Lycopene

What is lycopene?

Lycopene is a bright red pigment classified as a carotenoid - a group of vitamin A-like substances. Lycopene is a well-studied substance. Lycopene is a pigment that gives fruit and vegetables their color. These fruits and vegetables include tomatoes, grapefruit and watermelon. Lycopene is known for its antioxidant properties and scientific research suggests that eating foods rich in lycopene can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer.

Where does lycopene come from?

Lycopene is not produced by the human body and can only be obtained in the form of supplements or by eating foods rich in lycopene. Some foods rich in lycopene include pizza, ketchup and tomato juice. Significantly, the primary source of lycopene in the American diet is pizza, which represents 80% of the lycopene consumed in America.

Although lycopene can also be consumed in the form of watermelon and grapefruit, it is better absorbed by the body when consumed in the form of processed tomato products. And although the exact reasons for this are not yet known, lycopene is better absorbed by the body when it is consumed in the form of processed tomatoes rather than ripe and fresh tomatoes.

Benefits of lycopene for bodybuilding and training

The benefits of lycopene and its use in sports and training are of particular interest to Chinese scientists. In numerous studies, the authors have emphasized the positive effects of the strong antioxidant properties of lycopene for training. It has been shown that endurance athletes exhibited increased antioxidant capacity as a result of lycopene supplementation before and during high-intensity runs. Lycopene was also observed to mitigate the decline in immune function in college basketball players after performing high-intensity training (1). In addition to these benefits, lycopene may also help reduce exercise-induced asthma and stimulate the immune system to make it more effective.

The benefits of lycopene for general health

The benefits of lycopene are mainly related to its high antioxidant capacity. The intake of lycopene is associated with a wide range of benefits, scientists have found that lycopene has certain benefits for the following health issues and problems:

Lycopene may help prevent prostate cancer

Lycopene tends to accumulate in the prostate and may play a role in prostate cancer prevention (13).

In an observational study of nearly 50,000 men, it was observed that those with higher levels of lycopene were less likely to develop prostate cancer. The link was even stronger for a deadly type of prostate cancer. Those who ate more tomatoes had higher lycopene blood levels, which reduced their risk of prostate cancer. Other carotenes had no effect (14, 15).

An analysis of 17 studies concluded that higher tomato consumption was associated with a 15 to 20% lower risk of prostate cancer. The association between lycopene intake and cancer rate was weaker, but still significant (16).

A large mata analysis of 26 studies with over 560,000 participants confirmed an inverse relationship between lycopene intake and blood levels and prostate cancer (17).

Some studies found no association, but when the authors of the above analyses removed two lower quality clinical trials, the association was even stronger (18).

Lycopene could also prevent other cancers

Many studies suggest that eating vegetables rich in lycopene could potentially reduce the risk of developing certain cancers. This may include prostate cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, colorectal cancer and lung cancer. For example, an observational study with 6,000 participants concluded that eating tomatoes could protect against cancers of the digestive tract (stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer) (19). In another study of over 7,000 women, high blood levels of lycopene were associated with a lower rate of breast cancer (20). Other carotenes such as alpha-carotene and beta-carotene lacked these benefits.

However, other observational studies have failed to establish a link between lycopene intake/blood levels and breast cancer (21).

Lycopene may have positive effects on brain and cognition

In combination with other plants such as ginkgo, lycopene was able to improve cognition in a study involving 622 elderly people. However, as ginkgo improves cognition on its own, the contribution of lycopene is unclear (22). Another study drew a clearer picture: of 193 healthy elderly people, those with higher lycopene blood levels showed better cognitive function (23). In a study in rats with diabetes and Parkinson's disease, lycopene was able to prevent a decline in cognitive function. In both cases, it worked by reducing oxidative damage in the brain (24, 25). In another study conducted with rats, lycopene improved depressive behavior by reducing inflammation in the brain. It reduced damage to the hippocampus - the area of the brain responsible for memory and emotion (26).

Antioxidant protection

Studies conducted on animals indicate that lycopene has some antioxidant properties and may even be one of the most powerful antioxidants (8, 9). Clinical trials have shown that daily consumption of tomato products over a 15-day period can dramatically increase protection against additional oxidative stress. In addition, in vitro and animal studies have shown that lycopene can protect the body from damage caused by pesticides, herbicides, monosodium glutamate and certain fungi (27, 287, 29).

However, it should not go unmentioned that some studies show no such effect. Further research is therefore required.

Protection against UV radiation

In combination with other carotenoids, lycopene may be able to reduce the effects of sunburn (12). One study showed that supplementation with lycopene for 12 weeks at a dose of 24 milligrams per day reduced sunburn caused by ultraviolet radiation. According to another study, tomato juice can reduce sunburn by almost 50%, but lycopene was only responsible for half of the effect (30). Lycopene can counteract heart disease, arteriosclerosis and high cholesterol levels Free radicals play a major role in heart disease. Antioxidants generally help, but lycopene has a unique potential (31). In an observational study of 1,379 European men, high blood levels of lycopene - but not other carotenes - were associated with fewer heart attacks (32). Similarly, low lycopene blood levels were associated with heart disease in another observational study of 210 men (33). More than one study suggests that lycopene may reduce the risk of arterial calcification and may also help lower high cholesterol levels (10, 11). A meta-analysis of 12 studies also concluded that an intake of 25 mg of lycopene per day can reduce two of the primary risk factors for heart disease: elevated levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol and high blood pressure (34). Another meta-analysis of 21 studies linked higher tomato consumption to lower LDL cholesterol levels and improved blood vessel function. This meta-analysis also confirmed the positive effects of lycopene on blood pressure (35).

Lycopene could promote vision

People with an age-related decline in vision, known as macular degeneration, have lower lycopene levels. It is known that many carotenoids can improve vision. However, even if this is true for lycopene, studies confirming this are still lacking.

Lycopene could relieve pain and inflammation

In a clinical study involving 102 patients, lycopene supplementation reduced symptoms of chronic pelvic pain syndrome (36). In rats and mice, lycopene was able to reduce diabetic nerve pain by reducing pro-inflammatory compounds such as TNF-alpha (37).

Lycopene could have a positive effect on bone health

According to a study of 33 postmenopausal women, those with higher lycopene blood levels had less oxidative bone damage. However, the scientists did not investigate the effects on bone composition (38). In a study conducted with rats, a lycopene-rich diet increased bone strength better than a typical diet. In addition, lycopene reduced the death of bone cells in the test tube (38, 39).

Side effects

Lycopene is a very safe compound that occurs naturally in healthy foods. Because of this non-toxic nature, lycopene is also used as a natural food coloring. In healthy people, the only known problem with lycopene overdose is a condition known as lycopenoderma, in which lycopene accumulates in the skin and liver, giving the skin an orange-yellow color. This temporary effect is harmless and can be reversed by eliminating lycopene from the diet. However, according to clinical reports, one would need to eat a lot of tomatoes regularly to achieve this (e.g. 4 to 5 tomatoes and tomato sauce per day for 3 years) (40). A small group of people suffer from lycopene intolerance or are allergic to lycopene. These people should avoid consuming large amounts of lycopene and products containing lycopene. According to anecdotal reports, excessive lycopene intake can cause digestive problems including diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps, bloating and even vomiting. However, many of these side effects could also stem from other plant compounds in lycopene-rich foods that can cause digestive problems in sensitive people.

Up to 75 mg of lycopene per day is considered safe. According to observational studies, this dosage can even be increased up to 270 mg per day without increasing the risk of side effects (41, 42).

Recommended dosage

The dosage of lycopene varies depending on individual goals and needs. Recommended dosages are based on scientific research and other medical publications, but when in doubt, follow the dosage recommendation on the product label or consult your doctor for an appropriate dosage. As the safety of lycopene in children has not been studied, children should not take lycopene.

• Exercise-induced asthma - 30 mg lycopene per day.
• Improvement of immune function - 13.3 mg of lycopene per day.
• Protection against solar radiation - 8 mg per lycopene per day in combination with other antioxidants for 12 weeks.

Lycopene Supplements

Due to its antioxidant and health-promoting properties, lycopene can be found in some multivitamin and antioxidant supplements.

Combinations with other supplements

Lycopene can be combined with other antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and virtually any other supplement.

References

1. Dong (2008), The affection of the Lycopene for the Immune of the basketball players in the high intensity training. Journal of Beijing Sport University, DOI: CNKI:SUN:BJTD.0.2008-03-022
2. Giovannucci (1999), Tomatoes, Tomato-Based Products, Lycopene, and Cancer: Review of the Epidemiologic Literature. JNCI J Natl Cancer Inst, 91: 317-331.
3. Levy et al (1995), Lycopene is a more potent inhibitor of human cancer cell proliferation than either α-carotene or β-carotene. Nutrition and Cancer, 24: 257-266
4. Liu (2006), Research on Effects of Lycopene on Human Free Radical Metablism after High Intensity Endurance Exercises. Journal of Beijing Sport University, DOI: CNKI:SUN:BJTD.0.2006-09-018
5. Roa & Agarwal (2000), Role of Antioxidant Lycopene in Cancer and Heart Disease. J Am Coll Nutr, 19: 563-569
6. Sesso et al (2003), Dietary Lycopene, Tomato-Based Food Products and Cardiovascular Disease in Women J Nutr, 133: 2336-2341
7. Sies & Stahl (1998), Lycopene: Antioxidant and Biological Effects and its Bioavailability in the Human. Exp Biol Med, 218: 121-124
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