Fancy trying an intense hot sauce challenge? Be warned: This can cause you to throw up so much that your esophagus bursts

They are sure to add a powerful kick to any meal.

But trouble eating viral chilies can lead to stomach cramps, violent vomiting and, in extreme cases, even rupture of the esophagus, experts say.

Kicking Back Peppers became famous through YouTube Programs like the Hot Ones. It features celebrities like Cardi B and Louis Theroux eating hot sauce while being interviewed by YouTuber Sean Evans.

It has also taken TikTok by storm, with videos of people crying and red-faced eating ghost peppers – which are 200 times hotter than a jalapeno – racking up thousands of views.

In a video by @Ramizeinn, who has 16.3 million followers, he eats several ghost peppers before swallowing a carton of milk and visibly in pain.

In the photo, Cardi B takes part in a Hot Ones interview on YouTube, but he takes care of the spice with a glass of milk

In another video posted by @peteypappi, who has 658,000 followers, two people are seen trying to eat the peppers but giving up halfway through.

Dr. Duane Mellor, a nutritionist at Aston University in Birmingham, warned that this trend could cause digestive problems and, in extreme cases, even increase the risk of cancer.

After eating something spicy, many people notice a tingling sensation on their lips, a burning sensation on their tongue, and they begin to sweat due to the overwhelming heat.

But in addition to the temporary burning sensation, consuming large amounts of hot sauces and peppers or extremely hot varieties can also damage the intestines.

One side effect, according to dr. Mellor is reflux, when stomach acid enters the throat.

He said: “If this continues over a long period of time, it can cause changes in our esophagus and increase the risk of cancer.”

This is because recurrent acid reflux can lead to gastroesophageal reflux disease, which increases the risk of esophageal cancer.

Dr. Mellor found that a combination of how spicy a sauce is and whether it is eaten as part of a meal or on its own determines the severity of reflux symptoms.

But extremely spicy food can also lead to nausea, vomiting, painful stools and diarrhea.

People with bowel disorders are at the greatest risk of these side effects because of their increased sensitivity in the gut, said Professor Tim Spector, an expert in epidemiology and gut health at Kings College London.and co-founder of ZOE.

Although not usually serious, a 2016 case report in the Journal of Emergency Medicine detailed that it can result in a rupture of the esophagus.

The video posted by @Ramizeinn, who has 16.3 million followers, shows him eating several ghost peppers (left). After attempting the challenge, he is seen swallowing a carton of milk and visibly in pain (right)

It reported on an unidentified 47-year-old man from California, USA, who arrived at a hospital emergency room after vomiting and suffering severe abdominal and chest pains following a ghost pepper eating contest.

Scans showed he had a 2.5cm tear in his esophagus from the violent vomiting. He had to stay in the hospital for weeks, eating and drinking through a tube.

Eating more spices than you tolerate can also cause symptoms in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

A 2013 Iranian study found that people who ate spicy food about 10 times a week were 92 percent more likely to develop irritable bowel syndrome, which causes stomach cramps, bloating and diarrhea, than people who never ate spicy food .

The results are based on responses from 4,763 adults. However, the results also showed that spicy food has no relationship with the incidence of irritable bowel syndrome in men.

In a video by @peteypappi, who has 658,000 followers, two people are seen trying to eat the peppers but giving up halfway through.

In addition to online consumption, chili pepper consumption has also skyrocketed during in-person competitions at food festivals.

You’ll see heat lovers competing against each other to eat extremely hot peppers as fast as possible. These include the Foodies Festival chilli eating competition, which takes place in various locations across the UK each year, and the League of Fire competition, which organizes food and chilli festivals across the UK, Europe, USA, New Zealand and Australia.

However, eating a normal amount will not cause problems, says Professor Spector.

“As with almost any food, consuming too much hot sauce can have negative consequences.” For most people, ingesting a moderate amount does not cause problems. But as a general rule, if a food causes severe stomach upset, you should stop taking it or at least reduce your dose.”

But as long as you don’t eat a handful of extremely hot ghost peppers, spicy food can be good for you.

Ghost peppers are extremely hot and are rated at one million on the Scoville scale, for comparison: Jalapenos reach 5,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU).

According to Professor Spector, hot sauces that are minimally processed or homemade can have health benefits.

“After all, chilli is a plant. They contain healthy plant chemicals called polyphenols that help support your gut microbiome. And there is evidence that regular consumption of peppers can even prolong life,” he said.

A 2015 Chinese study found that those who ate spicy food had a 14 percent lower risk of dying prematurely.

Researchers examined data from nearly 500,000 people in the country who were between 30 and 79 years old at the start of the study and were followed for about seven years.

Scientists subsequently found that eating spicy foods was associated with a lower risk of death from cancer, heart disease and racial unrest.

This remained the result when the analysis was adjusted for risky lifestyle factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption.

But to ensure your hot sauce is healthy, it’s best to make it yourself and avoid highly processed jars full of “unpronounceable chemical names”, says Professor Spector.

He said: “As with many foods today, it’s the other colors, flavors, emulsifiers, etc. that can have long-term health effects if consumed in excess.”

“When looking for a hot sauce, it’s best to read the label and choose one with a shorter ingredient list and fewer unpronounceable chemical names.”