NBC News
When Nelson Cheney was a child, he started eating peppers and hot sauces to impress his father. Now 36, he still eats them, but for his 1.1 million followers on the social network TikTok.
Cheney, known online as @craving_capsaicin – a nod to the chemical compound that gives chili peppers their spiciness – became hooked on the adrenaline rush he gets when he eats very spicy foods.
“For me it’s a way of life,” he says, “I love chasing that endorphin rush. I love the feeling when I overcome a challenge and have the satisfaction of having achieved it.” “It’s like winning a race,” he adds. According to scientists, he is not alone.
Whether the condiment they seek is spicy, sour, or acidic, humans can be drawn to the perceived danger of extreme foods. Like watching a horror movie, the experience stimulates a fight-or-flight response during which the brain releases endorphins and dopamine, hormones that make people feel good. Once the brain determines that everything is safe, a sense of accomplishment occurs in overcoming a dangerous situation.
“These challenges attract people who have that psychological affinity: sensation-seeking and reward-seeking behaviors; the more dangerous, the more exciting,” says Elisa Trucco, director of the Child and Adolescent Health Research Laboratory at Florida International University.
Both acidic and spicy foods generate painful responses, although activate different nerves in the body. When saliva breaks down spicy foods, 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 resulting pain is similar to touching a hot stove. “You feel the sting all over,” Pellegrino said.
On the other hand, acidity activates the taste nerves. When acidic foods are ingested, the body initiates a pain reaction because it detects an acidic substance that could be harmful if ingested.
In both cases, the brain can override the initial pain response. Paul Rozin, a psychology professor at the University of Pennsylvania, attributes this override to the human ability to differentiate between severe pain and “benign” pain. Eating moderate amounts of spicy food is generally safe, he said, but the body still treats it as a health threat.
“That’s where the pleasure comes fromthe fact that you are overriding your body’s signal not to do it,” Rozin added.
Additionally, people often record 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 of it has to do with status, popularity and the feedback you get from other people,” Trucco said.
Cheney, a sheet metal worker by trade, says he enjoys the community he has built online, which he sees as a result of his passion for growing and eating peppers.
“There are a lot of people who have gone from not eating anything spicy to tolerating it and now eating spicy food every day. So it’s great that people are joining me,” she said.
While all these feel-good hormones may satisfy some people’s cravings, extreme food challenges have sparked backlash amid several incidents that have claimed lives. Last year, a teenager died in Massachusetts after trying to eat a tortilla filled with chili extract for a social media challenge. Extremely acidic foods can also have harmful consequences. In April, a 10-year-old girl in the U.K. suffered burns to her throat after eating a super-sour candy she saw in a TikTok video.
Dr. Edwin McDonald, a gastroenterologist at the University of Chicago Medical Center, stressed that while spicy and acidic foods are safe in moderation, extreme spiciness could result in a trip to the hospital.
“The consumption of some foods containing capsaicin may be associated with increased longevity and decreased risk of cancer“But these are not the peppers people are using in the challenge.”
Extreme food challenges can be dangerous for those with underlying medical conditions, such as high blood pressure and asthma, said Dr. Chantel Strachan, an internist and assistant professor at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Because of this uncertainty, Strachan advises thinking twice before participating and consulting a doctor beforehand.
“Unfortunately, we often discover how we react to these substances after we try them for the first time,” he said.
Children and adolescents tend to be the most susceptible to challenges on social mediawhich is why Trucco said parents should also pay attention.
“The way these challenges are portrayed is very glamorous, you just see the benefits,” Trucco said. “As a parent, it’s really important to be aware of what they are and have those open conversations with your kids.”
