TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Maybe you are not having trouble eating right now food spicy. However, as you get older, you may have to reconsider eating spicy dishes if you don’t want to go straight to the bathroom afterward.
This is not just a matter of lips, tongue, and mouth which feels burning when you eat a spicy dish.
But there are also receptors throughout the gastrointestinal (GI) tract that can detect capsaicin, a chemical in peppers, peppers and various spicy ingredients, creating a burning sensation, said consultant in the Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology at Singapore General Hospital Andrew Ong.
This is the reason you may feel stomach pain, diarrhea, and a burning sensation in the stomach and even a burning sensation in the anus the day after having dinner with a spicy dish.
Diarrhea occurs because the capsaicin-detecting receptors are also found in the small intestine and large intestine and these receptors can also feel a burning sensation.
As a defense mechanism, the receptors work hard to get spicy food out of you quickly. But because the waste material moves very quickly through the large intestine, the intestine does not have enough time to do its job of absorbing water from the waste. The result, watery stools known as diarrhea.
Middle-aged people tend to start treatment for chronic diseases such as cholesterol and high blood pressure. “Some of the side effects of these drugs can also irritate the digestive tract and make patients more sensitive to the effects of spicy food,” said Ong.
Second, if you’re part of the Sandwich Generation, you’re probably under pressure. This could be the reason you are more likely to have a stomach ache even with a little chili sauce. “Research shows that stress lowers the threshold of pain in the digestive tract. So, patients who experience stressful situations are more likely to experience symptoms, “said Ong.
Alternatively, it could be years of less exposure to spicy foods and therefore a lower tolerance for eating them.
The best treatment is to eat spicy foods in moderation, especially if you experience severe symptoms after eating them.
If your inability to tolerate chilies is due to unfamiliarity, give your body time to adapt again. “You may be able to lower your sensitivity by eating spicy foods regularly for some time. This depends on your tolerance for the symptoms that appear, “said Ong.
Do you need antacids to treat burns in the intestines? Several studies have shown that capsaicin can promote acid production in the stomach and there is little evidence that antacids help.
The calming effect of the antacids can help reduce some of the discomfort. You may be better off taking medications such as omeprazole to reduce acid production. But these drugs work best only when taken half an hour before meals, says Ong.
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