LYCOPENE – YOUR RED ALERT

Lycopene is a pigmented compound and is one of the carotenoids, which includes beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, and lutein. Carotenoids are antioxidants you can get from fruits and vegetables with vivid pigments: pink grapefruit, carrots, watermelon, and tomatoes are examples.

Carrots are the richest source of carotenoids, but this article is about lycopene, the carotenoid that gives tomatoes their bright red color.

Lycopene is protective against:

Let’s look at each of these conditions one at a time:

Cancer:

“The reported mechanisms of lycopene action in vivo included regulation of oxidative and inflammatory processes, induction of apoptosis, and inhibition of cell division, angiogenesis, and metastasis formation.”

Lycopene has been shown to have positive effects against cancer, its development, and its self-destruction (apoptosis). This is especially true of prostate cancer in human and animal males.

While lycopene most hindered prostate cancers, many other cancers were also hindered. This is especially true in cancers of the lung, gastric cancers, and colorectal cancers.

Cardiovascular disease:

“It is generally accepted that consuming one or more servings of lycopene-rich tomato products per day is associated with less than a 30% risk of cardiovascular disease.”

Doesn’t this quote say it all?

The main feature of lycopene is its antioxidant effect, and among all the carotenoids, lycopene has the highest antioxidant capability and is easily absorbed. This benefits the entire circulatory system by defending it from reactive oxygen species, a byproduct of metabolism that is potentially very destructive.

Hypertension:

High blood pressure can be said to be the mother of all diseases. There are far too many implications of hypertension to cover here, but suffice it to say that avoiding it and controlling it if you have it are critical to your health and longevity.

That said, what can lycopene do to help? Good question, and here are some answers: Lycopene appears to lower systolic blood pressure but not diastolic blood pressure. This means that lycopene might be useful in managing hypertension as a factor with no negative side effects.

It needs to be said, however, that Lycopene is the most effective antioxidant of all the carotenoids, giving it a good record for quelling reactive oxygen species. ROSs clearly contribute to the development of hypertension. In this regard, then, lycopene would certainly retard the genesis of hypertension and inhibit its further development.

Neurodegenerative diseases:

There is enough here for an entire newsletter. But the most noteworthy aspect of lycopene is its effortless ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, bringing its antioxidant and oxidative stress-suppressing abilities into all areas of the brain And other areas of the central nervous system.

“Apart from its high antioxidant potency, lycopene confers neuroprotection by preventing proteinopathies, neuroinflammation, apoptosis, cerebral edema, and synaptic dysfunction.”

Inflammatory distress:

Here, we are talking about low-grade chronic inflammation, not acute or temporary inflammatory responses. Chronic inflammation is persistently harmful to your organs and your overall health.

Low-grade chronic inflammation is a complex problem common in many people and is directly and indirectly associated with many health problems, including heart disease and cancer. The article I linked in the above header explores the relationship between low-grade inflammation and tomato consumption.

Red tomatoes are known to be good sources of lycopene, and lycopene is the strongest of the anti-inflammatory carotenoids. The results are mixed, but in some cases, the high tomato diest groups fared better and reduced their low-grade inflammation levels.

For me, a good probability of reducing low-grade chronic inflammation with no downside is sufficient to warrant including red tomatoes in one’s diet. Chronic inflammation is difficult to assess, but eating tomatoes might help and is simple and easy to do. To me, this just makes sense.

Lycopene as a supplement:

The half-life of lycopene has not been clearly established, but it is safe to say that it is probably close to 20 hours. This means that eating one medium tomato daily is sufficient to maintain a reasonable amount of lycopene in your system.

Interestingly, cooked tomatoes yield more lycopene than raw ones, and tomato paste is very high in lycopene. This is good news because you have several options for getting the lycopene you need to augment your health.

Personally, I take a lycopene supplement. I do this for my prostate health. Again, there is no guarantee I won’t get prostate cancer, but there is some evidence lycopene helps allay this common cancer in men. As I say, no downside and possible huge upside makes for a simple decision.

As I always say, because I do something, there is no reason you should. Read the studies, examine the relationship between lycopene and prostate cancer, and make the best decision for your personal needs.

OMY1

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