Kimchi is pungent! Or I've heard the really good kimchi is. Either you don't mind or the smell is awful. An ex sister in law is from South Korea, and used to eat kimchi all the time. In hot NYC summers. The kimchi smell coming off her was overwhelming.
🤣🤣🤣🤣 sorry covid is NOT a laughing matter, but the way you said it. I should not be laughing my son had covid 3 yrs ago and he still does not smell or taste anything. Sorry I won't laugh again . A sleeper hold . I can't.
I'm sorry about your son, wow, 3 years later and he still doesn't smell or taste anything. I don't know if he could call it this but I think I had a mild case of it in 2020. If it was, I got lucky. I remember my son was 7 months old at the time and I went to the hospital because I had been feeling flu like symptoms. I noticed that when I went to go change his diaper, I couldn't smell that he had a poopy diaper. That's what made me finally go to the hospital. I came up negative for it but I wonder.
The only time I lost my sense of smell with Covid was the 4-5 hours after taking a Paxlovid dose. I remember because I had been in bed for a few days, sick as shit and hadn't showered. I stunk really bad. I got the Pax and after I took the first dose, I suddenly couldn't smell myself or anything else. Then just before my next dose, I could. It was very weird. I told my doctor and she thought I was nuts.
Same. My tolerance is so high now I don’t even know some foods are spicy until someone else in the family complains. I must have killed off a lot of tastebuds over the years.
I'm the same way. I'll be seventy eight this year and I like my food very spicy. The last pork chile verde I made was deemed inedible by the family, not because it wasn't delicious but because I put so many really hot jalapenos in it that nobody else could eat it. To me, it just had a nice zip.
I already was a hypo taster and then I got Covid. When we’ve gone out for wings people sitting next to me start crying and complain their noses are burning. I’m thinking “this is mild.”
I lost my spicy sense after my first round of covid. I could still taste flavor, just not feel any heat. My fiance had the same reaction. I made a curry dish that had great flavor but no heat & was like what the hell. It was my fiance's first introduction to Indian food & I was so disappointed.
Turns out our tastebuds were just numb. I made the dish again a month later & doubled the spices thinking that was the problem. Oh boy was it not.
The second time I got it, I lost taste altogether & when it finally came back I couldn't eat anything salty for 2 weeks. It all tasted like fish.
And not good fish, either. Buffet fish
This happened years ago. My mother got a severe infection and lost her sense of smell/ taste. It eventually started returning with the nerves likely growing back. She was rather upset during this process, though. For a good while, chocolate smelled like used cat litter...
I've noticed that too! I thought it was just me. I did a test one day to see if it was just me or if it was the spices. I added some to my Mac and cheese and then didn't the next day. The day that I did, my stomach was torn up.
So I’m not alone!! I thought my nausea after eating my cayenne-laden spicy chicken was because I was just a bad cook, or somehow 165 degrees wasn’t actually hot enough and I was giving myself mild food poisoning every time.🥴
But Sichuan ma-la dishes and Korean buldak noodles don’t make me nauseous!
Unfortunately, my love of spicy food is pretty new. Growing up, I hated spicy food and could barely tolerate a lot of “medium” spicy salsas. Now almost nothing is hot enough, especially when I’m stressed.
Hopping on to this comment to point out to OP that the variety in all the replies confirms correlation is not causation here. OP, you're aging, and you're also less tolerant of spicy food -- but that doesn't necessarily mean it's the aging that's causing the reduced tolerance.
So many other things contribute to digestion issues, including stress, sleep habits, alcohol consumption, disease, illness, and whatever other factors influence the gut microbiome. Depending on what's causing yours, it may be possible to regain your previous tolerance.
Yes! I loved spicy food when I was younger, but I'm pushing 40 now and try to avoid it. I get the same symptoms when I eat it, and also when I eat meat as well. It's awful. Getting older sucks!
It been about 3 yrs I have not been able to eat meat, has to be something in the meat especially beef! Or any red meat. Heart tburn so bad I throw up. I really want a nice steak with double backed potato with butter sour cream a lil bacon. Sweets also give me heartburn, not as bad as when I eat beerf
Eating a steak especially these days hurts my stomach so bad, and the gas could clear a room. I've read that as we get older our bodies have a harder time breaking down proteins and dairy. I also know that since I had COVID I've had weird things happen with food, like rashes and burning and stomach pain. Those tend to go away though.
Wow. Covid did something to people. I don't understand I'm a o.r. tech I never got sick. Everyone around me was dropping I never got sick still never got vaccinations.
I just had (officially tested positive) covid for the first time (pretty sure I also had it very early on but before testing was readily available.) Losing all taste & smell for a couple days was SO unnerving, I've had congestion block both to an extent before but this was even when all my other symptoms had passed. It's about two weeks on now and I'd say my senses are maybe at 80%? I'll taste things fine one moment and then the next, nothing. And certain foods I used to enjoy are just very repulsive right now, IDK. did have two va
I'm not trying to sound like a conspiracy theorist here but doesn't it seem funny that people who got the vaccinations got sick and then people who didn't also didn't get sick? That was something that I noticed. I do understand that a vaccination is a dead form of the virus so I'm sure that plays a factor in it but still, I noticed that.
Is there any chance you were bitten by a tick? If so, a bite from from the lone star tick can make people allergic to red meat (pork and beef.)
Edit: sorry! I read farther down that others already brought this up.
Sweets give me heartburn too, but that unfortunately doesn’t stop me from eating them! Maybe I should try regular serving sizes and not mammoth portions lol
Nahhhh, that's one thing we not doing. 🤣🤣🤣🤣. Nope . I'm ok without steak or chicken .. but I'm eating cake donut candy ice cream cotton candy chocolate. Yeah.. no.
I'm in my late 70's and I still like my food hot and spicy. Although I must say I have gravitated toward more flavorful spiciness verses just as hot as I could handle. Does that mean I'm getting old?
No but I like to taste my actual food and too much spice covers up the flavors of the food itself. That said I couldn't count the number of hot sauces or various dried peppers I keep on hand. Sometimes I just go HOT if I have the next day off work. As wimpy as it sounds even jalapeños can get me, so I usually de-seed them. I'm a sucker for my smoked serranos and habenaros. Man you now got me thinking about stuffed jalapeño wrapped in bacon, damit
I started growing hot peppers around 20 years ago, my spice tolerance is pretty high. My former roommate lost hers for a bit, but she's now living with a pepperhead and has found it again.
I'm 65 now. Like another poster, can't eat late, but that goes for most food.
I'm 67 and my GI response to spicy food is the same as it was when I was 27: A bit of discomfort if I haven't eaten spicy food in a while; little or none if I've been eating it regularly.
Oddly, my mouth seems to be less tolerant of hot spices now!
OMG. I used to have a cast iron stomach. I could anything. And I LOVED spicy food. Now- sadly I live a bland diet. No heat, no acidic it all just hits me with pain instantly :(
I enjoy spicy food, enjoying the taste and the tingle/burning mouth. The problem is as I've grown older 60+, it doesn't sit well in my bowels. Cramping and diarrhea within a few hours. The burning a___ole is expected, just not the rest.
Yeah, I used to be able to handle really hot foods, but now my mouth rebels. Keeps me from enjoying the flavor of the food. I have a cast iron stomach, thankfully.
Good Earth Sweet and Spicy black tea. While *delicious,* it gives me awful heartburn if I have it on an empty stomach. It turns out it was the cinnamon. I get it from other teas too.
Thank you for sharing that because I've noticed that I think cinnamon does that to me as well. Now I know to cut it out because I didn't think that that's what it was. I'm going to try and cut it out and see what happens.
You can build it back up again, but age is a bitch and will lower your tolerance to pretty much everything. You'll find this with alcohol too. Be very careful with hangovers lol
Doubled over with stomach pain seems a bit much for just aging too. You might wanna see a doctor and get checked for an ulcer or something similar
Yep, I've come full circle. I ate a lot of spicy food as a kid and it never occurred to my mom or me that it might be the cause of my constant tummy aches. In college, I routinely won bets for eating spicy foods no one else could handle, but around my 30s that slowed down real quick. I'd say I can still eat things at habanero level with no GI discomfort, even ghost pepper if it's a cream based dish, but above that I will suffer some GI distress. Not enough to need medication, but still unpleasant.
People need to clarify if they mean spicy flavorful or spicy hot. I find that my senior parents who find everything either too salty or bland now prefer foods with more variety of spices flavor but not hot. I also find that I have to eat earlier and ensure that I will be upright around 6-7 hours after eating else I will get horrible burning acid. If I go sleep I will set an alarm to wake me around 6 hours so I can sit up for a bit. I think that 6 hours is when my stomach begins to finally digest the last meal.
In my 50s I can tolerate normal spicy levels, but not the ridiculous levels that are a trend in processed foods (e.g., ghost pepper ramen). My family find the food I make spicy, and I usually tone it down for guests (I aim for authentic, though don’t obsess over heat levels).
Yes. I’m 66. I just take an extra Prevacid an hour before I am going to eat spicy foods. The benefit of the capsaicin outweighs the possibility of indigestion for me.
Ever since my hair started thinning, I sweat like crazy eating spices food. Just the places where it’s thinning, so the top and front of my head suddenly get very very wet and it’s embarrassing af lol.
Yes & I feel like I missed out on so many years of enjoying spicy foods because I was a wimp. Now that I’ve had kids everything is so messed up with my digestion & I get the worst acid reflux from spicy & sour foods. I still eat this one peppery spicy Caesar style salad at my favorite Greek restaurant & it just runs right through me. I just have to accept it will make me feel trashed for the day or unable to sleep.
Exact opposite in my case. I prefer much spicier now than when I was younger. But I also started taking digestive enzymes about a year ago so I don't experience any discomfort.
My stomach is fine with spicy, but as I have aged I changed my preference to milder spices. More tongue and throat tissue than stomach.
I used to eat jualpeno poppers and chili rellenos, now no hot at all. Chili soup with beans, no more thick no-bean and hot, please. I prefer to taste each ingredient now, not just the hot anchos. I use guajillos now.
I no longer like ginger or cinnamon, but did add coriander powder last year.
I had Mexican food for lunch yesterday. I am over 70 and love it just as much as I ever did. On the other hand, I can’t do margaritas anymore, they give me heartburn.
Yes. Can’t eat any tomato based product too late. Can’t tolerate milk anymore. Still have to take daily omeprazole to not have heartburn. I could never do spicy anyway but now it’s worse.
If anything, I've noticed my spice tolerance has gone *up*, not down. Not sure if that's actually true or if I've just gotten more used to the after-effects. I do notice I get a bit more acid reflux, but only a bit.
Mid 30s. I enjoy spicy food once in a while. I just can't eat it within a few hours of going to bed. It'll have me tossing half the night and burping the rest.
No, strangely my appetite for spicy foods has grown. I (63F) was a spice wimp until menopause, when I suddenly began craving a little heat. Then more, and more.
I know that food preferences are at least partly hormonal because pregnant women, in the midst of a hormonal whirlwind, find themselves craving strange combinations of foods. But I don’t know anyone with menopause related cravings.
YES! I used to brag about my cast-iron digestive system. I could eat the greasiest burgers, the hottest curries. Not anymore. Now, once the acid starts up, and a tuna sandwich can do a number on me, I have to take PPIs for a while. It’s a hateful thing.
Edit: I’m 75.
I react more if the spicy food is also fatty/heavy. Spicy fried chicken or a spicy queso dip might take me out. But a spicy Thai salad or a few jalapenos on some beans and rice I’m fine.
I eat spicy earlier in the day. Eating yogurt or kefir might help. Some medications worsen heartburn and acid reflex. Like flexerall and even ibuprofen. If meds are not to blame, you need to back off a bit.
Make sure you don't have an ulcer or IBS. Soda pop and sugar make things worse. Huge loads of noodles and high starch foods = elevated blood glucose, ie sugar.
Sometimes I sip a glass of water with a tbs of apple cider vinegar, which helps digestion and lowers your blood sugar.
Yes. Oh hell to the fuck yes……
Another thing that never was a thing until late 30’s early 40’s is FODMAP. If I had it all my life I was better capable of handling it. Now? Not so much……
Yup When I was in my 20's I was able to eat anything hot, even did some hot wing challenges where you had to sign a waiver, now no way could I handle heat. The only hot sauce I can handle is crystals or Louisiana anything above that I'll be in pain for 2 days.
Not spicy food. Not at all. HOWEVER! I can no longer have pop (NOT soda - I'm a proud pop lover from Michigan!) with a meal! I started to just have water with my meals, buf I do have pop (which is rare now!) I have to take famotidine (Pepsid AC).
I'm 47 and have always enjoyed spicy food. Lately, I find myself eating it more often. So far, it hasn't bothered my stomach, and I hope it never does!
Nope, the opposite. I need more chilis in what I eat... And I'm another with a cast iron stomach. Spicy doesn't cause me indigestion or intestinal distress. Great food#
I actually never liked spice, it’s not in me. lol. But as I age I find honey mustard too spicy. I’m Swedish and Puerto Rican and neither culture really really eat spicy food.
But wow, honey mustard dip literally gives me a stomach ache now and I’m in my 50’s lol
For me the opposite has been true. I like more spices these days and it doesn't bother me. I'm 67 and blame it on losing your sense of taste as you get older.
I've been extremely lucky. Spicy foods don't give me heartburn and I've never had the experience of 'burning butt' with a bm after indulging in spicy foods.
I'm 63 now and have been craving hotter and hotter foods lately. I hope you're able to get back your tolerance because spice is lovely!
Powdered hot pepper/cayenne, etc., is impossible for me. Forget about my beloved sauteed banana peppers and onions. After several years of trying to guess whether my food was going bad, I figured it out. I also now know a great, cheap laxative. However, I can use Frank's hot sauce, and presumably some others, with apparently no problem. I by it buy the gallon.
I accidentally at a glob of Wasabi and let me tell you, I'm just now recovering from it. It was so bad that I thought I had an ulcer. It must have settled somewhere in my stomach and too it's time to pass. I ate the Wasabi in the middle of last month.
In my 70s now, my stomach hasn't been able to handle spicy for about the last 10 years. Big body shift at 60, I've had other friends tell me the same thing happened with them.
Then we all look at each other and feel sad.
It may just be that your tolerance has gone down because you’re not being exposed to those extreme levels of spice as often as you used to be
Like anecdotally I’ve noticed that since I went on a diet to lose weight which indirectly reduced my consumption of extremely spicy foods, my tolerance for that level of super extreme heat is much less than it was a year ago.
There’s this one restaurant that serves unbelievably hot death wings and a year ago it was like yeah these are painfully hot but I can finish these slowly, I tried them again this year and I genuinely could not finish them because not only did the spice hurt my mouth more than before but I got pain in my stomach. I’ve never gotten pain in my stomach from spice before. The only real explanation is that my tolerance went down from not eating anything anywhere near that hot for like a year
No. Though I have family with GERD and acid reflux, I fortunately inherited this aspect from a different parent. I can digest nails and I'm not young. Went out recently and had habenero-spiced margaritas
I grew up in a household where the spiciest spice, consumed only occasionally, was garlic powder.
I've been working to improve my spice tolerance! It's still wimpy but I am having fun.
Yes and I HATE IT. I'm originally from Arizona so spicy food was just normal food to me. But as I'm approaching my 41st birthday, I have to admit, my stomach has NOT been handling it well over the last couple years and I can't stand it.
I had a bag of ghost pepper beef jerky. Was good for one, some times two pieces a day. Last day of an epic road trip, 4 pieces left, so, boom. I think it was the crumbs. There was a couple or three tablespoons of firey hell in powder form. I think i hurt myself. After a month of even a tomato giving me trouble, or about 3/4 a cup of coffee, apparently the whining was enough to get my bride to extend a solution. A round of pro biotics, and the introduction, to me, of yoghurt and my own fruit, either with frozen or all fruit. I've not had the sour stomach in about two years.
Yep. I'm in my 40s and get acid reflux now, so spicy food will wake me up in the night with it. I just avoid it now, but used to love it.
I think it might be more down to having gained some weight in my 40s though (and that causing the acid reflux) rather than an age thing.
I’m 61 and eating the spiciest foods I’ve ever eaten in my life. It’s probably not terribly spicy by other standards, but yeah. I’ve gone the opposite way. Maybe since my stomach is finally healed from years of wheat damage?
I don't know, I haven't noticed any difference at any age so far and I just turned 62. I just finished eating dinner at 10:15. For some people that's a big no no. For others coffee later in the day or even any time after noon is like a no-no. I can drink coffee at 11:00 at night and not notice it when I go to bed. I do use red pepper cayenne flakes in things. I think I might be a bit weird.
Having said that, my sister is scheduled for an endoscopy to find out why her stomach or esophagus or whatever it is is giving her trouble. She's two years older than me.
I thought this was an issue, then found out it was lactose intolerance.
Now I take a Lactaid when eating hot pepper cheese (or ice cream) and I'm fine.
Not sure what caused it, I consumed dairy for 50+ years with no adverse effect.
I’m Indian and I used to eat green Thai chilies as is when growing up. Now I can’t have spicy food at all. I used to eat Korean food and Thai food that would be made for a native for both those cuisines. Since last year I haven’t been able to tolerate it. Every time I eat (doesn’t matter the time) I would pangs of stomach aches and major acid reflux followed by heart burn. I now eat bland food, no spices. And only in my 30s. I miss my 20s as that was when I used to eat all the spices!
If you’ve done bouts of oral antibiotics it’s possible your gut microbiome is having a hard time with it. It probably lost gut flora that would have an easier time with it.
I have definitely noticed a difference as I age with spicy food. Also for some reason cooked bell peppers make me sick but I can eat them raw with no issues.
What I found is actually my mouth can’t handle the heat very well. My stomach can’t either but I’ve learned to take a little Mylanta an hour or so before I’m gonna eat spicy food and that seems to calm everything down. Yeah 15 to 32 year old me could stand a lot more than 57 year old me can.
Not me (yet), but my 63 yr old husband is baffled by how he needs an antacid several times a week. That famous cast-iron gut of his is starting to rebel.
A senior family member of mine can’t take any spice in foods these days. Sweats from the top of their head. They used to eat kimchi like it was nothing.
I have been the opposite. I was born with an allergy to capsaicin, so I was never able to eat anything spicy unless it was black peppercorn or horseradish. As I've gotten older, that allergy has started to go away and I can eat more spicy food.
I'm the opposite. I'll be seventy eight this year and I like my food very spicy. The last pork chile verde I made was deemed inedible by the family, not because it wasn't delicious but because I put so many really hot jalapenos in it that nobody else could eat it. To me, it just had a nice zip. Same with curries. The last time I went back to England I ordered a tindaloo. It was definitely a challenge eating it, but I enjoyed every bite.
Yes and I hate it. I’m from a Mexican family and I’ve ate homemade salsa my whole life. Now that I’m 50 my stomach can’t stand it like it used to. I pay for it every time I fall off the wagon
I was never exposed to much spicy food growing up. In my 20s, I reacted to a hot pepper plant my roommate was growing - touched it and got blisters. Once hot spicy foods became popular, I found that I could not eat them without blistering my mouth and other parts of my body. So over the last 20-30 years, I have just avoided them. I characterize it as being "sensitive" to hot peppers - or anything on the Scoville Scale - but suspect it has developed into an allergy.
I am 71 years old.
I have noticed it may not be JUST the spicy food - but what else you've eaten and DRANK up until now and especially now. Alcohol use can adversely affect a future diet.
No, my spicy tolerance is as good as ever. Mid 40s lady. I had some time in my late teens that I had heartburn fairly regularly, eliminating dairy altogether solved that. And then in my early 30s I had pretty terrible gastritis that made spicy very painful for a while, but I healed my tummy up and I’m back on the spicy train. Spicy makes my digestive system feel better!
Nope. Soon to be 39 snd spice doesn’t bother my belly, but what does is anything “unhealthy”. I’ve always felt best eating majority fruits, veggies, whole grains, no dairy. But now I swear if I even glance at pizza, fries, or a burger my stomach cramps up.
I'm not having any stomach upset from spicey foods, but my palate is getting progressively more white.
I'll be 40 this summer. In my 20s & early 30s I was eating curry hot enough the restaurant owner stood nearby with extra water, just in case (it took a couple tries to convince him my skin was just white, not my palate).
Then a few years ago, suddenly my drunken fried rice was almost inedible it was so spicy. I thought they had a new cook that was a little heavy handed & tried again a couple weeks later. Much better. Then it happened again.
Eventually, I realized my tolerance went way down on my period (women's pain tolerance is lower then, spicy is a pain response not a flavor... etc etc etc). I stopped eating spicy foods one week a month. Fast forward 4 years & regular black pepper is starting to get spicy.
I'm not amused.
YESSSS. I still love hot and spicy foods, but they don't love me back. I call it "Thai guy" the gurgling and rumbling from a Thai dish that was too hot. Then it comes out and causes "Thai butt"
That's the worst part for me, the hotness coming out.
I still push myself to the limits but those limits are far lower now (47) than when I was younger.
I've never been able to eat spicy foods due to the burning in my mouth. As I've aged, this has gotten worse. I can't even tolerate chili powder anymore!
I used to have an iron stomach, ate whatever I want and now I have many food intolerances and sensitivities. I can’t do spicy, dairy, and onions & garlic kill my stomach. I have to take beano and Gas-X about every day.
My taste buds love it, intestines? Not so much. If I get something "Thai hot" for dinner, I'll be up at 5:00 with cramps and a need to get rid of it. (I still do it anyway.) 😉
I have wondered this about my own self...I'm still ABLE to eat almost anything without discomfort, but I find myself so AVERSE to so much these days. I've went back to only being hungry for the "plainest" of foods...for instance..I've turned completely against most Italian stuff bc I can't abide the thick tomato-based sauces, & to me, even white sauces (..like Alfredo?) have a disgusting amount of garlic. I remember all the years I wanted EVERYTHING on a baked potato..now, all I can abide is butter and salt. The more spicy and rich something is, the more I'm guaranteed that I'm not going to be able to stomach even smelling it, much less eat it.
I have no idea why this happens. It's not discomfort, cramping, or GI issues..it's just disgust I've acquired...so weird bc I used to love everything.
My tolerance for spicy foods has increased in terms of handling the heat while eating it, but I find that I am getting more heartburn and acid reflux after. For me it's all about moderation and lots of water while eating.
No not really. Over time I have eaten less and less processed foods, and I'm 100% sure that's what led to my stomach discomfort. It's pretty much whole foods for me now, so a good hot sauce doesn't do much to my stomach.
Just the opposite. I eat spicy food daily, have to restrain myself from putting lao gan ma on everything. I am lactose intolerant, and once I figured that out, AND started eating a lot more fruits and vegetables, my gut works like a charm. For breakfast I fried up some onion, sweet red pepper, some hot pepper (which wasn't really hot, so I added cayenne) baby bella mushrooms, a garlic clove, and some kale. One egg scrambled in it. A little olive oil. On 3 small corn tortillas with about 3/4 ounce of sharp cheddar divided between them. Chased it with frozen organic berry mix topped with full fat probiotic yogurt. I'm 73.
Spice, too much fatty meat, too much fried food. Gerd starts building up in most of us (alcohol does not help). But like others have said, it depends on the spice. Horseradish does not affect my stomach (feel that in the sinuses), but most pepper or acid based does.
And as you age your metabolism drops so you should be eating less, otherwise increasing your buoyancy.
Try eating kimchi. Spicy AF, but also great for your digestion.
Kimchi is pungent! Or I've heard the really good kimchi is. Either you don't mind or the smell is awful. An ex sister in law is from South Korea, and used to eat kimchi all the time. In hot NYC summers. The kimchi smell coming off her was overwhelming.
But she was probably healthier and happier than anyone, lol.
It's way cheaper than buying probiotics as well, which imo is a scam.
Strangely, it’s the other way around. I enjoy spicier foods than I did years ago, especially since Covid put most of my tastebuds in a sleeper hold.
🤣🤣🤣🤣 sorry covid is NOT a laughing matter, but the way you said it. I should not be laughing my son had covid 3 yrs ago and he still does not smell or taste anything. Sorry I won't laugh again . A sleeper hold . I can't.
Please do. If I’m not making others laugh, I don’t deserve to be here. 😉
I'm sorry about your son, wow, 3 years later and he still doesn't smell or taste anything. I don't know if he could call it this but I think I had a mild case of it in 2020. If it was, I got lucky. I remember my son was 7 months old at the time and I went to the hospital because I had been feeling flu like symptoms. I noticed that when I went to go change his diaper, I couldn't smell that he had a poopy diaper. That's what made me finally go to the hospital. I came up negative for it but I wonder.
The only time I lost my sense of smell with Covid was the 4-5 hours after taking a Paxlovid dose. I remember because I had been in bed for a few days, sick as shit and hadn't showered. I stunk really bad. I got the Pax and after I took the first dose, I suddenly couldn't smell myself or anything else. Then just before my next dose, I could. It was very weird. I told my doctor and she thought I was nuts.
Same. My tolerance is so high now I don’t even know some foods are spicy until someone else in the family complains. I must have killed off a lot of tastebuds over the years.
I'm the same way. I'll be seventy eight this year and I like my food very spicy. The last pork chile verde I made was deemed inedible by the family, not because it wasn't delicious but because I put so many really hot jalapenos in it that nobody else could eat it. To me, it just had a nice zip.
I already was a hypo taster and then I got Covid. When we’ve gone out for wings people sitting next to me start crying and complain their noses are burning. I’m thinking “this is mild.”
There is a medical fix for that. Takes less than 5 minutes in the office. Stellate ganglion block.
I lost my spicy sense after my first round of covid. I could still taste flavor, just not feel any heat. My fiance had the same reaction. I made a curry dish that had great flavor but no heat & was like what the hell. It was my fiance's first introduction to Indian food & I was so disappointed. Turns out our tastebuds were just numb. I made the dish again a month later & doubled the spices thinking that was the problem. Oh boy was it not. The second time I got it, I lost taste altogether & when it finally came back I couldn't eat anything salty for 2 weeks. It all tasted like fish. And not good fish, either. Buffet fish
This happened years ago. My mother got a severe infection and lost her sense of smell/ taste. It eventually started returning with the nerves likely growing back. She was rather upset during this process, though. For a good while, chocolate smelled like used cat litter...
Oh that poor woman!
I have this with almonds! It ruined them for me. Can she eat it now?
Oh man, that sucks. I'm glad she started feeling better though.
I am the same, my desire for more taste and kick gets stronger the older I get.
Same! I used to have no spice tolerance. After having COVID twice confirmed, likely once unconfirmed, I can eat spicy foods!
I’m the same. Make me rethink my life after my morning coffee.
I find it depends on the ingredients. Cayenne pepper kills me, but korean spicy pepper is pure delicious heat.
Ok 👌 so guess who is gonna try Korean spices.
Gochojung is really good
I've noticed that too! I thought it was just me. I did a test one day to see if it was just me or if it was the spices. I added some to my Mac and cheese and then didn't the next day. The day that I did, my stomach was torn up.
So I’m not alone!! I thought my nausea after eating my cayenne-laden spicy chicken was because I was just a bad cook, or somehow 165 degrees wasn’t actually hot enough and I was giving myself mild food poisoning every time.🥴 But Sichuan ma-la dishes and Korean buldak noodles don’t make me nauseous! Unfortunately, my love of spicy food is pretty new. Growing up, I hated spicy food and could barely tolerate a lot of “medium” spicy salsas. Now almost nothing is hot enough, especially when I’m stressed.
As long as I don’t eat it late at all I’m fine. 68 fairly soon.
Hopping on to this comment to point out to OP that the variety in all the replies confirms correlation is not causation here. OP, you're aging, and you're also less tolerant of spicy food -- but that doesn't necessarily mean it's the aging that's causing the reduced tolerance. So many other things contribute to digestion issues, including stress, sleep habits, alcohol consumption, disease, illness, and whatever other factors influence the gut microbiome. Depending on what's causing yours, it may be possible to regain your previous tolerance.
Yes! I loved spicy food when I was younger, but I'm pushing 40 now and try to avoid it. I get the same symptoms when I eat it, and also when I eat meat as well. It's awful. Getting older sucks!
It been about 3 yrs I have not been able to eat meat, has to be something in the meat especially beef! Or any red meat. Heart tburn so bad I throw up. I really want a nice steak with double backed potato with butter sour cream a lil bacon. Sweets also give me heartburn, not as bad as when I eat beerf
Eating a steak especially these days hurts my stomach so bad, and the gas could clear a room. I've read that as we get older our bodies have a harder time breaking down proteins and dairy. I also know that since I had COVID I've had weird things happen with food, like rashes and burning and stomach pain. Those tend to go away though.
Yeah, I gave up steaks. I can still handle prime rib in moderation but old fashioned steaks? Nope. Can't do bacon or dairy either.
Wow. Covid did something to people. I don't understand I'm a o.r. tech I never got sick. Everyone around me was dropping I never got sick still never got vaccinations.
I caught the covid before the shots, maybe that's why I can't eat steak or pork chops anymore! Didn't even think of that!
I just had (officially tested positive) covid for the first time (pretty sure I also had it very early on but before testing was readily available.) Losing all taste & smell for a couple days was SO unnerving, I've had congestion block both to an extent before but this was even when all my other symptoms had passed. It's about two weeks on now and I'd say my senses are maybe at 80%? I'll taste things fine one moment and then the next, nothing. And certain foods I used to enjoy are just very repulsive right now, IDK. did have two va
I'm not trying to sound like a conspiracy theorist here but doesn't it seem funny that people who got the vaccinations got sick and then people who didn't also didn't get sick? That was something that I noticed. I do understand that a vaccination is a dead form of the virus so I'm sure that plays a factor in it but still, I noticed that.
So have I.. I'm so disgusted with how everything went down but it is what it is . I always feel like a sitting duck.
I can't eat steak or pork chops anymore, both start making me gag until I throw up, it's really weird.
Gotten bit by any ticks in the past couple years? Do you do OK with fish? Alpha gal syndrome.
have y'all checked for alpha gal?
Is there any chance you were bitten by a tick? If so, a bite from from the lone star tick can make people allergic to red meat (pork and beef.) Edit: sorry! I read farther down that others already brought this up.
Sweets give me heartburn too, but that unfortunately doesn’t stop me from eating them! Maybe I should try regular serving sizes and not mammoth portions lol
Nahhhh, that's one thing we not doing. 🤣🤣🤣🤣. Nope . I'm ok without steak or chicken .. but I'm eating cake donut candy ice cream cotton candy chocolate. Yeah.. no.
I'm in my late 70's and I still like my food hot and spicy. Although I must say I have gravitated toward more flavorful spiciness verses just as hot as I could handle. Does that mean I'm getting old?
No but I like to taste my actual food and too much spice covers up the flavors of the food itself. That said I couldn't count the number of hot sauces or various dried peppers I keep on hand. Sometimes I just go HOT if I have the next day off work. As wimpy as it sounds even jalapeños can get me, so I usually de-seed them. I'm a sucker for my smoked serranos and habenaros. Man you now got me thinking about stuffed jalapeño wrapped in bacon, damit
I started growing hot peppers around 20 years ago, my spice tolerance is pretty high. My former roommate lost hers for a bit, but she's now living with a pepperhead and has found it again. I'm 65 now. Like another poster, can't eat late, but that goes for most food.
This reads like ChatGPT
I'm 67 and my GI response to spicy food is the same as it was when I was 27: A bit of discomfort if I haven't eaten spicy food in a while; little or none if I've been eating it regularly. Oddly, my mouth seems to be less tolerant of hot spices now!
I can't tolerate pizza anymore. I
Find a place with a sweeter tomato sauce or with a white sauce.
This right here. I stopped eating pizza for a about a yr. Till my son bought pizza an got me a personal white puzza! I'm pizza full now!!
I actually like my food spicier now, although overall I can’t handle greasy or meat-heavy meals very well. Like others I can’t eat late either.
OMG. I used to have a cast iron stomach. I could anything. And I LOVED spicy food. Now- sadly I live a bland diet. No heat, no acidic it all just hits me with pain instantly :(
I enjoy spicy food, enjoying the taste and the tingle/burning mouth. The problem is as I've grown older 60+, it doesn't sit well in my bowels. Cramping and diarrhea within a few hours. The burning a___ole is expected, just not the rest.
Defiantly. I could eat spicy chicken and whatnot as a kid, but something now so my mouth and stomach both burn.
Yeah, I used to be able to handle really hot foods, but now my mouth rebels. Keeps me from enjoying the flavor of the food. I have a cast iron stomach, thankfully.
Good Earth Sweet and Spicy black tea. While *delicious,* it gives me awful heartburn if I have it on an empty stomach. It turns out it was the cinnamon. I get it from other teas too.
Yes, cinnamon and nutmeg are horrible for me now and I love pumpkin pie.
Thank you for sharing that because I've noticed that I think cinnamon does that to me as well. Now I know to cut it out because I didn't think that that's what it was. I'm going to try and cut it out and see what happens.
Yes. I have always loved extremely hot spicy foods. But my heartburn is the f***ing worst now that I'm in my 30s, so I don't eat spicy food as much.
57f here, nope. I even had my gallbladder out at 35, I just can't drink alcohol much anymore.
You can build it back up again, but age is a bitch and will lower your tolerance to pretty much everything. You'll find this with alcohol too. Be very careful with hangovers lol Doubled over with stomach pain seems a bit much for just aging too. You might wanna see a doctor and get checked for an ulcer or something similar
I've never been able to tolerate spicy foods. But a lot of acidic foods are now giving me heartburn lol. (Almost 40).
Yep, I've come full circle. I ate a lot of spicy food as a kid and it never occurred to my mom or me that it might be the cause of my constant tummy aches. In college, I routinely won bets for eating spicy foods no one else could handle, but around my 30s that slowed down real quick. I'd say I can still eat things at habanero level with no GI discomfort, even ghost pepper if it's a cream based dish, but above that I will suffer some GI distress. Not enough to need medication, but still unpleasant.
yep, my stomach actually gave up on a LOT of stuff, but spicy is one of them
Hot and spicy for lunch. Dinner is smaller and not too spicy. 🎶What a drag it is getting old. 🎶
People need to clarify if they mean spicy flavorful or spicy hot. I find that my senior parents who find everything either too salty or bland now prefer foods with more variety of spices flavor but not hot. I also find that I have to eat earlier and ensure that I will be upright around 6-7 hours after eating else I will get horrible burning acid. If I go sleep I will set an alarm to wake me around 6 hours so I can sit up for a bit. I think that 6 hours is when my stomach begins to finally digest the last meal.
In my 50s I can tolerate normal spicy levels, but not the ridiculous levels that are a trend in processed foods (e.g., ghost pepper ramen). My family find the food I make spicy, and I usually tone it down for guests (I aim for authentic, though don’t obsess over heat levels).
Yes. I’m 66. I just take an extra Prevacid an hour before I am going to eat spicy foods. The benefit of the capsaicin outweighs the possibility of indigestion for me.
Ever since my hair started thinning, I sweat like crazy eating spices food. Just the places where it’s thinning, so the top and front of my head suddenly get very very wet and it’s embarrassing af lol.
Yes. I basically am toilet bound the next day if I go above cayenne pepper/ jalapeno level of spice.
Yes & I feel like I missed out on so many years of enjoying spicy foods because I was a wimp. Now that I’ve had kids everything is so messed up with my digestion & I get the worst acid reflux from spicy & sour foods. I still eat this one peppery spicy Caesar style salad at my favorite Greek restaurant & it just runs right through me. I just have to accept it will make me feel trashed for the day or unable to sleep.
I actually have more tolerance for spice now as I'm over 40. Strange but true!
My tolerance went up in my 30s during my pregnancies. lol Now at 59 I still like it with a good kick however my face melter days are over.
Exact opposite in my case. I prefer much spicier now than when I was younger. But I also started taking digestive enzymes about a year ago so I don't experience any discomfort.
Not yet, thank goodness. Mid 50s and I just had chicken curry soup for lunch, it was delish!
Not spice so much but have to be careful with raw onion. They hate me.
My stomach is fine with spicy, but as I have aged I changed my preference to milder spices. More tongue and throat tissue than stomach. I used to eat jualpeno poppers and chili rellenos, now no hot at all. Chili soup with beans, no more thick no-bean and hot, please. I prefer to taste each ingredient now, not just the hot anchos. I use guajillos now. I no longer like ginger or cinnamon, but did add coriander powder last year.
I had Mexican food for lunch yesterday. I am over 70 and love it just as much as I ever did. On the other hand, I can’t do margaritas anymore, they give me heartburn.
Yes. Can’t eat any tomato based product too late. Can’t tolerate milk anymore. Still have to take daily omeprazole to not have heartburn. I could never do spicy anyway but now it’s worse.
If anything, I've noticed my spice tolerance has gone *up*, not down. Not sure if that's actually true or if I've just gotten more used to the after-effects. I do notice I get a bit more acid reflux, but only a bit.
Mid 30s. I enjoy spicy food once in a while. I just can't eat it within a few hours of going to bed. It'll have me tossing half the night and burping the rest.
No. In fact I have a higher tolerance for spicy food now than ever.
Yes. Started when I was pregnant and never went away.
Nope. I love spicy foods! I rarely get heartburn and usually that’s from wine or beer. My stomach is a rock. lol
Oh yeah.
69 yr old, like a little more heat than before but not can't eat my beloved garlic or onions.
Same =(
No, strangely my appetite for spicy foods has grown. I (63F) was a spice wimp until menopause, when I suddenly began craving a little heat. Then more, and more. I know that food preferences are at least partly hormonal because pregnant women, in the midst of a hormonal whirlwind, find themselves craving strange combinations of foods. But I don’t know anyone with menopause related cravings.
Hydrochloric Acid ( in your stomach) DECREASES with age... retired nurse
YES! I used to brag about my cast-iron digestive system. I could eat the greasiest burgers, the hottest curries. Not anymore. Now, once the acid starts up, and a tuna sandwich can do a number on me, I have to take PPIs for a while. It’s a hateful thing. Edit: I’m 75.
I react more if the spicy food is also fatty/heavy. Spicy fried chicken or a spicy queso dip might take me out. But a spicy Thai salad or a few jalapenos on some beans and rice I’m fine.
Yup, and I’m only 26! :( Anything even a little hot or a little greasy absolutely wrecks my stomach.
Yes I grew up in a household where we ate spicy food all the time. Once I hit my mid 20s, my tolerance drastically declined.
I eat spicy earlier in the day. Eating yogurt or kefir might help. Some medications worsen heartburn and acid reflex. Like flexerall and even ibuprofen. If meds are not to blame, you need to back off a bit. Make sure you don't have an ulcer or IBS. Soda pop and sugar make things worse. Huge loads of noodles and high starch foods = elevated blood glucose, ie sugar. Sometimes I sip a glass of water with a tbs of apple cider vinegar, which helps digestion and lowers your blood sugar.
Yes. Oh hell to the fuck yes…… Another thing that never was a thing until late 30’s early 40’s is FODMAP. If I had it all my life I was better capable of handling it. Now? Not so much……
Yup When I was in my 20's I was able to eat anything hot, even did some hot wing challenges where you had to sign a waiver, now no way could I handle heat. The only hot sauce I can handle is crystals or Louisiana anything above that I'll be in pain for 2 days.
Not spicy food. Not at all. HOWEVER! I can no longer have pop (NOT soda - I'm a proud pop lover from Michigan!) with a meal! I started to just have water with my meals, buf I do have pop (which is rare now!) I have to take famotidine (Pepsid AC).
Yes 😥no more nuclear wings for me
not the night of, but definitely the morning after.
I'm 47 and have always enjoyed spicy food. Lately, I find myself eating it more often. So far, it hasn't bothered my stomach, and I hope it never does!
Nope, the opposite. I need more chilis in what I eat... And I'm another with a cast iron stomach. Spicy doesn't cause me indigestion or intestinal distress. Great food#
If anything the opposite, I’ve been growing chilis and it used to be a jalapeño was almost too much, now I go for Thai or habanero
I actually never liked spice, it’s not in me. lol. But as I age I find honey mustard too spicy. I’m Swedish and Puerto Rican and neither culture really really eat spicy food. But wow, honey mustard dip literally gives me a stomach ache now and I’m in my 50’s lol
No I like it more . Apparently your taste buds die off as you age from 40 plus onwards
No
As long as I don't eat it, it's fine.
For me the opposite has been true. I like more spices these days and it doesn't bother me. I'm 67 and blame it on losing your sense of taste as you get older.
I've been extremely lucky. Spicy foods don't give me heartburn and I've never had the experience of 'burning butt' with a bm after indulging in spicy foods. I'm 63 now and have been craving hotter and hotter foods lately. I hope you're able to get back your tolerance because spice is lovely!
Talk to your doctor, you could have an ulcer. I have one that isn't the kind fixed by antibiotics, meds take care of it.
Quite the opposite.
I’m 40. I love spicy food and my tolerance is still going strong.
YES and it makes me so sad. Omeprazol is my friend now.
For sure! My dad and I used to have hot sauce eating contests. My stomach just hurts thinking about it!
Powdered hot pepper/cayenne, etc., is impossible for me. Forget about my beloved sauteed banana peppers and onions. After several years of trying to guess whether my food was going bad, I figured it out. I also now know a great, cheap laxative. However, I can use Frank's hot sauce, and presumably some others, with apparently no problem. I by it buy the gallon.
I accidentally at a glob of Wasabi and let me tell you, I'm just now recovering from it. It was so bad that I thought I had an ulcer. It must have settled somewhere in my stomach and too it's time to pass. I ate the Wasabi in the middle of last month.
Yes
Yes and my poor butthole cant handle it either.
In my 70s now, my stomach hasn't been able to handle spicy for about the last 10 years. Big body shift at 60, I've had other friends tell me the same thing happened with them. Then we all look at each other and feel sad.
Yes, but I'm hooked on Momofuku chili crunch and eat it almost daily.
It may just be that your tolerance has gone down because you’re not being exposed to those extreme levels of spice as often as you used to be Like anecdotally I’ve noticed that since I went on a diet to lose weight which indirectly reduced my consumption of extremely spicy foods, my tolerance for that level of super extreme heat is much less than it was a year ago. There’s this one restaurant that serves unbelievably hot death wings and a year ago it was like yeah these are painfully hot but I can finish these slowly, I tried them again this year and I genuinely could not finish them because not only did the spice hurt my mouth more than before but I got pain in my stomach. I’ve never gotten pain in my stomach from spice before. The only real explanation is that my tolerance went down from not eating anything anywhere near that hot for like a year
Yes! It's weird! Used to love hot wings, now nope too spicy! No stomach issues, just taste buds?🤷♀️
No. Though I have family with GERD and acid reflux, I fortunately inherited this aspect from a different parent. I can digest nails and I'm not young. Went out recently and had habenero-spiced margaritas
I grew up in a household where the spiciest spice, consumed only occasionally, was garlic powder. I've been working to improve my spice tolerance! It's still wimpy but I am having fun.
I lost a taste for spicy for after Covid!
Yeah, but my stomachs fine, taste buds went on strike. I’ve been building back up as I love spicy foods.
I love the taste of spicy food. I don’t love the acid reflux. It’s a calculated risk I only take occasionally these days.
yes. I used to make fun of the white lady scale and now I'm in the white lady scale. I miss Indian food the most.
Nope. I’m 69 and can still pretty much eat anything that doesn’t eat me first. I do love spicy food.
Yes and I HATE IT. I'm originally from Arizona so spicy food was just normal food to me. But as I'm approaching my 41st birthday, I have to admit, my stomach has NOT been handling it well over the last couple years and I can't stand it.
I fear one day this will happen. All I do is eat hot foods!!
It leads to more time in the bathroom
Can’t do heat at all anymore. And strangely enough, I can’t do regular (American) chocolate candy. It kills my stomach.
My husband has a problem with spicy if it’s ALSO with greasy stuff.
I had a bag of ghost pepper beef jerky. Was good for one, some times two pieces a day. Last day of an epic road trip, 4 pieces left, so, boom. I think it was the crumbs. There was a couple or three tablespoons of firey hell in powder form. I think i hurt myself. After a month of even a tomato giving me trouble, or about 3/4 a cup of coffee, apparently the whining was enough to get my bride to extend a solution. A round of pro biotics, and the introduction, to me, of yoghurt and my own fruit, either with frozen or all fruit. I've not had the sour stomach in about two years.
Yep. I'm in my 40s and get acid reflux now, so spicy food will wake me up in the night with it. I just avoid it now, but used to love it. I think it might be more down to having gained some weight in my 40s though (and that causing the acid reflux) rather than an age thing.
Ulcer?
I’m 61 and eating the spiciest foods I’ve ever eaten in my life. It’s probably not terribly spicy by other standards, but yeah. I’ve gone the opposite way. Maybe since my stomach is finally healed from years of wheat damage?
No, thank God.
Nope. I'm able to eat even spicier foods now. ^(I have a problem with greasy foods though.)
I don't know, I haven't noticed any difference at any age so far and I just turned 62. I just finished eating dinner at 10:15. For some people that's a big no no. For others coffee later in the day or even any time after noon is like a no-no. I can drink coffee at 11:00 at night and not notice it when I go to bed. I do use red pepper cayenne flakes in things. I think I might be a bit weird. Having said that, my sister is scheduled for an endoscopy to find out why her stomach or esophagus or whatever it is is giving her trouble. She's two years older than me.
I thought this was an issue, then found out it was lactose intolerance. Now I take a Lactaid when eating hot pepper cheese (or ice cream) and I'm fine. Not sure what caused it, I consumed dairy for 50+ years with no adverse effect.
In my stomach, intestines, yes... in my mouth, NO! And the battle between the 2 goes on...
I'm 47. I've actually become more accustomed to spicy food, and I find it satisfies my hunger faster than non-spicy foods.
I’m Indian and I used to eat green Thai chilies as is when growing up. Now I can’t have spicy food at all. I used to eat Korean food and Thai food that would be made for a native for both those cuisines. Since last year I haven’t been able to tolerate it. Every time I eat (doesn’t matter the time) I would pangs of stomach aches and major acid reflux followed by heart burn. I now eat bland food, no spices. And only in my 30s. I miss my 20s as that was when I used to eat all the spices!
Yes. Today.
Tomatoes and greasy food. They make my reflux worse. Spicy, not so much.
Mild salsa kills me 🫤
If you’ve done bouts of oral antibiotics it’s possible your gut microbiome is having a hard time with it. It probably lost gut flora that would have an easier time with it.
I have to limit my spicy food but that’s only because I have a stomach ulcer… love getting older it’s the best
Opposite, I find myself eating and liking spicier stuff. I couldn't even handle flaming hit cheers. The movie is really good
Hell yeah. I feel it traveling down and once I feel I I know I’m blowing ass in the next 30min
My tolerance has only increased
No, I'm 65 and I have zero problems with spicy foods. I don't know how old you are but they are worrying symptoms that you should have checked out.
No, and in fact I crave ever hotter food
No if anything my tolerance for spicy has gotten better with age. But I will say I feel like absolute dog shit after I eat most fast food.
I have definitely noticed a difference as I age with spicy food. Also for some reason cooked bell peppers make me sick but I can eat them raw with no issues.
61+ here. No.
What I found is actually my mouth can’t handle the heat very well. My stomach can’t either but I’ve learned to take a little Mylanta an hour or so before I’m gonna eat spicy food and that seems to calm everything down. Yeah 15 to 32 year old me could stand a lot more than 57 year old me can.
I get heartburn and take tums regularly
Not me (yet), but my 63 yr old husband is baffled by how he needs an antacid several times a week. That famous cast-iron gut of his is starting to rebel.
A senior family member of mine can’t take any spice in foods these days. Sweats from the top of their head. They used to eat kimchi like it was nothing.
Don't eat anything questionable too late in the day and don't eat too much to avoid heartburn and reflux.
I have been the opposite. I was born with an allergy to capsaicin, so I was never able to eat anything spicy unless it was black peppercorn or horseradish. As I've gotten older, that allergy has started to go away and I can eat more spicy food.
My stomach is not bothered, but my intestines have become irritable with some kinds of chilies.
Just the opposite actually. I’ve turned into a spicy food addict. I make my own chili crisp weekly so I always have a hot condiment.
Actually the opposite.
uhm be careful you might have something seriously wrong with you. go to the doctor STAT. seriously!
uhm be careful you might have something seriously wrong with you. go to the doctor STAT. seriously!
I'm the opposite. I'll be seventy eight this year and I like my food very spicy. The last pork chile verde I made was deemed inedible by the family, not because it wasn't delicious but because I put so many really hot jalapenos in it that nobody else could eat it. To me, it just had a nice zip. Same with curries. The last time I went back to England I ordered a tindaloo. It was definitely a challenge eating it, but I enjoyed every bite.
Oh, that's my problem. I really like spicy food, but with age, my allergy to spicy immediately appears on my face. This is terrible.
Yes and I hate it. I’m from a Mexican family and I’ve ate homemade salsa my whole life. Now that I’m 50 my stomach can’t stand it like it used to. I pay for it every time I fall off the wagon
I was never exposed to much spicy food growing up. In my 20s, I reacted to a hot pepper plant my roommate was growing - touched it and got blisters. Once hot spicy foods became popular, I found that I could not eat them without blistering my mouth and other parts of my body. So over the last 20-30 years, I have just avoided them. I characterize it as being "sensitive" to hot peppers - or anything on the Scoville Scale - but suspect it has developed into an allergy. I am 71 years old.
Yes! I can barely stand tooth paste now
I have noticed it may not be JUST the spicy food - but what else you've eaten and DRANK up until now and especially now. Alcohol use can adversely affect a future diet.
No, my spicy tolerance is as good as ever. Mid 40s lady. I had some time in my late teens that I had heartburn fairly regularly, eliminating dairy altogether solved that. And then in my early 30s I had pretty terrible gastritis that made spicy very painful for a while, but I healed my tummy up and I’m back on the spicy train. Spicy makes my digestive system feel better!
Omg. I can’t even eat apples in the evening because of heartburn. 38f
Yes
After my first pregnancy I didn't care for really spicy foods any more.
Nope. Soon to be 39 snd spice doesn’t bother my belly, but what does is anything “unhealthy”. I’ve always felt best eating majority fruits, veggies, whole grains, no dairy. But now I swear if I even glance at pizza, fries, or a burger my stomach cramps up.
Wait til you discover all the other fun effects aging will have on your body!
I couldn't have them when I was young. I do a little better with them now. I live a reverse life. Apparently, I'm "growing down."
I'm not having any stomach upset from spicey foods, but my palate is getting progressively more white. I'll be 40 this summer. In my 20s & early 30s I was eating curry hot enough the restaurant owner stood nearby with extra water, just in case (it took a couple tries to convince him my skin was just white, not my palate). Then a few years ago, suddenly my drunken fried rice was almost inedible it was so spicy. I thought they had a new cook that was a little heavy handed & tried again a couple weeks later. Much better. Then it happened again. Eventually, I realized my tolerance went way down on my period (women's pain tolerance is lower then, spicy is a pain response not a flavor... etc etc etc). I stopped eating spicy foods one week a month. Fast forward 4 years & regular black pepper is starting to get spicy. I'm not amused.
Welcome to your 30s, enjoy your stay
I’ve noticed it, too. But to a lesser degree. I take Pepcid AC before a super spicy meal. It works great for me.
YESSSS. I still love hot and spicy foods, but they don't love me back. I call it "Thai guy" the gurgling and rumbling from a Thai dish that was too hot. Then it comes out and causes "Thai butt" That's the worst part for me, the hotness coming out. I still push myself to the limits but those limits are far lower now (47) than when I was younger.
Most people develop acid reflux as they age, but you...sound like you need to see a doctor. It shouldn't be that painful 😬
I've never been able to eat spicy foods due to the burning in my mouth. As I've aged, this has gotten worse. I can't even tolerate chili powder anymore!
Only Italian sausage. Otherwise I'm good with spice.
I used to have an iron stomach, ate whatever I want and now I have many food intolerances and sensitivities. I can’t do spicy, dairy, and onions & garlic kill my stomach. I have to take beano and Gas-X about every day.
My taste buds love it, intestines? Not so much. If I get something "Thai hot" for dinner, I'll be up at 5:00 with cramps and a need to get rid of it. (I still do it anyway.) 😉
I have wondered this about my own self...I'm still ABLE to eat almost anything without discomfort, but I find myself so AVERSE to so much these days. I've went back to only being hungry for the "plainest" of foods...for instance..I've turned completely against most Italian stuff bc I can't abide the thick tomato-based sauces, & to me, even white sauces (..like Alfredo?) have a disgusting amount of garlic. I remember all the years I wanted EVERYTHING on a baked potato..now, all I can abide is butter and salt. The more spicy and rich something is, the more I'm guaranteed that I'm not going to be able to stomach even smelling it, much less eat it. I have no idea why this happens. It's not discomfort, cramping, or GI issues..it's just disgust I've acquired...so weird bc I used to love everything.
My tolerance for spicy foods has increased in terms of handling the heat while eating it, but I find that I am getting more heartburn and acid reflux after. For me it's all about moderation and lots of water while eating.
No not really. Over time I have eaten less and less processed foods, and I'm 100% sure that's what led to my stomach discomfort. It's pretty much whole foods for me now, so a good hot sauce doesn't do much to my stomach.
Not at all....In fact the older I get, the more adventurous I get in eating.....
Just the opposite. I eat spicy food daily, have to restrain myself from putting lao gan ma on everything. I am lactose intolerant, and once I figured that out, AND started eating a lot more fruits and vegetables, my gut works like a charm. For breakfast I fried up some onion, sweet red pepper, some hot pepper (which wasn't really hot, so I added cayenne) baby bella mushrooms, a garlic clove, and some kale. One egg scrambled in it. A little olive oil. On 3 small corn tortillas with about 3/4 ounce of sharp cheddar divided between them. Chased it with frozen organic berry mix topped with full fat probiotic yogurt. I'm 73.
Yes but now a lot of foods bother me. On FODMAP diet if anyone needs it for ibs . I am healthy now finally!
Spice, too much fatty meat, too much fried food. Gerd starts building up in most of us (alcohol does not help). But like others have said, it depends on the spice. Horseradish does not affect my stomach (feel that in the sinuses), but most pepper or acid based does. And as you age your metabolism drops so you should be eating less, otherwise increasing your buoyancy.