Article

2006-03-16 -Short Attention Span Theater-

Pepper extract could stop prostate cancer growth

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Posted by Steve White 2006-03-16 00:22|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 The amount may be a bit much. If they got it right, for a 200 lb. adult male, the dosage was 400 milligrams of capsaicin, 3 times a week.

Capsaicinoid content is measured in parts per million. These parts per million are converted into Scoville heat units, the industry standard for measuring a pepper's punch. One part per million is equivalent to 15 Scoville units. Bell peppers have a value of zero Scoville units, whereas habaneros -- the hottest peppers--register a blistering 200,000 to 300,000. Pure capsaicin has a Scoville heat unit score of 16 million.

That means eating the equivalent of between 54 and 80 habernero peppers three times a week.

Sounds like a bit much. What do you think the odds are that the reporter got that one wrong?

Posted by Anonymoose 2006-03-16 07:04|| 2006-03-16 07:04|| Front Page Top

#2
That means eating the equivalent of between 54 and 80 habernero peppers three times a week.

You're supposed to eat it?

Posted by Robert Crawford">Robert Crawford 2006-03-16 07:13|| http://www.kloognome.com/]">[http://www.kloognome.com/] 2006-03-16 07:13|| Front Page Top

#3 I shouldn't try to do math at 3 o'clock in the morning. I have no bloody idea how many haberneros that is. Anybody?

Posted by Anonymoose 2006-03-16 08:28|| 2006-03-16 08:28|| Front Page Top

#4 I would be very interested in knowing the rate of prostate cancer in Mexico, where they eat hot peppers all the time.

If different than the non-pepper folks, then they've got something here.
If not?

Posted by Redneck Jim 2006-03-16 08:37|| 2006-03-16 08:37|| Front Page Top

#5 I can see it now. A new Dr. Pepper, the Pecker Picker Upper.

Posted by Deacon Blues">Deacon Blues 2006-03-16 09:19|| 2006-03-16 09:19|| Front Page Top

#6 Habaneros are positively incendiary. So are "firecracker" peppers. I picked a few at a farm. #1 daughter, who likes her peppers hot, tried one and broke into a sweat that lasted three hours. She asked me, " Mom, when did you start storing nuclear weapons in the refrigerator?"

James's observations from Liberia included a number of people whose taste buds had been so fried by peppers that they couldn't taste anything else. I would be concerned about the damage done to the digestive tract as well.

Posted by mom (mrs james)">mom (mrs james) 2006-03-16 10:21|| http://idontknowbut.blogspot.com]">[http://idontknowbut.blogspot.com] 2006-03-16 10:21|| Front Page Top

#7 My father, who lived in Texas, used to buy some variety of peppers (which I thought were too damned hot for nachos, lol) in 5 gallon buckets - and would sit munching those things every night while watching TV. Lol, it was downright scary...

Posted by Glert Thetch2165 2006-03-16 10:26|| 2006-03-16 10:26|| Front Page Top

#8 When I get to work, Ima gonna look up the UN number of those Habaneros peppers in our DOT hazmat book.

Posted by Alaska Paul">Alaska Paul 2006-03-16 10:44|| 2006-03-16 10:44|| Front Page Top

#9 It has been proved that eating hot peppers does not damage the digestive system but, in fact, people who eat chiles and other hot peppers have fewer ulcers than people who don't. They can, however, cause damage to skin and eyes. Usually the problems people have when eating spicey foods are caused by other factors, i.e., tomato acid in salsa with tomatos.

Posted by Deacon Blues">Deacon Blues 2006-03-16 10:52|| 2006-03-16 10:52|| Front Page Top

#10 Word of advice, be forewarned, if you ever have the opportunity to dine on some of Deacons chili. He's an excellent cook but his definition of 'slightly hot' is different from most.

Posted by BrerRabbit 2006-03-16 11:07|| 2006-03-16 11:07|| Front Page Top

#11 :> Deacon doth know his peppers for sure a Mastercraftman of the deadly DTJ.

Posted by 6 2006-03-16 11:52|| 2006-03-16 11:52|| Front Page Top

#12 They can, however, cause damage to skin and eyes.

Tell me about it. I once tried putting my contacts lenses in after chopping up a bunch of chilies. Felt like someone had inserted a soldering iron into my eyeball.

Posted by Steve">Steve 2006-03-16 13:30|| 2006-03-16 13:30|| Front Page Top

#13 They can, however, cause damage to skin and eyes.

All the mucous membranes are particularly sensitive. Long ago advice from a friend who worked at my college health clinic, "Wash hands with soap before going to the bathroom after eating jalapenos!" ;-)

Posted by trailing wife 2006-03-16 13:38|| 2006-03-16 13:38|| Front Page Top

#14 Anyone know where jalapenos rate on this scale? If so, I used to work with a guy from Texas who would bring a jar-full every week to work and pop 'em like candy. I later learned to stomach them and have become very used to hot/spicy foods. However, habaneros are a whole 'nother ball game, lol! Learned that one the hard way.

Posted by BA 2006-03-16 13:51|| 2006-03-16 13:51|| Front Page Top

#15 I meant to add...that guy has since died of cancer. Got to his brain and somewhat in his lungs. Of course, he smoked pretty much every day of his life (at least, until he found he had cancer), and had also witnessed nuclear tests aboard a boat in the Navy offshore of the Bikini islands/atolls about the time of the Korean War. VERY interesting guy. Had my eyes opened when he sent me the link to his diaries back in those days (aboard ship witnessing nuclear tests). They had just been de-classified (his personal journal notes) after 40 or so years. Had them linked to the national website for nuclear veterans (forget the exact name of the organization). Some very eye-opening experiences he had doing clean-up on those atolls after the bombs went off.

Posted by BA 2006-03-16 13:55|| 2006-03-16 13:55|| Front Page Top

#16 Finally, to add, the cancer didn't get his digestive tract, so maybe those daily jalapeno desserts worked, eh?

Posted by BA 2006-03-16 13:56|| 2006-03-16 13:56|| Front Page Top

#17 Jalapenos only rank in the 300 to 1000 range.

Posted by Deacon Blues">Deacon Blues 2006-03-16 14:51|| 2006-03-16 14:51|| Front Page Top

#18 Once upon a time south of the border, a bus tour of Mayan ruins stopped at a roadside restaurant for lunch. This appeared to be a regular thing as the house salsa provided to the table was very mild to the taste. The bus driver and tour guide were provided with a plate of habineros that they could add to their menu. John the Tourist proceeded to swallow the pepper whole.

The next three cervesa followed like cream soda.

Lucky for Tourist, he returned to home before his red cell count dropped below 65.

the next three blood transfusions....

Posted by john">john 2006-03-16 15:19|| 2006-03-16 15:19|| Front Page Top

#19 I've always enjoyed McIlhenny's tongue tonic, love jalapenos, and eat my chili "4-alarm" or better. I even learned to eat Thai food, which most people don't know is hotter, on average, than Mexican. My parents used to pickle Cayenne peppers, and eat the juice and peppers on all manners of food. I don't have stomach cancer, and I hardly have taste buds, but some things just go better with a bit of bite to it.

Posted by Old Patriot">Old Patriot 2006-03-16 21:19|| http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]">[http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/] 2006-03-16 21:19|| Front Page Top

#20 john: the next three blood transfusions....

yeow..

did i ever tell ya about the plazma peppers from..

Posted by RD 2006-03-16 21:50|| 2006-03-16 21:50|| Front Page Top

#21 Jalapenos are for wimps

Posted by DMFD 2006-03-16 23:06|| 2006-03-16 23:06|| Front Page Top

23:50 JosephMendiola
23:48 Inspector Clueso
23:47 JosephMendiola
23:47 Frank G
23:46 Pappy
23:42 Pappy
23:34 Glert Thetch2165
23:34 JosephMendiola
23:33 Glert Thetch2165
23:32 Glert Thetch2165
23:31 trailing wife
23:23 JosephMendiola
23:22 Glert Thetch2165
23:22 Inspector Clueso
23:18 Glert Thetch2165
23:17 Scooter McGruder
23:16 MO
23:13 JosephMendiola
23:13 MO
23:11 DMFD
23:11 trailing wife
23:10 DMFD
23:10 JosephMendiola
23:09 Frank G