Is that spiciness becoming a 'small spark' for your spleen and stomach?

Hello everyone. This is Yuyu Kampo.

Now, in this season when the heat is in full swing, don't you sometimes find yourself craving something spicy? Slurping down super-spicy ramen while sweating, grabbing curry on the way home from work, or eating kimchi hot pot to wake up your appetite—many of you might find yourselves seeking out spicy flavors almost every day, encouraged by phrases like 'spicy food boosts metabolism' or 'sweating is a detox.'

However, a study was recently reported that shows a link between eating spicy food 'every day' and serious intestinal inflammation.

🌸 Misaki
'Yuyu-san, I've been really into it lately... my hobby is going around to different super-spicy ramen shops. Is it bad for your body to love spicy food?'

🍵 Yuyu
'Misaki-san, loving spicy food itself is by no means a bad thing. But, a concerning study has been published.'

🌸 Misaki
'A study...?'

🍵 Yuyu
'Yes. It reported that the habit of eating spicy food every day was associated with an increased risk of Crohn's disease, a serious intestinal condition. The important thing is the difference between "enjoying" spicy food and being "dependent" on it.'

🌸 Misaki
'Crohn's disease... I've heard of it, but I don't really know what it is.'

🍵 Yuyu
'Crohn's disease is a condition where chronic inflammation occurs in the intestines, leading to prolonged abdominal pain and diarrhea. The number of patients is increasing in Japan as well, and the relationship with diet is attracting attention.'

Daily spicy meals increase 'Crohn's disease risk by 1.6 times'

This study is a case-control study published in the May 2026 issue of the medical journal "Nutrition" by Anas Almofarreh and colleagues at the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health.

The subjects were 773 people in total: 226 Crohn's disease patients, 157 ulcerative colitis patients, and 390 control group members who visited private clinics in Saudi Arabia. Spicy food was defined as 'dishes using chili peppers or hot sauce' and was evaluated using a self-administered questionnaire.

The results of the multivariate logistic regression analysis—an analysis that adjusted for various background factors—were as follows.

• The group that consumed spicy food daily had a 1.61 times higher risk of developing Crohn's disease (adjusted odds ratio 1.61, 95% confidence interval 1.11–2.33)

• On the other hand, there was no significant association for ulcerative colitis (adjusted odds ratio 1.03, 95% confidence interval 0.67–1.60)

• No association was found between spicy food intake and the extent or severity of the lesions

In other words, while the habit of eating spicy food every day may be associated with the 'risk of developing' Crohn's disease, it did not affect the progression of the disease itself.

What we want to be careful about here is that this is only an 'association,' and it is not a study that concludes 'spicy food is the cause of Crohn's disease.' However, it is a finding to keep in the back of your mind that daily spicy meals are repeatedly stimulating the intestines.

Crohn's disease

🌸 Misaki
1.6 times... But Yuyu-san, how do we think about this in Kampo?

🍵 Yuyu
Actually, in Oriental medicine, we have always thought very delicately about how to handle pungency—or 'Shin' in Kampo terms.

Pungency has the power of 'dispersion.' It warms the body's surface, opens the pores, and promotes the circulation of Qi. Drinking Kakkonto (kudzu root decoction) at the onset of a cold is also to borrow the dispersive power of pungency to expel pathogens.

However, this power is only beneficial in 'moderate amounts.' If you continue to eat spicy food almost every day, excess heat will accumulate in the spleen and stomach—the organs that govern digestion. In Kampo, we call this 'damp-heat.'

🌸 Misaki
Damp-heat... Does that feel like being hot and humid?

🍵 Yuyu
That is exactly the image. Think of the muggy heat of the rainy season. It's damp outside and stuffy and uncomfortable inside—damp-heat is a state where the same thing is happening inside the body.

When heat accumulates in the spleen and stomach due to overconsumption of spicy food, digestive juices are disrupted, and the intestinal mucosa begins to experience repeated dryness and inflammation. In the classics of Oriental medicine, this was expressed as 'Pungency disperses Qi, and eating too much of it loosens the muscles.' When Qi is too dispersed, the barrier that protects the intestines—what we call 'Wei Qi' in Kampo—also weakens.

🌸 Misaki
The intestinal barrier weakens... Isn't that similar to the inflammation of Crohn's disease mentioned in this study?

🍵 Yuyu
You are sharp. What modern medicine calls 'breakdown of the intestinal barrier function' and what Oriental medicine describes as 'stagnation of damp-heat from Spleen deficiency—a weakening of the Spleen's power.' Even though the words are different, I believe the phenomena we are observing overlap.

Pungency is a 'condiment,' not a 'staple food'

In Oriental medicine, there is a concept called the 'Five Flavors.' The five flavors—sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, and salty—each act on different internal organs.

Pungency is said to return to the 'Lungs'—meaning it has a deep relationship with the respiratory system and the body's surface defense functions. Moderate pungency helps the circulation of Qi, promotes blood flow, and eliminates coldness. Ginger, green onions, shiso, and Japanese pepper—the Japanese condiment culture is a crystallization of the wisdom of 'using pungency in small amounts.'

The problem is when pungency becomes the 'main event.' A state of craving spicy food at every meal is, from a Kampo perspective, an 'addiction to pungency,' which means you are continuously placing chronic stress on your spleen and stomach.

What is interesting about this study is that no significant association was found between spicy foods and ulcerative colitis. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are both classified as 'inflammatory bowel diseases,' but the location and nature of the inflammation differ. Crohn's disease can cause inflammation anywhere in the digestive tract from the mouth to the anus—meaning there is a possibility that it affects every place that food passes through directly.

🌸 Misaki
Should I stop eating spicy food completely?

🍵 Yuyu
No, that is not the case. What is important is the 'frequency and amount.' As long as you enjoy it as an accent to your meals a few times a week, pungency can also be a force that helps the body circulate. The problem is continuing to eat it 'every day' and in 'large quantities.'

Even so, for those who are already feeling gastrointestinal discomfort, Kampo support can be a reassuring ally.

For example, for those who have signs of 'damp-heat' such as a heavy stomach after eating spicy food, a feeling of obstruction in the pit of the stomach, or a bitter taste in the mouth, Oren-gedoku-to (Coptis Decoction to Relieve Toxicity) is often used. It is a formula composed of four ingredients: Coptis (Oren), Scutellaria Root (Ogon), Phellodendron Bark (Obaku), and Gardenia Fruit (Sanshishi), and it is a prescription that clears away excess heat trapped in the body.

🌸 Misaki
'Clearing' heat—is that different from cooling it down?

🍵 Yuyu
That is a good question. It is not about cooling it down, but rather the image of 'removing only the excess heat.' It is perhaps like the feeling of letting out only the trapped hot air through ventilation, rather than cooling the entire room with an air conditioner.

Another option for those who tend to have loose stools or feel bloated after eating is Hange-shashin-to(Pinellia Decoction to Drain Epigastrium). It helps correct the complex imbalance where heat is trapped in the stomach while the intestines are cold.

And for those who naturally have a weak spleen and stomach, or who tire easily and have an inconsistent appetite, there is Rikkunshi-to (Six Gentlemen Decoction). Ginseng and Atractylodes Rhizome replenish the Qi of the spleen, while Poria drains excess moisture, helping to stabilize the foundation of your spleen and stomach.

🌸 Misaki
"So there are remedies for both clearing heat and strengthening the foundation."

🍵 Yuyu
"Yes. However, with Kampo, compatibility with your constitution is very important. Please consult a pharmacist or doctor to see if it is right for you."

3 ways to 'live with spiciness' starting today

Combining research results with the wisdom of Eastern medicine, I have summarized some health practices that spicy food lovers can start implementing today.

① Think of spiciness as a 'condiment'

Instead of making it the star of every meal, add just a little to your dishes—grated ginger, a dash of shichimi togarashi (seven-flavor chili pepper), or a few grains of sansho pepper. Japan's condiment culture is the wisdom of maximizing flavor with minimal spice. Treat extremely spicy food as a 'treat' for a few times a week, and keep a good balance.

② Listen to your 'stomach's voice' on days you eat spicy food

A heavy stomach after eating, loose stools the next morning, or a dry mouth—these are signs from your spleen and stomach saying, 'That was a bit too spicy.' On the day after eating spicy food, try to be mindful of eating things that are gentle on your spleen and stomach, such as rice porridge or warm soup.

③ Neutralize spiciness with 'sweetness'

In Eastern medicine, it is believed that sweetness alleviates an excess of spiciness. The sweetness here does not refer to desserts, but to natural sweetness that nourishes the spleen and stomach, such as rice, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and jujube (Taiso). Just having jujube tea or warm hojicha after a spicy meal can ease the burden on your spleen and stomach.

🌸 Misaki
"I'm honestly relieved to hear I don't have to give up spicy food. But I think I'll reconsider having it 'every day'."

🍵 Yuyu
"I think that is the most important realization. Spiciness is essentially a force that promotes circulation. But if that force is too strong, it becomes inflammation rather than circulation.

In the world of Kampo, there is a saying: 'Even medicine can become poison if taken in excess.' The same applies to spicy food. Enjoying it and being dependent on it are different things.

Think of next week's spicy ramen as a 'reward.' For your daily meals, stick to the 'spiciness of condiments'—a slice of ginger, a dash of shichimi. That balance should quietly protect your gut."

🌸 Misaki
"Alright, I'll take a break from my spicy food tour this week and make sansho pasta at home instead."

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