Hot findings: Higher chilli intake linked to lower chronic kidney disease in Chinese adults
Researchers from China, Qatar, and USA reported that a high chilli intake was associated with a lower risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) among the adult population in China.
The prevalence of CKD was 13.1% in non-chilli consumers and 7.4% among those with chilli intake above 50 g/day.
Current studies on animal models have shown the active component of chilli, capsaicin, has beneficial effects on kidney function and preventing kidney damage, however, this assertion has not been investigated in humans and no population studies have assessed the association between chili consumption and CKD.
Hence, researchers sought to assess the association between chilli intake and CKD among Chinese adults who participated in the Chinese Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS). They believed they are the first population-based study to investigate this association.