Thursday Oct 24, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- Eating spicy foods could cause irritable bowel syndrome particularly in women, according to a study most recently published in World Journal of Gastroenterology.

Ahmad Esmaillzadeh from Food Security Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in Isfahan, Iran and colleagues conducted the study and discovered study participants who ate spicy foods more than 10 times per week were 92% more likely to experience irritable bowel syndrome, compared with those who never ate any.

The association was derived after adjusting for other confounders and after adjusting for lactose intolerance, the risk for those eating spicy food so often were still at 82% elevated risk for irritable bowel syndrome, compared with those eating no spicy foods.

The study was based on dietary data from 4763 Iranian adults who were surveyed via a dietary habits questionnaire. Spicy foods included pepper, curry, ginger, cinnamon and turmeric.  All these spicy can be considered healthy foods although they may irritate some food consumers.

Stratified analysis by gender shows the association between spicy foods and irritable bowel syndrome was significant in women, but not in men after considering potential confounders.  Among women, those who ate spicy foods more than 10 times per week were twice as likely to suffer IBS as those who never ate any.

The study concluded " Consumption of spicy foods is directly associated with IBS, particularly in women."

This study is observational and a causal relation between eating spicy foods and irritable bowel syndrome has not been established.  But for men and women who live with IBS may try to modify their diet to see if they may reduce any symptoms by taking spicy foods out of their diets. (JD)