Lycopene is a fat-soluble natural antioxidant in vegetables and fruits. Its antioxidant effect is 2 times that of β-carotene, 10 times that of vitamin E, and gives plants a bright red appearance (commonly found in tomatoes, watermelons, guava, Cranberry, papaya).
Do you know benefits of lycopene supplements?
Over the past decades, foods containing lycopene have also been proven to have anti-aging and anti-aging effects, can reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases, and are the most important contributors to the Mediterranean diet (the world’s recognized healthiest way of eating) One.
What are the benefits of lycopene recommended?
1. Improve cardiovascular disease factor
For a long time, cardiovascular disease has been regarded as a male-dominated disease, especially for younger ethnic groups (the incidence of males is 2 to 5 times higher than that of females), but with age, especially after After the age of 50, the female’s prevalence rate will rise sharply (due to the loss of endogenous estrogen protection), especially myocardial infarction.
Clinically, it is also found that the symptoms of acute myocardial infarction in women are often different from those in men. Abdominal pain, dyspnea, nausea, back and neck pain, indigestion, palpitations, and fatigue may occur. It is not commonly considered chest pain, so it often causes delays. See a doctor.
A systematic review (including 21 controlled studies with a total of 1189 participants) and a meta-analysis study found that intake of tomato or lycopene can help improve many factors related to cardiovascular diseases, Such as low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol), interleukin-6 (IL-6), flow-mediated dilation and systolic blood pressure.
2. Reduce the incidence of prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in older men (with a prevalence of age between 65-75 years old). The incidence rate has continued to rise in the past decade and will grow from the current 12.4% to 19.6% by 2030.
Prostate cancer may cause pain, difficulty urinating, and erectile dysfunction. It may also metastasize, especially bones and lymph.
A systematic review (including 26 studies with a total of 563,299 participants) and meta-analysis indicated that a higher dietary intake of lycopene may help reduce the incidence of prostate cancer (behind the mechanism And whether there are other factors in the tomato involved in this process remains to be studied).
3. Improve periodontal disease (periodontitis)
Periodontal disease is an inflammatory disease of the surrounding tissues of the teeth. About 40%–90% of the world’s population is affected, which is arguably one of the most common epidemics.
Periodontal disease is mainly caused by certain micro-organisms, leading to the progressive damage of periodontal ligaments, alveolar bones, and the deepening of periodontal pockets. If not properly treated, the most serious cause is the loss of teeth.
A double-blind controlled study (2 months, 42 patients with chronic periodontal disease) found that lycopene had better improvement effects than placebo on parameters related to periodontal disease (such as plaque index, bleeding, Gum index, depth of exploration and tumor necrosis factor), however, some values are not statistically significant and need to be confirmed.
4. Reduce the risk of stomach cancer
Gastric cancer ranks 4th among common cancers and 2nd among cancer-related death rates, and the incidence of males is about 2 to 3 times that of females.
The occurrence of gastric cancer is significantly associated with Helicobacter pylori infection, diet, lifestyle, and genetics.
A meta-analysis (including 17 epidemiological studies) pointed out that ingesting more tomato-related products can help reduce the risk of gastric cancer.
The underlying mechanism is related to the antioxidant effects of lycopene, carotenoids, and vitamin C rich in tomatoes.
5. Beneficial male infertility
The prevalence of infertility around the world is about 13% to 15%. For infertile couples, it often brings a huge psychological burden, especially for women, and often leads to depression, suicidal tendencies, and other mental illnesses.
However, according to research, more than 50% of infertility cases are mostly related to men, and 25% of them are unexplained (referring to idiopathic infertility).
Oxidative stress and sperm cell membrane lipid peroxidation often play an important role in the mechanism of infertility, affecting the normal function of sperm.
A case-control study (targeted at 133 men) believed that lycopene, β-carotene, and retinol can help reduce DNA fragmentation and lipid peroxidation of sperm, and may be used for diagnosis and treatment Reference options for men with idiopathic infertility.
Are there any side effects of lycopene?
Up to now, there are still few safety reports related to the use of lycopene health products alone, but the intake of lycopene from natural foods is extremely safe, and possible adverse reactions include allergies, diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps, and vomiting (most of which occur in Tomato or related products are allergic or have a poor gastrointestinal function).
Safety Precautions
Excessive consumption may cause low blood pressure, so be careful if you have low blood pressure or take blood pressure-lowering drugs.
There may be an anticoagulant effect, so please be careful with patients with coagulopathy or taking related anticoagulant drugs.
Be careful when using estrogen or related hormone therapy, as it may produce unexpected interactions.
For patients with prostate cancer, please note that lycopene may interfere with the test results.
Excessive intake of plants rich in lycopene may cause yellowing of the skin, which is mostly harmless. Stopping use will return to normal.
Do not use for pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, and those with abnormal liver and kidney functions (because safety is unknown).
Where to buy the lycopene extract capsules recommended by most people?
In recent years, food safety problems in various countries have exploded, and it is not healthy but black-hearted products that everyone spends on. Therefore, European and American products with relatively strict quality control have become popular products.
And iHerb.com is a large-scale medical cosmetics e-commerce company in the United States. It has a high satisfaction rate of 97% in the evaluation of Google customers. It provides global home delivery so that you can buy it without risking buying fakes through purchasing high-quality health products.
