FameLab UK Final 2017 - Mike Daniels (Manchester)

Summary

The speaker humorously addresses their inability to tolerate spicy food due to a sensitivity to capsaicin, the active ingredient in chili peppers. They explain how capsaicin tricks the mouth into feeling like it's on fire by activating heat receptors, leading to pain and sweating as the body tries to cool down. The video offers advice for alleviating the effects of spicy food, suggesting high-fat foods or high-proof alcohol as effective remedies, instead of water, which fails to dissolve capsaicin.

Takeaways

• 🌶️ The speaker has a sensitivity to spicy food, which they describe as a 'debilitating disorder'.
• 🔥 Capsaicin, the active ingredient in chili peppers, is responsible for the sensation of heat and pain.
• 🚪 Capsaicin opens ion channels in nerve cells, triggering an electrical impulse that signals pain.
• 🔥 The TRPV1 receptor, activated by capsaicin, is responsible for detecting high temperatures and pain.
• 💦 The body reacts to the perceived heat by increasing blood flow to the skin and activating sweat glands to cool down.
• 😳 Drinking water is not effective in relieving the burning sensation caused by capsaicin, as it doesn't dissolve in water.
• 🥛 Consuming dairy products like milk, yogurt, or lassi can help neutralize the effects of capsaicin by dissolving it.
• 🥃 High-proof alcohol is also effective in dissolving capsaicin, providing relief to those who overindulge in spicy food.
• 🍽️ The speaker humorously addresses their personal struggle with spicy food and offers advice to others in a similar situation.
• 🧠 The script provides a scientific explanation of the body's physiological response to spicy food.

Q & A

What is the debilitating disorder mentioned in the script that affects the speaker?

The debilitating disorder mentioned is an inability to handle spicy food, which causes discomfort and pain when consuming capsicum annuum, also known as the bird's eye chili.

What is the active ingredient in chili that causes the sensation of pain?

The active ingredient in chili that causes pain is capsaicin, which opens ion channels in nerve cells and sends an electrical impulse to the brain's pain centers.

How does capsaicin trick the body into thinking it's experiencing heat?

Capsaicin activates the TRPV1 receptor, also known as the noxious heat receptor, which is responsible for detecting painful levels of heat. This receptor can be activated by capsaicin, tricking the body into thinking it's experiencing heat even if the actual temperature is not high.

What are the physical reactions the speaker experiences after consuming spicy food?

The speaker experiences excruciating pain, a red shade on the skin, and excessive sweating. These reactions are the body's attempt to cool itself down in response to the perceived heat from capsaicin.

Why is drinking water not an effective way to alleviate the burning sensation from spicy food?

Drinking water is not effective because capsaicin does not dissolve in water. Instead, it can spread the capsaicin around the mouth, potentially worsening the sensation of burning.

What type of food or drink can help neutralize the effects of capsaicin?

Foods or drinks high in fat, such as milk, yogurt, or lassi, can help dissolve capsaicin and neutralize its effects.

Why is high-proof alcohol suggested as a remedy for the burning sensation caused by capsaicin?

High-proof alcohol is effective at dissolving capsaicin, which can help to clear out the burning sensation in the mouth.

What is the scientific term for the receptor that capsaicin activates to create a burning sensation?

The scientific term for the receptor that capsaicin activates is TRPV1, which stands for Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1.

How does the body try to cool itself down when experiencing the burning sensation from spicy food?

The body tries to cool itself down by sending blood to the extremities and opening sweat glands to lose heat through evaporation.

What is the speaker's advice for those who experience a burning sensation from spicy food at a curry house?

The speaker advises to avoid water and instead opt for a shot of vodka or consume dairy products like milk, yogurt, or lassi to help dissolve the capsaicin.

Outlines

00:00

🌶️ The Scoville Scale of Personal Pain

The speaker humorously introduces their inability to tolerate spicy food, referring to themselves as a 'Tory coward' and 'pepper pessimist.' They explain the scientific reason behind their aversion, focusing on the active ingredient in chili peppers, capsaicin. This compound triggers pain by opening ion channels in nerve cells, which sends a signal to the brain. The speaker likens the sensation to their mouth being on fire, as capsaicin activates the TRPV1 receptor, which is responsible for detecting high temperatures. The body's response to this perceived heat includes sweating and reddening of the skin, as it tries to cool itself down. The speaker advises against drinking water to alleviate the spiciness, as capsaicin is not water-soluble, and instead recommends consuming dairy products or alcohol, which can help dissolve the compound and reduce its effects.

Keywords

💡Debilitating disorder

A debilitating disorder is a condition that severely weakens or disables a person. In the context of the video, the speaker humorously refers to their inability to tolerate spicy food as a 'debilitative disorder,' which is not a medical term but is used to emphasize the personal impact of their sensitivity to capsaicin.

💡Capsicum annuum

Capsicum annuum, also known as the bird's eye chili, is a species of chili pepper. The video script uses this term to introduce the specific type of chili pepper that the speaker is going to consume. It sets the stage for explaining the effects of capsaicin, the active component in chili peppers, which causes the sensation of heat and pain.

💡Capsaicin

Capsaicin is the active component found in chili peppers that gives them their characteristic spiciness. In the video, the speaker explains that capsaicin is responsible for the excruciating pain felt when eating spicy food. It triggers ion channels in nerve cells, leading to the sensation of heat and pain, which is central to the video's exploration of the physiological effects of spicy food.

💡Ion channels

Ion channels are proteins in the cell membrane that allow the passage of ions across the membrane. The video script describes how capsaicin opens these ion channels, particularly the TRPV1 receptor, which sends an electrical impulse to the brain, signaling pain. This process is key to understanding why spicy food causes a burning sensation.

💡TRPV1 receptor

The TRPV1 receptor, or Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1, is a type of ion channel that acts as a noxious heat receptor. The video explains that capsaicin activates the TRPV1 receptor, tricking the body into perceiving a burning sensation even when there is no actual heat. This is a critical concept in understanding the body's response to spicy food.

💡Fake heat

The term 'fake heat' in the video refers to the sensation of heat caused by capsaicin, which is not due to actual temperature change but is perceived as such by the body. The speaker's body reacts to this fake heat by trying to cool itself down, leading to sweating and redness, which are natural responses to real heat but are ineffective against the sensation caused by capsaicin.

💡Sweating

Sweating is the body's natural response to regulate temperature. In the video, the speaker describes sweating as a result of the 'fake heat' caused by capsaicin. The body attempts to cool itself down by increasing blood flow to the skin and activating sweat glands, which is a common physiological response to吃辣时的热感.

💡High-proof alcohol

High-proof alcohol, such as vodka, is mentioned in the video as an effective way to dissolve capsaicin. The speaker suggests that, contrary to popular belief, drinking water is not helpful for relieving the spiciness of food because capsaicin is not water-soluble. Instead, consuming high-proof alcohol can help neutralize the effects of capsaicin by dissolving it.

💡Milk and yogurt

Milk and yogurt are recommended in the video as effective remedies for neutralizing the effects of capsaicin. This is because they contain fats that can help dissolve capsaicin, thereby reducing the sensation of spiciness. The video uses these examples to contrast with the ineffectiveness of water and to provide practical advice for those who overindulge in spicy food.

💡Vindaloo

Vindaloo is a type of curry that originates from the Indian subcontinent and is known for its spicy and hot flavor. In the video, the speaker uses the term 'vindaloo' to illustrate the extreme end of the spicy food spectrum, setting up a humorous contrast with their own preference for milder dishes like 'korma.'

Highlights

The individual suffers from a condition that makes them unable to handle spicy food, affecting a fraction of humans and almost all other mammals.

Capsicum annuum, also known as the bird's eye chili, is the subject of the experiment to understand the effects of spicy food.

Capsaicin, the active ingredient in chili, is responsible for the excruciating pain felt when consuming spicy food.

Capsaicin opens ion channels in nerve cells, causing a flow of sodium ions and triggering an electrical impulse to the brain's pain centers.

The TRPV1 receptor, activated by capsaicin, tricks the mouth into thinking it's on fire, even if the actual temperature is not high.

The body reacts to the perceived heat by increasing blood flow to extremities and activating sweat glands in an attempt to cool down.

Drinking water is not an effective way to counteract the effects of capsaicin, as it does not dissolve in water.

Consuming food or drink high in fat, such as milk, yogurt, or lassi, can help dissolve capsaicin and neutralize its effects.

High-proof alcohol is also effective at dissolving capsaicin, providing relief for those who have consumed overly spicy food.

The individual humorously compares their reaction to spicy food to a 'Tory coward' and a 'Scoville scaredy-cat'.

The transcript humorously describes the individual's experience with spicy food, using vivid imagery and relatable analogies.

The individual's decision to confront their fear of spicy food is presented as a brave and scientific endeavor.

The transcript provides a detailed explanation of the physiological effects of capsaicin on the human body.

The individual's experience serves as a cautionary tale for those who may underestimate the power of capsaicin.

The transcript offers practical advice for dealing with the effects of capsaicin, such as avoiding water and opting for dairy products or alcohol.

The individual's narrative is a personal journey of overcoming a common but debilitating sensitivity to spicy food.

The transcript concludes with a recommendation for those who overindulge in spicy food to consider a shot of vodka as a remedy.

Transcripts

I have a problem

it's a debilitating disorder that

affects a fraction of humans and almost

all other mammals this condition has

plagued me almost all my life but I

won't let it dictate me it's time it was

out in the open aye-aye

I can't handle spicy food yeah that's

right I'm a Tory coward a pepper

pessimist a Scoville scaredy-cat

will you norms out there brashley order

your chef special vindaloo I'm the guy

shaming Lee ordering the korma but you

don't understand no one understands

until now this is capsicum annuum also

known as the bird's eye chili and

tonight in the name of science I'm going

to sink my teeth into this thing and

explain to you all what it does to me oh

the first thing it hits me is

excruciating pain that is all down to

the active ingredient of the chili

capsaicin as soon as it is my mouth

capsaicin opens tiny gates called ion

channels located in my nerve cells

positively charged sodium ions flows

through these gates sending an

electrical impulse shooting to the pain

centers of my brain and signaling a red

alert but this isn't just any kind of

pain my mouth is on fire you see the

iron channel open by capsaicin called

trip v1 is what we call our noxious heat

receptor its job is to detect painful

levels of heat anything over around 45

degrees

capsaicin can activate trip v1 and open

the tiny gates of pain no matter what

the real temperature inside my mouth

this chili is literally tricking my

mouth into thinking it's on fire

by now I've got a fairly impressive

shade of red and I'm starting to sweat

like Donald Trump in a CIA meeting these

two effects are both a result of that

fake heat my body is desperately trying

to cool itself down by sending blood to

my extremities and by opening sweat

glands to lose heat through evaporation

but these two effects are all in vain

I'm trying to lose heat when I'm not

even hot I need to do something to stop

the capsaicin in its tracks right now in

the curry house you may reach that

ice-cold refreshing glass of water but

that would be a serious mistake you see

just like the oil that floats on top of

your curry capsaicin does not dissolve

in water and drinking it will only make

matters worse food or drink high in fat

however such as milk yogurt or lassi

should help dissolve the capsaicin and

neutralize its effects but there is one

more way to clear out the fire

high-proof alcohol czar also very

effective at dissolving capsaicin and so

to my fellow sufferers next timing in

the curry house and that exotic dish

turned out to be a little bit more fire

than expected step away from the water

and have a shot of vodka instead

thank you