Lycopene

Scientific Name(s): Psi-carotene, Psi
Common Name(s): Lycopene

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jan 20, 2022.

Clinical Overview

Use

Scientific literature documents lycopene’s antioxidant activity and its use in cancer prevention (breast and prostate), as well as its use in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Dosing

Lycopene administered as a pure compound has been studied in clinical trials at dosages of 7 to 75 mg/day. Lycopene is primarily available in capsule and softgel form, with dosage guidelines from manufacturers ranging from 10 to 30 mg taken twice daily with meals. Lycopene is also incorporated in multivitamin and multimineral products.

Contraindications

Avoid with hypersensitivity to lycopene or to any of its food sources, especially tomatoes. Tomato-based products are acidic and may irritate stomach ulcers.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking. The amount of lycopene in food is assumed to be safe. Tomato consumption increases lycopene concentration in the breast milk and plasma of lactating women.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

In general, tomato-based products and lycopene supplements are well tolerated. Some GI complaints (eg, diarrhea, dyspepsia, gas, nausea, vomiting) are documented. One trial reported a cancer-related hemorrhage in a patient taking lycopene, but causality was unclear.

Toxicology

None known.

Botany

Lycopene is a common carotenoid compound found in fruits, vegetables, and green plants.1 It is responsible for a red plant pigment found primarily in tomatoes. Other sources include apricots, cranberries, grapes, pink grapefruits, guavas, papayas, peaches, and watermelons.2

History

In North America, nearly 85% of dietary lycopene is derived from tomatoes and tomato-based products.1 Tomatoes have been cultivated since the 16th century as a food source. In some countries, the tomato was thought to be poisonous and used for decorative purposes only. Christopher Columbus may have learned of the nutritional benefits of fruits and tomatoes from the inhabitants of the New World.3 There is a large body of evidence documenting the health benefits of lycopene, as well as its biological activity in numerous human diseases.1, 2, 3

Chemistry

Lycopene is a 40-carbon acyclic carotenoid containing 11 conjugated double bonds, with a molecular mass of 536.2, 4, 5 It consists of only hydrogen and carbon atoms, and is 1 of 600 carotenoids synthesized by plants and photosynthetic microorganisms.2, 4 The biochemistry of lycopene is unique because it has no pro-vitamin A activity, unlike many other carotenoids, such as alpha-carotene and beta-carotene. Lycopene is lipophilic and insoluble in water. It is the most abundant carotenoid in tomatoes (0.9 to 4.2 mg per 100 g), followed by beta-carotene, gamma-carotene, phytoene, and other minor carotenoids,4 and is touted as the highest overall single oxygen-quenching carotenoid, with double the value of beta-carotene.6

Lycopene is relatively resistant to heat-induced geometrical isomerization in tomato processing.7 Processed tomato products are a better source of lycopene than fresh tomatoes...