Can you lose tolerance to spicy food? The science behind capsaicin
                                
                                
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                                    4 min read                                
                            
                                The burning sensation from spicy food is not a taste but a pain signal sent by nerves, specifically the heat-sensitive TRPV1 receptors. Given this physiological mechanism of adaptation, the question 'can you lose tolerance to spicy food?' is a common and intriguing one. The answer is a definitive yes, and it happens through a physiological process called desensitization.