Lycopene is a carotenoid that gives fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, watermelons and pink grapefruits, their reddish color. In the human body, lycopene is present in the skin, liver, adrenal glands, lungs, prostate and colon. The benefits of lycopene-containing foods, such as tomatoes, are an area of much research and debate.
Background
To investigate the benefits of lycopene for a variety of health issues, such as cancer and heart disease, researchers often ask individuals about their tomato intake to estimate their lycopene levels. However, since tomatoes contain many nutrients, including vitamin C, folate and potassium, researchers cannot conclude that it is solely the lycopene that is providing the apparent benefits of eating tomatoes. Many studies on the same topic have contradicting results. For this reason, both the Mayo Clinic and the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rate much of the scientific evidence as unclear or insufficient to determine the effectiveness of lycopene.
Antioxidant Effects
There is some research to suggest that lycopene is an antioxidant, similar to other carotenoids. However, not all studies prove this, and it is not clear if lycopene works as an antioxidant within the human body. For this reason, the Mayo Clinic reports that more studies are necessary before making any conclusions.
Cancer Prevention
Studies have examined the relationship between developing breast cancer and lycopene levels in the body, or tomato intake. However, the results of these studies are unclear, and lycopene may or may not influence your chances of avoiding breast cancer. While some studies suggest tomato intake may prevent cervical cancer, others do not. Other studies report lycopene from tomato products may decrease your risk of developing prostate cancer, while others do not. Lycopene from food, however, does seem to decrease your risk of developing ovarian cancer.
Coronary Artery Disease Prevention
Like cancer, results on whether lycopene treatment has any effect on coronary artery disease are unclear. While some studies report that lycopene consumption in people with high cholesterol levels or hardening of the arteries may be helpful, others do not.
Benign Prostate Hyperplasia Treatment
Individuals with benign prostate hyperplasia, or an enlarged prostate, are at a higher risk of developing prostate cancer. Research using lycopene supplements, rather than tomatoes, suggest that lycopene may prevent benign prostate hyperplasia from developing further. The Mayo Clinic reports that further studies need to be completed in this area.
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