 ].…”

Effects of Capsaicin and Capsiate on Endurance Performance: A Meta-Analysis

“…Other studies used a very similar protocol of supplementation and exercise tests and did not observe an ergogenic effect of capsaicin [ 23 ]. Capsaicin or capsiate ingestion has also been reported to enhance aerobic endurance in different cycling or running tasks, even though this finding is not consistent in the literature [ 15 , 19 ].…”

“…The consumption of 10 mg/kg of capsaicin enhanced endurance performance and these effects were largely attributed to the increase in fatty acid utilization [ 11 ]. Deriving from these findings in animal models, recent studies have explored the effects of capsaicin and capsiate on exercise performance in humans [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. One of the initial studies investigated the effects of capsaicin on muscular endurance in resistance exercise, using a protocol involving four sets performed to muscular failure with 70% of one-repetition maximum (1RM) in the squat [ 14 ].…”

Antioxidant, Anti-Obesity, Nutritional and Other Beneficial Effects of Different Chili Pepper: A Review

“…Similarly, capsaicin is the major active component from the capsaicinoids. This is a component unique to the Capsicum genus [ 32 ]. The presence of capsaicin in chili is determined by a major gene, but it is the action of polygenes acting in a cumulative manner that determines the various degrees of pungency.…”