Tomatoes contain lycopene. Lycopene is the guardian of health. What is it for and to whom. Functions and action of lycopene in the human body

Do you like tomato juice, ketchup or fresh tomatoes? Great! This is exactly the case when tasty is also healthy. But if you are indifferent to these products, from our article on you will find out why tomatoes should be added to your diet.

What is Lycopene?

The best food source of lycopene is tomato paste or ketchup..

But since few people eat large portions of ketchup, it is easier to increase your lycopene intake with raw or baked tomatoes, which are free of preservatives and much less sugar.

Lycopene is a fat-soluble compound, therefore, its bioavailability and absorption in the gastrointestinal tract directly depends on the presence of fats in food. That is why ours contains soy and pumpkin oils - for optimal absorption.

To assimilate 4 times more lycopene from tomato salad, add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil or a couple of ripe avocados to it.

How is lycopene useful?

1. Lycopene protects against oxidative stress and slows down aging

Lycopene is a powerful food antioxidant. What are antioxidants and what are they for? Everything in order.

Antioxidants are substances that protect the body from toxins and free radicals. When the level of free radicals exceeds the amount of antioxidants, oxidative stress occurs in the body. It is the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome, aging and serious chronic diseases (cancer, atherosclerosis, hypertension, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, infertility).

Antioxidants are enzymatic - synthesized in the body, and non-enzymatic - come from food.

The most famous non-enzymatic antioxidants are ascorbic acid (vitamin C), tocopherol (vitamin E), ß-carotene (provitamin A) and lycopene. These include polyphenols, flavonoids (in vegetables), tannins (in cocoa, coffee, tea), anthocyanins (in dark berries).

Antioxidants are classified as water-soluble or fat-soluble. Water-soluble ones react with oxidant particles in the intracellular fluid and blood plasma, while fat-soluble ones (including lycopene) protect cell membranes from lipid peroxidation.

In addition to free radicals, toxins accumulate in our body. Depending on their quantity, health gradually or sharply deteriorates, starting with short-term irritation of the skin and eyes to chronic immune and hormonal failures, pathologies of the nervous and reproductive systems, leukemia and other types of cancer.

Toxins enter us from the environment and from food. To make the crop grow faster, it is treated with nitrates, and to protect it from pests - with pesticides. This is done not only by large farms, but also by small private farmers.

Since finding environmentally friendly products without chemical processing is not an easy task, every day, together with the usual products from the store, we also eat a portion of pesticides with nitrates.

But it’s not that scary. Antioxidants, which are abundant in vegetables and fruits, can protect us from toxins.

Unfortunately, this is hampered by the habit of eating junk food. It is harmful not so much because of preservatives and dyes in semi-finished products, but because most of the antioxidants are lost during processing.

Therefore, the choice of food products should be treated very carefully, not only by those wishing to lose weight, but by any person who cares about their health and longevity.

This is especially true for pregnant women or couples planning a child, since there is evidence of neurological birth defects and even fetal death due to pesticide intoxication.

Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant... It strengthens the immune system, slows down aging, protects DNA from oxidation, helps maintain the health of the prostate gland, skin, bones.

In addition to antioxidant and membrane stabilizing effects, it protects the liver and adrenal cortex from pesticide intoxication.

2. Lycopene and prostate cancer

The powerful antioxidant activity of lycopene inhibits the growth of certain cancers. Its anticancer effect on prostate cancer cells deserves special attention. That's why lycopene is especially useful for men.

In 2017, American scientists from the University of Illinois analyzed 42 studies, which covered 44 thousand cases and 700 thousand participants, and made the following conclusion:

increased lycopene in the diet reduces the risk of prostate cancer .

This systematic meta-analysis highlights the dose-response of the anti-cancer effect of lycopene: that is, the higher the plasma concentration, the lower the risk of prostate cancer.

3. Lycopene for kidney disease

The most common type of kidney cancer is carcinoma. Large dosages of lycopene inhibit the growth of carcinoma and can potentially protect against this type of cancer.

Since hypertension is one of the risk factors for kidney cancer, people who are prone to high blood pressure are recommended low-salt diets based on lycopene-rich vegetables and fruits - tomatoes and tomato paste, watermelons, grapefruits, guava and papaya.

The antioxidant effect of lycopene is also beneficial for nephrotoxicity, renal failure due to diabetic neuropathy, oxidative stress, and kidney inflammation due to obesity.

4. Antiviral effect of lycopene on HPV

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common viral infection of the genital tract. Of the 130 known strains of human papillomavirus, most are not dangerous. But there are oncogenic types of HPV that cause genital warts and genital cancer in men and women. In 70% of cases of cervical cancer, DNA of oncogenic types of HPV 16 (55%) and HPV 18 (15%) is found.

Women with high plasma lycopene levels recover from oncogenic HPV infections much sooner, which means they are less at risk of cervical cancer.

5. Lycopene against fungal infections, candidiasis (thrush)

Due to its antibacterial and antifungal properties, lycopene increases the number of intracellular reactive oxygen species, which cause apoptosis (programmed death) of infecting fungal cells and pathogens of candidiasis (thrush). Thus Lycopene fights yeast infections in the mouth and in the genitourinary system (vaginal infections).

6. Lycopene for vision and cataract prevention

Vision problems often begin due to oxidative stress, which results in the formation of free radicals and destruction of tissues and blood vessels of the retina.

Lycopene inhibits the progression of an experimental model of cataract caused by oxidative stress, therefore it is useful both for the prevention of cataracts and as part of its general therapy.

The most common cause of blindness in the elderly is macular degeneration of the retina. Due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, lycopene inhibits degenerative processes in the pigment epithelium that cause macular degeneration.

7. Lycopene for spinal injuries

Thanks to its antioxidant properties, lycopene helps to restore the damaged blood-brain barrier. (The BBB is a physiological barrier between the circulatory and central nervous systems. Its main function is to maintain brain homeostasis. Destruction of the BBB in people with spinal cord injury can cause paralysis.)

In animals with spinal injuries, which were injected with lycopene, compared with the control group, the BBB permeability and the water content in the spinal cord tissues significantly decreased; improved motor functions; decreased expression of the inflammatory factors TNF-α and NF-kB. Chinese scientists have concluded that lycopene is capable of restoring damage to the BBB and is therefore seen as a promising natural remedy for optimizing the treatment of spinal cord injuries in humans.

8. Lycopene strengthens bones

Bones become fragile due to oxidative stress and increase the risk of fractures.

Lycopene reduces the effects of oxidative stress, inhibits degenerative processes and self-destruction of cells inside the bone and makes bones healthier and stronger .

9. Lycopene for the cardiovascular system

The leading cause of death worldwide is cardiovascular disease, so preventive measures to combat them deserve special attention.

A healthy lifestyle and a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables in the daily diet play a decisive role for the health of the heart and blood vessels.

Residents of southern Europe are less likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases due to the peculiarities of the Mediterranean cuisine: it is dominated by green vegetables and tomatoes, generously seasoned with olive oil. But it is in tomatoes and tomato sauce that most of all natural lycopene.

Lycopene plays an important role in the metabolism of cholesterol in the blood: when the lycopene molecule enters the bloodstream, it binds to the low-density cholesterol (LDL) molecule, making it impossible for it to be oxidized.

It is known that oxidized LDL starts a cascade of inflammatory reactions in the walls of blood vessels and is a key factor in the development of atherosclerosis and the formation of cholesterol plaques.

Basic research strongly suggests that the progression of atherosclerosis can be delayed by antioxidants.

At high levels of lycopene in the blood plasma, cholesterol plaques are formed much less frequently, since lycopene reduces the synthesis of intracellular LDL cholesterol and its total volume, maintains the elasticity of blood vessels, and reduces the permeability of the capillary walls.

Thus, lycopene serves as the prevention of atherosclerosis, which in a latent form can last long enough before an unexpected deterioration in health (for example, a heart attack or stroke).

In addition to its successful use in atherosclerosis, lycopene is recommended for

• hypertension
• varicose veins
• thrombophlebitis
• poor blood flow to the heart
• to lower blood pressure and cleanse blood vessels and blood
• people with a predisposition to ischemic diseases
• after strokes and head injuries.

Interesting that lower mortality rates in patients with metabolic syndrome (a combination of disorders that lead to heart disease), it is associated with high levels of lycopene in the blood.

10. Lycopene for the brain

Due to its antioxidant ability to eliminate oxidative cellular damage and prevent the oxidation of healthy cells, lycopene has a neuroprotective effect and is recommended to optimize the treatment of neurological diseases.

Even in the late stages of Alzheimer's, lycopene counteracts further damage and cell death, and is therefore considered a potential prevention of Alzheimer's disease or an additional method of monitoring its progression.

11. Lycopene for epilepsy

During epileptic seizures, the supply of oxygen to the brain is limited. And if a seizure lasts too long, a lack of oxygen can seriously damage the brain.

In an experiment on animals, scientists found that, thanks to its neuroprotective effect, lycopene is able not only to prevent some of the seizures, but also to eliminate neuronal damage after seizures have already occurred, thus providing a neuro-restorative effect.

12. Eases neuropathy in diabetes

Neuropathy or neuropathic pain is a non-inflammatory pain condition caused by nerve damage.

The causes of neuropathy are different: alcoholism, diabetes, vitamin deficiency, tumors, autoimmune pathologies (AIDS), rheumatoid arthritis, chemical poisoning, degenerative-dystrophic changes in soft tissues (swelling due to injury creates pressure on the nerve and disrupts its function), amputation of limbs ...

Sometimes there is no obvious cause for neuropathy. In this case, doctors are inclined towards psychosomatic mechanisms and advise patients to seek professional psychotherapists.

Neuropathic pain diminishes as the underlying pathology is treated. But to cope with the pain itself, doctors often prescribe anti-inflammatory pain relievers.

Diabetic neuropathy, a serious microvascular complication in diabetes mellitus, is considered one of the most difficult to treat.

Due to the development of tolerance and the potential toxicity of drug pain relievers, the search continues for new non-toxic and safe alternatives to alleviate the condition of diabetics. Lycopene is considered one of these options.

In a study of diabetic neuropathy in animals, scientists concluded that lycopene relieves chronic neuropathic pain, improves overall health, and may affect weight loss, presumably due to its inhibitory effect on the release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha ) and nitric oxide (NO).

Lycopene in cosmetology

Nutritionists and beauticians recommend lycopene for the skin because of its many benefits: cosmetic (improving the appearance and condition of skin and hair) and therapeutic (treating sunburn and reducing the risk of skin cancer).

13. Lycopene protects against ultraviolet radiation

Lycopene-rich diet and lycopene-rich sunscreens are essential reduce the damage of UVA and UVB rays.

Ultraviolet A (UVA) rays penetrate into the deeper layers of the dermis, destroying collagen and elastin fibers, which causes wrinkles and sagging.

14. Anti-aging properties of lycopene

Once in the body, lycopene rapidly increases the level of carotenoids in the blood and blocks the reactive oxygen species that cause early wrinkles - thus it resists premature aging.

Lycopene brightens scars and post-acne spots, sun and age pigmentation, evens out complexion, refreshes dull tired skin.

15. Lycopene for hair

Hair loss (especially in men) is associated with excess dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

Dihydrotestosterone inhibits the active stage of hair follicle growth, which is why they "sleep", and new hair grows very slowly or does not grow at all.

DHT blockers are capable of eliminating thinning and hair loss: vitamins E, C, B3 (niacin), B7 (biotin), zinc, selenium, magnesium, flavonoids, proanthocyanides and, of course, lycopene.

A healthy daily diet rich in lycopene will help eliminate excess DHT and thus slow hair loss and baldness.

Lycopene in shampoos, conditioners, masks heals the scalp with dermatitis and psoriasis, eliminates dandruff and dryness, promotes healthy hair growth, reducing fragility and strengthening their roots.

Our products with lycopene:

• for the prevention of prostate cancer, cardiovascular and oncological diseases.

Copying and publication of materials in full or in fragments on other web resources (plagiarism) without indicating an open indexed link to the source is prohibited and is a violation of copyright.

The carotenoid lycopene is said to be the most powerful antioxidant found in food. It is he who gives fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes and watermelon, their red color.

How Lycopene Works in the Human Body

After entering the body, lycopene, together with lipoproteins, is carried throughout the body. It is distributed mainly in the blood, adrenal glands, adipose tissue and liver tissue, where it performs two main functions: 1) as an antioxidant protects cells from oxidative damage; 2) suppresses cholesterol synthesis and cell cycle progression by modulating several signaling pathways. Unlike other carotenes, lycopene is not converted in the body into vitamin A. A diet rich in this substance reduces the risk of heart disease, degenerative diseases of the macula of the eye and some forms of cancer, including lung and stomach.

The recommended daily value for lycopene has not been established. Consumption of about 5-10 mg of this substance per day has been found to significantly increase serum lycopene and reduce oxidative stress in the body.

Are there any side effects?

Lycopene is non-toxic and is found in the usual diet. Excessive consumption of it can lead to yellow skin and liver discoloration. These symptoms are eliminated with a decrease in consumption.

ISFLAVON AND LICOPINE PRODUCTS: BENEFITS FOR MEN

In several experiments, scientists have used lycopene and soy isoflavones to treat prostate cancer. As a result, the use of lycopene and soy has been linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer.

In vitro studies (in vitro) with lycopene and genistein (soy isoflavone) have shown a slowdown in the growth of malignant cells in prostate cancer. In a previous clinical study in prostate cancer patients, researchers observed prostate-specific antigen (PSA) stabilization with soy isoflavone. A new study examined the effects of lycopene - alone or in combination with soy isoflavones - on serum PSA levels in men with prostate cancer.

The experiment involved 71 patients. Three of them had either increasing PSA, or a minimum level of 10 ng / ml at two consecutive assessments before the start of therapy. The first group of 38 men was assigned to take capsules with tomato extract containing 15 mg of lycopene, 33 other subjects were given capsules containing 40 mg of a mixture of soy isoflavones in addition to lycopene, twice a day orally for a maximum of 6 months. None of the groups showed a decrease in serum prostate-specific antigen levels. However, 35 of 37 (95%) patients in the lycopene group and 22 of 33 (67%) men in the lycopene and soy isoflavone group achieved stabilized serum PSA levels.

The data show that lycopene and soy isoflavones have activity in prostate cancer patients with recurrent PSA and may slow the progression of both hormone-refractory and hormone-sensitive prostate cancers.

However, no synergism, or mutual enhancement of positive action, was found between the two compounds. The efficacy of lycopene and soy isoflavones in prostate cancer, as well as the mechanism of potential negative interactions between them, should be investigated in future studies.

Lycopene is more important for people carrying certain gene variants

For people who have variants of the PON1 (R-allele of the Q192R polymorphism, rs662) or SOD (Ala-allele of the Ala16Val polymorphism, rs4880), the increase in the level of lycopene is especially important. In the first case, a person has a higher risk of developing atherosclerosis, and consumption of 300 ml of tomato juice reduces LDL oxidation and the possibility of this disease. The risk group includes about 48% of the general population (and about 71% of Europeans).

Carriers of the second variant of the gene are more susceptible to pancreatic cancer. This risk increases even more when levels of antioxidants, including lycopene, become low. At risk is 63% of the general population (and about 89% of Asians).

WHAT PRODUCTS ARE RICH IN LICOPINE: TABLE

Many red fruits and vegetables contain lycopene. Some vegetables, such as asparagus, despite their different color, are also rich in this substance. Below is a list of foods high in lycopene.

To convert from micrograms to milligrams, the numbers in the second column must be divided by 1000. For example, 100 g of ketchup will contain approximately 16.7 mg of lycopene.

PRODUCTS CONTAINING ISFLAVONS

Isoflavones are a group of phenolic compounds that are structurally and functionally similar to 17β-, due to which they have a weak estrogen-like effect. This effect is believed to be beneficial in the treatment of cancer. Moreover, these flavonoids are powerful antioxidants.

The most common source of isoflavones, most of them contain genistein and daidzein. These substances have many health benefits, including protection against prostate cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis. However, the topic of consuming large amounts of isoflavones is still controversial. Critics of this product believe that isoflavones can provoke goiter and. However, according to the American Heart Association, isoflavone foods are beneficial because they are high in polyunsaturated fat, fiber, vitamins, minerals and provide increased dietary protein intake while decreasing dangerous saturated fat and carbohydrate intake.

What foods contain isoflavone

Soybeans are the richest concentrated source of isoflavones in the human diet.

• Most of them are found in soy foods that have not been heavily processed, such as tofu, soy milk, soy nuts, tempeh, miso, and green edamame beans. Soy flour and textured soy protein also contain significant amounts of isoflavones.
• Soy protein concentrates vary dramatically in isoflavone content depending on how the protein was extracted.
• Processed foods that contain significant amounts of other ingredients, such as soy hot dogs, ice cream, and snacks, have far fewer isoflavones than whole soy foods.
• Soy oil and soy sauce are free of isoflavones.

In recent years, the media has increasingly been mentioning lycopene, a wonderful substance from tomatoes that has anti-cancer properties. Accordingly, citizens are encouraged to actively eat tomatoes in any quantity in order to provide their body with lycopene. MedAboutMe wondered if a tomato diet will really save you from cancer?

Lycopene - a pigment and dietary supplement Lycopene is a pigment due to which tomatoes, watermelons, pink grapefruits, peppers have such an attractive bright red color. Lycopene is an isomer of beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, but has very different functions. In plants, it protects tissues from sunlight and, most importantly, is a strong antioxidant - and it is in this capacity that scientists are interested. Moreover, by its characteristics, that is, by its ability to bind free radical particles, lycopene is 7 times stronger than vitamin E and 3 times stronger than beta-carotene, known antioxidants.

What are antioxidants?

Antioxidants are compounds that protect the body from free radicals that damage cell tissues and can even damage DNA. This increases the risk of mutations, disrupts the normal life cycle of the cell, and, as a result, increases the risk of cancer. It should be added that free radical particles are not an absolute evil. They are formed and participate in the course of many processes occurring in our body, and are necessary no less than other compounds.

Lycopene was discovered in 1911, but the peak of interest in it falls on the last 10-20 years. During this time, popular science media managed to shower readers with dozens of messages about the miraculous properties of lycopene: it prevents and heals cancer, protects blood vessels and skin ... It is enough just to eat more tomatoes, and a healthy long life is guaranteed.

By the way, tomatoes lag far behind in terms of lycopene content from some other gifts of nature. Rosehip is in the lead in the list of the richest lycopene fruits - 6.8 mg / kg, in second place is guava (5.2 mg), watermelon (4.5 mg) completes the top three, and only after it are tomatoes, papaya, grapefruit and persimmon.

Lycopene and E-Supplements

Lycopene is also an E160d food additive that belongs to the category of dyes. It is actively used in the production of various products (drinks, sauces, canned fish), as well as pharmacists and cosmetics manufacturers.

Tomatoes and antioxidants

However, more and more data are being published, from which it follows that the "tomato miracle" is another unfulfilled hope. Back in 2009, scientists from Plant & Food Research showed that when tomatoes are digested in the human intestine, it releases and enters our body 75% of all antioxidants - and only 4% of the lycopene contained in tomatoes.

It was later calculated that to get 5-10 mg of lycopene is the recommended daily dose, follow these same days either to eat 3 kg of average tomatoes, or to drink about the same amount of tomato juice.

But, scientists are encouraging, lycopene in a more readily available form - in a much more concentrated form - is found in tomato paste. If an ordinary tomato contains about 2.5 mg / kg of lycopene, in tomato sauce it is already more than 60 mg / kg, then tomato paste is the record holder for its content, in some of its varieties the content of lycopene can reach 1000 mg / kg or more.

But even if there was such an incredible lover of tomatoes who would be ready to eat them at 3 kg per day (or tomato paste with spoons), he would have to seriously think about his health. Indeed, in addition to the valuable lycopene, tomatoes contain many other interesting compounds. For example, oxalic acid, which in significant quantities can lead to diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and urolithiasis. Another group of substances from tomatoes - purines, which are found in abundance in the pulp of the fruit. And an excess of purines is gout.

Takeaway: Trying to get your daily intake of antioxidants from food alone can be hazardous to your health.

Antioxidants and disease

In the 1990s, scientists very actively studied the antioxidant properties of natural compounds, such as beta-carotene, vitamin E, and others, in the hope of finding a means to protect blood vessels from atherosclerosis. However, the years passed, research was carried out, and it was not possible to reliably prove the effectiveness of natural antioxidants.

So, a cursory analysis of the media shows that the following studies were carried out, which attracted the attention of journalists:

2007 - no, it does not prevent prostate cancer; 2007 - The FDA found no evidence of a protective effect of lycopene against lung cancer, colorectal cancer, breast, cervical, or endometrial cancer. But there were weak associations of consumption of tomatoes and tomato sauce with a reduced risk of prostate, ovarian, stomach and pancreatic cancer; 2012 - Possibly Prevents Prostate Cancer 2012 - High lycopene concentration reduces stroke risk by 55%. But in the same study, it was not possible to prove the protective properties of other antioxidants for blood vessels: alpha and beta carotene, vitamin E and retinol; 2014 - Lycopene supplements still improve blood vessel function; 2015 - Possibly preventing kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma) in postmenopausal women; 2016 - Lycopene, against the background of oxygen deficiency, reduces the threat to human cells with gamma radiation (that is, when exposed to radiation).

However, the analysis of the studies carried out shows that almost all of them were carried out on cell cultures, that is, in vitro, "in vitro", in extreme cases on mice. For example, it was shown that lycopene, like many antioxidants, quite successfully blocks the oxidation of lipids, which in a living organism in blood vessels lead to atherosclerosis. But in a living organism, in most cases, such pronounced effects were not observed when taking lycopene.

Tomato paste with spoons

However, human studies have also been conducted. For example, in 2008 it was shown that eating 5 tablespoons of tomato paste daily reduced the risk of sunburn to the skin by 33%. It is as if a person were not eating tomato paste with spoons, but smeared with sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 1.3.

Scientists believe there may be many reasons for this. For example, the degree of absorption of a substance in the body, which is not easy to calculate and which, as we saw above, can turn out to be surprisingly low. It is also important to know that for some antioxidants, excess is toxic and, with prolonged use, can increase the overall mortality rate. And about carotenoids, which are fat-soluble and to which lycopene belongs, it is known that their bioavailability is very much dependent on what kind of food they are in, how this food was processed and with what ingredients they reacted along the way.

Conclusions There is lycopene in tomatoes and other fruits. And it is a really powerful antioxidant. But you shouldn't expect that love of tomatoes will protect you from cancer. Scientists have not yet received reliable evidence of its effectiveness. Neither foods high in lycopene nor taking lycopene supplements guarantee protection against cancer. And so far there are not even studies that would confirm that at least the risks of developing cancer in humans will be lower. But the excessive consumption of tomatoes - however, like any other excessive action - can lead to the development of various pathologies. Take the test Do you follow a healthy diet? Do you know the principles of healthy eating? Take the test and find out the whole truth about your diet!

Lycopene is not the most common dietary supplement that I personally love very dearly (along with another wonderful carotenoid, astaxanthin). It has an absolutely remarkable wide spectrum of action - while, if, say, we do not feel the anti-cancer activity in any way, then some of the effects of lycopene are quite visible and obvious. For example, a beautiful tan on poorly tanned skin.

Lycopene: what is it

So, first of all, let's figure out what lycopene is. It is a carotenoid found in many red and pink foods. For example, it is thanks to lycopene that the tomato is red. In plants, lycopene is the precursor of all other carotenoids, including beta-carotene. But at the same time, unlike most carotenoids, lycopene does not have A-vitamin activity.

Is it good or bad? If you are taking a multivitamin, it is rather good. You don’t have to wonder if you’ll get an overdose of vitamin A (which accumulates like all fat-soluble vitamins) while taking this supplement.

In the human body, lycopene is not synthesized on its own and comes only with food.

The beneficial properties of lycopene

Nevertheless, lycopene plays an important role in the human body.

Antioxidant activity

The main action of lycopene in the human body is antioxidant. Thanks to it, lycopene not only slows down the aging process, but also reduces the risk of atherosclerosis and protects DNA.

Anti-cancer action

It is known that lycopene interferes with oncogenesis. About a hundred studies have been conducted on the effect of lycopene on cancer prevention. For some types of cancer (cancer of the prostate, lung, stomach), it has been found that the risk of their development is inversely proportional to the daily consumption of lycopene.

Eye protection

Like other carotenoids, lycopene is beneficial in supporting eye health. Lycopene products are found in the retina of the eye. As an antioxidant, it slows down peroxide processes in the lens. Clinical studies have confirmed that consumption of lycopene reduces the risk of developing cataracts.

Other actions

Lycopene prevents the development of atherosclerosis, stroke and coronary heart disease, helps to eliminate cholesterol. Many studies support a reduction in the likelihood of heart attacks with an adequate intake of lycopene.

In addition, some studies show that lycopene has beneficial effects in the treatment of certain inflammatory conditions.

Beautiful tan

One of the unique properties of lycopene is natural UV protection. From the inside, it helps your body create its own natural barrier against harmful influences. Moreover, it not only reduces the risk of burns on the skin, but also the associated risk of damage to the DNA structure. This reduces the likelihood of skin cancer and photoaging.

At the same time, due to its own coloring properties, it simultaneously enhances the tan. You will not get a tan color on your skin without the sun, but in the sun (or in a tanning bed) you tan faster than usual, while the tan color will be even, beautiful, golden.

Another carotenoid, astaxanthin, has similar properties, but it is a separate topic. The undoubted advantage of lycopene is the price: it is cheaper.

I really appreciate this property in lycopene. Being red and thin-skinned, I, like most blondes and redheads, have a very difficult tan, but I burn instantly. Or, more precisely, it was so before, in my childhood and youth. In recent years, I have found a solution for myself - this is the use of natural sunscreen and tanning oils with constant hydration of the skin in combination with dietary supplements, primarily carotenoids, which I start drinking at the beginning of summer. No, I will never become a chocolate color, for this I have the wrong skin type, and I do not strive for this. But a light, even golden tan is now with me all summer.

Of course, no one should get carried away with tanning - no one canceled photoaging anyway. But getting your dose of vitamin D in the sun without fear of burns, lycopene will help.

What foods contain lycopene

The champion in lycopene content is the already mentioned tomato. Not so much even in terms of the content of this pigment, but because most of the lycopene present in our diet is from tomatoes. Accordingly, there is a lot of this pigment in tomato juice and tomato paste.

But there are other foods that contain lycopene. These are grapefruit, guava, watermelon, beetroot, cherry, red pepper, papaya, persimmon, rose hips.

One kilogram of tomatoes contains five to 50 milligrams of lycopene. In tomato paste, the concentration is higher: 54-1500 mg per kilogram of paste. True, no one eats her in kilograms.

There are 23-72 mg of lycopene in a kilogram of watermelon. In a kilogram of grapefruit - about 34 mg.

Possible harm - overdose, contraindications to taking lycopene

Honestly, there is only one contraindication to taking lycopene - individual intolerance. Lycopene does not possess toxic properties.

However, it is theoretically possible to overdo it with lycopene - although it will actually be very difficult to do so. I think everyone has heard that if you eat carrots for a very, very long time in completely unmeasured quantities, the skin can turn orange? Carrots also contain carotenoids.

It's the same story with lycopene. For example, the literature describes the case of a middle-aged woman who drank concentrated tomato juice in incredible quantities every day for a very long time. As a result, her skin turned yellow-orange. After three weeks on a lycopene-free diet, her skin color returned to normal.

Skin coloration from excessive use of carotenoids (lycopenoderma) is non-toxic and reversible. That is, even if in some unthinkable way you manage to do this, just stop taking it. This will not happen when using lycopene at the recommended dosages.

According to published studies, the average dose of lycopene that a Westerner receives per day with food is 0.6-1.6 mg. This is actually very small. In some regions of Poland, the average daily intake of lycopene from food is 7.5 mg. This is due to the peculiarities of the traditional diet and the amount of tomato products in it.

The recommendations approved in Russia signed by the chief sanitary doctor of the Russian Federation from 2004 are as follows. A person needs on average about 5 mg of lycopene per day, the upper limit is up to 10 mg per day.

At the same time, for dietary supplements, the standard dosage of drugs from most manufacturers is 10-15 mg (although there are less and much more). The use of lycopene in such a dosage for a course of 1-3 months does not lead to any negative consequences - it has been tested for itself. The same is evidenced by the reviews of lycopene on Ayherb. Not a single user writes about yellowing of the skin (the only reliable side effect of lycopene), even in reviews of the drug with the highest dosage (25 mg).

You need to take lycopene with meals. It is absorbed only in the presence of fat. For this reason, the best (easily digestible) form of release is soft gel capsules containing lycopene dissolved in a fatty base (vegetable oil). Alternatively, the tablet can be divided in half if desired. But it is better to pick up the dosage right away. Tablets usually contain a lot of unnecessary auxiliary ingredients (emulsifiers, stabilizers, etc.

There is evidence that in combination with beta-carotene, lycopene has a slight synergistic effect, that is, they enhance the action of each other.

Lycopene tablets and capsules - where to buy, how to choose

Now let's look at different drugs with lycopene on Ayherb. The table shows the basic data for each of the most popular drugs and the average consumer rating (on a five-point scale) based on reviews on the site (average rating / number of reviews).

Lycopene(English Lycopene) - a natural organic pigment from the class of carotenoids, which gives color to the fruits of certain herbaceous plants. In the form of the main component, it is found in watermelons, tomatoes and other representatives of the dicotyledonous class. In addition, it performs a number of important functions in the human body and has antioxidant properties.

Sometimes on the Internet it is mistakenly called, but it is a carotenoid.

Lycopene: in foods

The human body is not able to produce pigment on its own, so it must be consumed with food.

The largest amount is found in foods such as:

• tomato or tomato;
• watermelon;
• red bell pepper;
• grapefruit;
• guava;
• Garnet;
• beet;
• carrot;
• rose hip.

The list is not limited to these products: almost all vegetables contain red. It is also found in bright pink fruits, but in much smaller quantities. In addition, most of these products are formulated to stimulate the intestinal microflora.

Lycopene: in tomatoes

Tomatoes remain the leader in terms of content. At the same time, it has been proven that orange varieties are more saturated with this component than red fruits.

This vegetable is indispensable for humans precisely because of what it contains. It has a beneficial effect on the circulatory system, strengthening the walls of the arteries and thinning the blood. It also prevents blockage of blood vessels that obstructs blood flow.

You can talk about the importance in tomatoes for a long time. It is important that eating fresh vegetables will improve health and prevent the onset of many diseases.

Lycopene: in tomato paste

One of the most important and useful features is its resistance to heat treatment of products that contain it. It is not destroyed after thermal exposure, but, on the contrary, is concentrated and well absorbed. This is given the opportunity to produce products such as juice, pasta, ketchup, while retaining the beneficial properties of an antioxidant.

Recommended to be consumed in the form of fresh tomatoes and tomato derivatives. When preparing tomato paste, its bioavailability increases significantly. This is due to the fact that this carotenoid dissolves in the fat that appears when vegetables are processed. Together with this, the formula changes, which helps its assimilation by the human body. Many studies have proven that it is digested almost 3 times faster from tomato paste than from fresh tomatoes.

In addition, 1 spoonful of tomato paste contains the recommended daily requirement of 5-7.5 mg. This amount exceeds the carotenoid content in fresh tomatoes by 30 times, and in ketchup by 6 times.

Daily use of this rate will significantly reduce blood cholesterol levels in a short time. Therefore, tomato paste and others lycopene-containing foods should be added to the daily diet.

Lycopene: properties

The benefit lies in the fact that the carotenoid cleanses the intestines, destroying unfavorable microflora, also restores appetite, helps to reset and maintains the digestive system.

The use of foods with has a number of other positive properties for the body:

• maintaining acid balance;
• control of cholesterol content;
• improving the work of various organ systems;
• anti-fungal properties;
• anti-aging effect.

In the course of medical research carried out in 2001, a connection was established between methods and statistics on the occurrence of malignant diseases. Scientists have shown that the pigment reduces the proliferation of cancer cells by about 70%.

Thus, the carotenoid has many beneficial properties that affect the normal functioning of the human body.

Lycopene: application

This plant pigment is used for the prevention of various diseases. A sufficient content in the blood prevents the development of cancer. It is the only carotenoid that can prevent prostate and stomach cancer.

Recently, it is used as an artificial tanning enhancer because it protects the skin from ultraviolet rays.

Also used for:

• infertility treatment;
• preventing diabetes;
• treatment of other diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
• prevention of eye diseases;
• burning body fat;
• rejuvenation.

Lycopene: an antioxidant

Lycopene is a strong antioxidant capable of destroying active molecules in the body that can cause various effects of mutation. Their negative effect is manifested in the destruction of the membranes of DNA molecules, which ensure the storage and transmission of hereditary information.

Also as an antioxidant, it prevents the oxidation of transport forms of lipids (lipoproteins), which lead to a decrease in vascular patency and coronary artery disease.

Lycopene: for men

Lycopene is an effective remedy for combating infertility. It significantly increases sperm concentration and improves sperm activity. The tool is used to treat cancer, in particular, malignant tumors of the prostate and other male organs. In addition, it restores the function of the male reproductive system.

It will also help fight problems of the genitourinary system - an effective remedy for cystitis and other inflammations.

Lycopene: for the skin

Lycopene: dietary supplements, drugs

Modern pharmaceutical companies offer a wide range of drugs and biologically active additives (dietary supplements), for example, with different ones. Their use will help to normalize the functioning of organs.

Lycopene: tablets

"Lycopene, Maximum Strength" tablets from the company are in demand among buyers. 21st Century (60 tablets). Each such tablet mixes 25 mg, which is contained in 5 medium ripe tomatoes.

There is no sugar, salt, artificial flavors or preservatives in the preparation.

Lycopene: capsules

Most commonly consumed in capsule form. An example is the food supplement "Lycopene" from the manufacturer Now Foods (20 mg, 50 softgels). This product contains natural tomato extract. Removes free radicals from the body and maintains healthy blood vessels.

The composition contains other ingredients:

• rapeseed oil,
• gelatin, glycerin, water (capsule).

Lycopene: analogues

Lycopene- a unique carotenoid of its kind, which has no analogues. However, there are other plant antioxidants used for similar purposes. It is about or is gaining popularity. It has a positive effect on the treatment of vascular diseases. A mushroom is used as a means of normalizing cholesterol metabolism, and it is considered to be an effective optimizer of oxidative processes. For many people, it is simply more accessible, since many eat tomatoes.

Lycopene: in the pharmacy

It is quite difficult to buy dietary supplements or drugs in pharmacies. Very often they sell expensive fakes that will not bring the expected effect. Domestic manufacturers offer their choice of drugs with low concentration. Such funds are not popular and do not inspire confidence. A quality supplement with can only be bought in trusted online stores. The link to the verified site is below.

Lycopene: instruction

When taking supplements, you must follow the recommendations established by the manufacturer of the drug. Depending on the dosage, packaging and extent of the health problem, appropriate therapy should be used.

Lycopene: how to take

Lycopene: contraindications

There are contraindications to use, but only for certain groups of people. It is not recommended for pregnant and lactating women, as well as children under 12 years of age.

It is worth remembering that this is a coloring pigment, therefore, it can affect the color of the skin and cause their pigmentation. Excessive consumption can lead to specific color of the body and individual organs. This state is usually called lycopene.

Recently, it is gaining great popularity lycopene diet for . Lack of fats, in which it dissolves, can lead to dysfunction of the gallbladder and other diseases of the glands of external secretion.

Consumption with starchy vegetables is fraught with the appearance of stones in the bladder and kidneys. It is also forbidden to use this antioxidant for people with gallstone disease.

Particular attention should be paid to smokers. Cigarette smoke, oxidizing, increases the risk of malignant tumors.

All of the above contraindications apply to high doses of the carotenoid.

Lycopene: reviews

A large number of positive reviews prove its effectiveness as a multifunctional tool. Antioxidant is an excellent means of preventing a wide range of diseases.

Lycopene: price

Prices are quite low. The most affordable offers for purchase can be found on the website provided. Here you can buy a variety of hard-to-find herbal antioxidants, supplements and vitamins :, and more. This is the most profitable online pharmacy in Russia, and perhaps in the world. Therefore, the price for many is affordable, despite the fact that all manufacturers are American.

Lycopene: buy

Here is such a large assortment of forms, dosages and manufacturers:

1. You can buy at a low price and with guaranteed high quality in the well-known American online organic store, so beloved by the residents of Russia and the CIS (purchase in rubles, hryvnia, etc., reviews in Russian for each supplement).
2. Detailed step-by-step instructions for ordering (very simple):!
3. At the first order, it is given and available to you! 10% discount for new and promotions up to 30% for existing buyers! We recommend that you definitely use it, because with the second order, the discount will no longer be and even the interest on the purchase will not always be returned, because the prices are quite low! Our mission is also to help save money in other well-known online stores, for example, the BonPrix promo code

Recommended to read

Tablets

If two people had the same dream

Smartphones

The same recurring dream: why is he dreaming?

Tablets

The Achievements of Ancient Egypt That Changed the World The Inventions of the Egyptians We Use

Android instructions

Always be in the mood Libra why is it so difficult with them

Tablets

The best zodiac sign

Windows instructions

Legends of Marie Laveau - the cruel Voodoo witch Magic of Marie Laveau 4 letters