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My new Sweat Science columns are being published at www.outsideonline.com/sweatscience. Also check out my new book, THE EXPLORER'S GENE: Why We Seek Big Challenges, New Flavors, and the Blank Spots on the Map, published in March 2025.
- Alex Hutchinson (@sweatscience)
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UCLA researchers are reporting a study on how one of the ingredients in hot peppers can enhance calorie burn and fat oxidation for several hours after a meal. That’s sort of old news — what’s new is that instead of capsaicin they’re using another substance called dihydrocapsiate (DCT), which is like capsaicin but doesn’t make smoke come out your ears when you eat too much. So in other words, they’re saying: “Look, we can get all the benefits without the downside!” I don’t even have to read the study to know that’s not going to work out as promised. (Or maybe that’s just my Puritan streak emerging!)
Weight loss. The only thing that I can’t seem to master 🙁