Key result
Pepper compounds slightly lower diastolic BP by ~2 mmHg, but clinical relevance remains uncertain.
Why the study?
Clinical studies exploring the impact of capsaicinoids and capsinoids on blood pressure and heart rate have reported inconsistent findings.
Do capsaicinoids, capsinoids, or pepper-based interventions reduce blood pressure and heart rate?
Meta-Analysis
Do capsaicinoids, capsinoids, or pepper-based interventions reduce blood pressure and heart rate?
Mean Difference: -1.53 (95% CI -2.83–-0.23)
p-value: p=0.021
Pepper-derived compounds have small, clinically uncertain effects on lowering blood pressure and heart rate.
= 0.021), which, although statistically significant, is unlikely to be clinically meaningful. High heterogeneity was noted for SBP, and study designs, populations, intervention types, and doses varied substantially across trials. These findings indicate that capsaicinoids, capsinoids, or pepper-based interventions may slightly lower the heart rate and DBP in long-term studies, but overall effects on blood pressure are small and of uncertain clinical relevance.
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Chen et al. (2026) conducted a meta-analysis in Blood pressure and heart rate. Pepper-derived compounds (capsaicinoids, capsinoids, or pepper-based interventions) vs. Control was evaluated on Blood pressure or heart rate (MD -1.53, 95% CI -2.83, -0.23, p=0.021). Pepper-derived compounds may slightly lower heart rate and diastolic blood pressure in long-term studies, but overall effects on blood pressure are small and of uncertain clinical relevance.
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