Lycopene Facts
In recent years, numerous studies have suggested that lycopene levels in the blood may be associated with reduced incidence of prostate, digestive tract, breast, lung and cervical cancer as well as cardiovascular disease and age-related macular degeneration - the most common form of blindness for elderly people in the western world. Lycopene is one of a family of pigments called carotenoids, which occur naturally in fruits and vegetables.
What is lycopene?
Lycopene is one of a family of pigments called carotenoids, which occur naturally in fruits and vegetables. Other carotenoids include alpha- and beta-carotene, lutein, etc. Lycopene is the pigment that makes tomatoes red. The redder the tomato, the more lycopene is present. Numerous studies suggest that lycopene levels in the blood may be associated with reduced incidence of prostate, digestive tract, breast, lung and cervical cancer as well as cardiovascular disease and age-related macular degeneration - the most common form of blindness for elderly people in the western world.
Does it prevent cancer?
Cancer risk is determined by many factors, however diet is an important one. The importance of eating fresh and processed fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet has been well recognized for some time. Tomatoes and tomato products, proven to be rich in lycopene - a powerful antioxidant that picks up free radicals in the body - can play a key role in that process. And while it is still too early to conclude that any single food can prevent cancer, the research to date is both promising and exciting.
How does it work?
Lycopene is an antioxidant that once absorbed by the body, helps to prevent and repair damaged cells. Antioxidants are compounds that fight free radicals in the body and have been shown to inhibit DNA oxidation that some studies indicate may lead to some cancers.
How can I get more lycopene?
The human body does not produce lycopene, but it's readily available through the diet. Minor sources include guava, rosehip, watermelon and pink grapefruit, but about 85% of dietary lycopene comes from tomatoes and tomato products such as sauce, paste, ketchup, juice, and soup. Research confirms that lycopene from tomatoes is absorbed much better into the bloodstream if it is first heat processed.
What kind of benefits can I get from lycopene?
As lycopene levels in the blood increase, the levels of oxidized compounds decrease. Regular high consumption of fruits and vegetables is recommended as part of healthy eating. Epidemiological studies have shown that high intake of lycopene-containing vegetables is inversely associated with the incidence of certain types of cancer. For example, habitual intake of tomato products has been inversely associated with the risk of cancer of the digestive tract among Italians.
How much do I have to eat to make a difference?
To date, no nutritional authority has published recommendations for lycopene intake. More research is needed before lycopene's full public health benefits can be determined and intake guidelines developed. However, based on recent evidence, many health professionals now advocate a diet rich in processed tomato products. Processed tomato products should be part of the five-to-ten servings per day of the fruit and vegetable group suggested by the Food Guide to Healthy Eating promoted in most industrialized countries.
What proof is available that lycopene has these benefits?
In recent years, numerous studies have indicated that a lycopene-rich diet is associated with a risk of certain chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease, including:
• Human studies conducted at the University of Toronto on dietary lycopene confirmed that it acts as an antioxidant. As lycopene levels in the blood go up, the levels of oxidized lipoprotein, protein and DNA compounds go down. This, in turn, may lower the risk of cancer and heart disease.
• A study of 48,000 men by Harvard Medical School estimated that consuming tomato products twice a week, as opposed to never, was associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer of up to 34%. Of 46 fruits and vegetables evaluated, only tomato products showed a measurable relationship with reduced prostate cancer risk.
• Research conducted into breast, lung and endometrial cancer at Ben Gurion University and Soroka Medical Center in Israel shows that lycopene is even more effective than its cousins, alpha- and beta-carotene, in causing a delay in the cell cycle progression from one growth phase to the next.
• A study, conducted by the University of North Carolina, compared fat samples from 1,379 American and European men who had suffered a heart attack with those of healthy men. It found that those with high levels of lycopene were half as likely to have an attack as those with low levels.
• Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is the most common form of blindness for elderly people in the western world. Lycopene is the only micro-nutrient whose serum level is shown to be inversely related to the risk of ARMD.
Can't I get the same benefits from eating fresh tomatoes?
Yes, tomatoes are rich in lycopene, however cooking fresh tomatoes with a little oil will enhance the body's absorption of lycopene. Research confirms that the lycopene in tomatoes is converted by the temperature change involved in processing to a form that the body can absorb more easily. A study showed that lycopene is absorbed 2.5 times better from tomato paste than from fresh tomatoes.
Are there products other than tomatoes that contain lycopene?
Rosehip, red grapefruit, guava and watermelon also contain lycopene, however processed tomato products are usually the highest food sources of dietary lycopene.
Does any medical body or organization endorse lycopene?
At present, health regulatory authorities do not recognize lycopene as a nutrient. More detailed population studies of lycopene and wide-ranging clinical and biological research are needed to establish any direct health benefits. Several such studies are now underway in different parts of the world. Researchers hope to determine the role tomato products and lycopene play in disease prevention. However because the early research indicates that consumption of lycopene shows great promise in reducing the risk of several diseases, including heart disease and certain types of cancer, more and more medical professionals recommend the consumption of lycopene-rich tomato products.
What other research is being conducted?
Current studies are looking at the relationship between dietary lycopene, oxidative stress and cancer risk. The studies will further examine the role of lycopene as an antioxidant in preventing cancers of the breast, prostate, colon, cervix, lung, skin, and digestive tract as well as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and aging degenerative diseases of the eye.
How can I get the results of the future studies?
This website will provide ongoing information into lycopene and the research results of studies from around the globe. It is updated regularly.
