What is black pepper?
Black pepper is probably sitting on your kitchen shelf at home, and for good reason. This well-known spice originated in India and is extracted from the unripe fruit of the Piper nigrum plant. It has been used for centuries in alternative medicine to manage several disorders and health conditions and is used to flavor a wide variety of food, but eating too much could cause health issues.
Eating too much black pepper can trigger an upset stomach and cause skin irritation or other complications. If someone consumes black pepper in small amounts, it shouldn't pose any risks to their health, but before going for that extra pinch of pepper, you should consider a few things regarding dosage, safety, and potential negative interactions with certain drugs.
One of the most famous and widely used seasonings in the world, black pepper belongs to the Piperaceae family. In nature, black pepper is cultivated from a flowering vine. High temperatures and long rainy seasons are required for this plant to grow. As soon as it undergoes the drying process, its fruit becomes peppercorn.
By drying it in direct sunlight, you can also create pepper oil which is often used to create Ayurveda medicines.
Definition of piperine
Piperine is a chemical found in black pepper and may have several effects on the body, including killing bacteria and fungi. Some other effects of piperine include reduced inflammation and pain, as well as improved breathing and brain function. Taking an excess of this chemical, though, may also have more adverse effects. For instance, if you undergo surgery, consuming too much black pepper beforehand could affect your blood sugar levels or lead to bleeding complications.
You should stop consuming black pepper in excess at least two weeks before your surgery. Eating too much black pepper could lead to an increased level of cyclosporine that could damage your kidneys or lead to an increase in blood pressure.
Black pepper: side effects and interactions
When taken by mouth in typical amounts, black pepper is likely safe, and the only side effect you might experience is a burning aftertaste. You may experience indigestion, heartburn, and other gastrointestinal issues, though, if you eat too much. If it accidentally gets into the lungs, black pepper could even result in death, especially in children. In some cases, individuals who are allergic to black pepper will have a severe respiratory reaction.
If you’re allergic to black pepper, you may break out in hives or develop a rash. You should also be sure to wash your hands after handling black pepper. If it enters your eyes, it could be painful.
Here are some of the other potential disadvantages of overeating black pepper, which:
May cause negative interactions with certain drugs
Black pepper may affect the absorption of certain drugs like antihistamines or those that boost hepatic metabolism. Consuming too much black pepper may damage your gut lining over time, and when this natural barrier is destroyed, the absorption of these drugs is enhanced. When absorption levels of certain medications are enhanced to dangerously high levels, that could trigger severe complications. This may also alter the effectiveness of some prescription medications like heart rate medication.
Can cause issues during pregnancy
When consumed in normal amounts, black pepper should not be harmful to pregnant women or their infants. However, some researchers recommend against using black pepper while pregnant. In extreme cases, when taken in large amounts, black pepper can trigger a miscarriage.
May lead to male fertility issues
Black pepper may lead to an increase in harmful radicals in the duct where male sperm is stored. Piperine is the specific compound that was found to damage sperm in a study conducted on rats.
Trigger sneezing
Even though sneezing may not be a severe side effect you have to worry about, when you smell black pepper, piperine often becomes an irritant that makes you want to sneeze.
Disruption of blood clotting
Piperine in black pepper may reduce blood clotting and slow blood clot formation. During surgery, this could cause bleeding complications and alter your blood sugar levels.
In the cases of people with diabetes, taking black pepper in large amounts may similarly affect blood sugar levels.
Eating black pepper in excess may also increase the risk of bleeding for individuals with bleeding disorders.
Safe dosages of black pepper
How much is a reasonable amount of black pepper? The answer to this question is more complex than you may think. Factors like your height, weight, and age will determine the amount of black pepper that is safe for you to consume. There is no official recommendation, though, some studies suggest that you should never consume more than one full gram of piperine (i.e., six teaspoons of black pepper).
Consult your primary healthcare provider if you plan to take any piperine supplements or if you believe that you may be regularly consuming excessive amounts of black pepper.
Medically Reviewed on 1/6/2023
References
SOURCES:
Association for the Advancement of Restorative Medicine: "Piperine, Black Pepper (Piper nigrum)."
British journal of pharmacology: "Effects of piperine, the pungent component of black pepper, at the human vanilloid receptor (TRPV1)."
Phytotherapy Research: "Piperine: A review of its biological effects," "Pipernigrum and piperine: an update."
Transplantation: "Different effects of tacrolimus and cyclosporine on renal hemodynamics and blood pressure in healthy subjects."
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry: "Characterization of peppercorn, pepper oil, and pepper oleoresin by vibrational spectroscopy methods."
Journal of Food Science and Technology: "Anti-inflammatory potential of turmeric, amla, and black pepper mixture against sepsis-induced acute lung injury in rats."
Journal of Integrative Agriculture: "Modeling the potential geographic distribution of black pepper (Piper nigrum) in Asia using GIS tools."
Journal of Medical and Biological Research: "The effect of fruit extracts of black pepper on the fertility potential of male albino rats."
Journal of Medical and Pharmaceutical Innovation: "Scope to which Pre-eminence of Black Pepper in Diet and its Health Benefits."
Nutrition Today: "Black Pepper: Overview of Health Benefits."
Trends in Food Science & Technology: "Cardiovascular protective effect of black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) and its major bioactive constituent piperine."
West Virginia Medical Journal: "Idiopathic itch, rash, and urticaria/angioedema merit serum vitamin D evaluation: a descriptive case series."
World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research: "Characterization and Quantification of Piperine: A Bioactive ingredient of black pepper."
