Effects of Capsaicin and Evodiamine Ingestion on Energy Expenditure and Lipid Oxidation at Rest and After Moderately-Intense Exercise in Men

Abstract

Obesity has become a global epidemic within the last 25 years, with about 65% of the adult population in America being classified as either overweight or obese. In response to this epidemic, countless dietary supplements have emerged in recent years as an easy option to assist in the weight loss process. Capsaicin and evodiamine are two thermogenic agents each recognized for their ability to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system and are thus found in many dietary supplements. The exact effects of each agent, however, remain uncertain. In this randomized, cross-over experiment, seven healthy men were given either capsaicin, evodiamine, or a placebo supplement to ingest. Hemodynamics (heart rate, blood pressure, and core body temperature), energy expenditure, and markers of lipid oxidation (serum glycerol and free fatty acids) were measured at rest, after supplementation, after a single bout of moderately-intense exercise, and during recovery. Analyses of variance (ANOVA) were performed for each variable in order to determine whether between-group measurement differences were statistically significant, thus establishing measurable benefits, if any, that these agents offer to the body’s metabolic system.