by When Nelson Cheney was 36 years old, he started eating spicy peppers and sauces to impress his father. Years later, he still consumes these foods, even to his 1.1 million followers on TikTok.
Cheney, who goes by his social media handle “@craving_capsaicin” — a nod to the chemical compound that gives chili peppers their heat — tapped into the adrenaline rush he feels when he eats very spicy foods.
“For me, it’s a way of life,” Cheney said. “I love chasing that endorphin dump. I love the feeling when I hit a challenge and when I beat everything. … It’s like winning a race.”
Scientists say he is not the only one.
Whether the spice they are looking for is fiery or acidic and sharp, people can be drawn to the perceived danger of extreme foods. Like watching a horror movie, the experience triggers a fight-or-flight response when the brain releases endorphins and dopamine, feel-good hormones. After the brain has determined that everything is safe, there is a sense of achievement in overcoming a dangerous situation.
“These challenges are really drawing in people who have that psychological affinity – types of behavior that seek detection and reward. So the more dangerous it is, the more fun it is,” said Elisa Trucco, director of the Adolescent and Child Health Research Laboratory at Florida International University.
Both sour and spicy foods generate painful responses, although they activate different nerves in the body. When saliva breaks down spicy food, capsaicin travels to the throat, nose and esophagus and activates nerves involved in the sense of touch, said Robert Pellegrino, a postdoctoral fellow at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. The pain afterwards is like touching a hot stove.
“You can feel spice everywhere,” Pellegrino said.
On the other hand, sourness activates taste nerves. When people eat sour foods, the body starts a pain reaction because it detects an acidic substance that could be harmful to ingest.
In both cases, the brain can overcome the initial pain reaction. Paul Rozin, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, attributes this breach to people’s ability to distinguish between serious and “benign” pain. Eating moderate amounts of the spice is generally safe, he said, but even so, the body treats it as a health threat.
“That’s where the satisfaction comes from, from the fact that you’re defying your body’s signal not to do this,” Rozin said.
In addition, people often film these food challenges on social media, which triggers a similar release of dopamine, as it is designed to positively reinforce our behavior through likes and follows.
“I think a lot has to do with status, popularity and the feedback you get from other people,” Trucco said. as a result of her passion for growing and eating peppers.
“I have so many people who went from not even eating hot things to tolerance and now eating spicy food everyday. So it’s great to have people work with me,” Cheney said.
While all of these feel-good hormones can satisfy some people’s cravings, there are major food challenges to overcome in the midst of some fatal events. Last year, a teenager died in Massachusetts after trying to eat tortilla chips packed with chili pepper extract for a social media challenge. Super-spicy foods can also have harmful consequences: In April, a 10-year-old girl in the UK suffered burns to her throat after ingesting super-spicy candy she saw in a TikTok video.
Dr. Edwin McDonald, a gastroenterologist at the University of Chicago Medical Center, emphasized that while spicy and sour foods are safe in moderation, extreme spice can mean a trip to the hospital.
“Eating some foods that contain capsaicin may be associated with increased longevity and reduced cancer risk,” McDonald said. “But these are not the peppers that people are making in the challenge.”
Extreme eating challenges can be dangerous for those with underlying medical conditions like high blood pressure and asthma, said Dr. Chantel Strachan, an internal medicine physician and assistant professor at Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Because of the uncertainty, Strachan suggested thinking twice before participating, and consulting a doctor ahead of time.
“Unfortunately, we usually find out after the first try how you react to these substances,” she said.
Children and teenagers tend to be vulnerable to challenges on social media, which is why Trucco said parents should pay attention, too.
“The way these challenges are portrayed, it’s very glamorized, you only see the benefits,” Trucco said. “As a parent, it’s really important to be aware of what they are and to have those open conversations with your children.”
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
