Cayenne pepper, a spice used in a wide variety of regional cuisines, has been used medicinally for thousands of years. Cayenne pepper is very rich in capsaicin, the substance that gives it its medicinal properties and hot taste.
Many studies have shown capsaicin to reduce appetite and increase fat burning. One particular study has shown capsaicin to reduce the production of the hunger hormone ghrelin, helping you eat less and stay full longer. This would explain why it’s a common ingredient in many commercial weight loss supplements.
Cayenne pepper may provide benefits to your stomach and aid digestive health by boosting the stomach’s defense against infection, increasing the production of digestive fluids and aiding the delivery of enzymes to the stomach. Although many believe spicy foods may cause stomach ulcers, 
one review paper has shown that the capsaicin in cayenne pepper may actually help reduce the risk of stomach ulcers.
Capsaicin has powerful pain-relieving properties when applied to the skin in a cream and is often recommended in the treatment of joint and muscle pain, lower back pain, pain after surgery and pain from nerve conditions like shingles. However, it’s important to note that capsaicin cream should not be applied to an open wound or broken skin.
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