Lycopene

Lycopene Prevents & Repairs Damaged Cells

 

Although tomatoes have been consumed in abundance throughout the world for centuries, the investigation into the health benefits of lycopene did not begin until the last part of the 20th century. However, in a relatively short period of time, scientists have amassed a significant body of laboratory, animal, and population-based research that supports the role of lycopene in human health, specifically in the prevention of cancers of the prostate, pancreas, stomach, breast, cervix and lung, as well as in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, cataracts, and age-related macular degeneration (a chronic eye condition in which light-sensing cells in the centre of the retina stop functioning).
 
In addition to its antioxidant activity, lycopene has been shown to suppress the growth of tumors in in vitro (test tube) and in vivo (animal) experiments. One of the ways that lycopene may limit tumor growth is by stimulating cell to cell communication. Researchers now believe that poor communication between cells is one of the causes of the abnormal growth of cells, a condition which ultimately leads to the development of cancerous tumors.

Lycopene is also believed to play a role in the prevention of heart disease by inhibiting free radical damage to LDL cholesterol. Before cholesterol can be deposited in the plaques that harden and narrow arteries, it must be oxidized by free radicals. With its powerful antioxidant activity, lycopene can prevent LDL cholesterol from being oxidized.

 

What is Lycopene?

 

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, lung and cervical cancer as well as cardiovascular disease and age-related macular degeneration, the most common form of blindness in elderly people in the western world.

 

Does Lycopene 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 is now well recognised. Tomatoes and tomato products proven to be rich in Lycopene can play a key role. While it is still too early to conclude that any single food can prevent cancer, the research to date is promising.

 

How Does Lycopene Work?

 

Lycopene is an antioxidant that 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 cancer.

 

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 Lycopene from tomatoes is absorbed much better into the bloodstream if it is first heat-processed.

 

Benefits of a Lycopene Rich Diet

 

In recent years, numerous studies have indicated that a Lycopene-rich diet is associated with a lower risk of certain chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

 

Benefits of Lycopene include:

 

• As an antioxidant: 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.
• Reduces Prostate Cancer: 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.
• Inhibits Cancer Cells: 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 the other bright vegetable carotenoids alpha- and beta-carotene, in causing a delay in the cell cycle progression from one growth phase to the next.
• Reduces Heart Risk: 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.
• Reduces Blindness: 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. 
• Reduces Atherosclerosis: prevents oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and reduces the risk of developing atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease Drinking 2 - 3 8-oz glasses of a processed vegetable juice such as V-8(R) would provide in excess of the 40 mg per day of lycopene suggested for reducing LDL cholesterol.

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.

How Can I Ensure I Get Enough Lycopene?

As outlined above, three 8oz glasses of tomato juice a day will provide 40mg, the amount suggested for reducing cholesterol levels. Standardised supplements with a guaranteed Lycopene content are a safe and convenient way to ensure you get a good daily dose of Lycopene no matter how busy you are. There is no RDA for Lycopene, and the recommended intake as a therapeutic is 1 to 20 mg daily.