Lycopene: A Potent Antioxidant with Multiple Health Benefits

Overview

Journal J Nutr Metab

Publisher Wiley

Date 2024 Jun 17

PMID 38883868

Authors

Mercy Omoye Shafe

Nontobeko Myllet Gumede

Trevor Tapiwa Nyakudya

Eliton Chivandi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Lycopene is a naturally occurring carotenoid predominantly found in tomatoes and tomato-based products. Like other phytochemicals, it exhibits health beneficial biological activities that can be exploited when it is used as a dietary supplement. and , lycopene has been demonstrated to mitigate oxidative stress-induced metabolic dysfunctions and diseases including inflammation, obesity, and diabetes mellitus. Lycopene has been shown to alleviate metabolic diseases that affect the bone, eye, kidney, liver, lungs, heart, and nervous system. This review presents the state of the art regarding lycopene's health benefits and its potential applications in health system delivery. Furthermore, lycopene's protective effects against toxins, safety in its use, and possible toxicity are explored.

Citing Articles

A step forward in enhancing the health-promoting properties of whole tomato as a functional food to lower the impact of non-communicable diseases.

Natali P, Piantelli M, Sottini A, Eufemi M, Banfi C, Imberti L Front Nutr. 2025; 12:1519905.

PMID: 39980679 PMC: 11841393. DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1519905.

Antioxidant-Rich Functional Foods and Exercise: Unlocking Metabolic Health Through Nrf2 and Related Pathways.

Tkaczenko H, Kurhaluk N Int J Mol Sci. 2025; 26(3).

PMID: 39940866 PMC: 11817741. DOI: 10.3390/ijms26031098.

Evaluating Maize Hybrids for Yield, Stress Tolerance, and Carotenoid Content: Insights into Breeding for Climate Resilience.

Popa C, Calugar R, Varga A, Muntean E, Bacila I, Vana C Plants (Basel). 2025; 14(1.

PMID: 39795399 PMC: 11722938. DOI: 10.3390/plants14010138.

The Relationship Between Lycopene and Metabolic Diseases.

Kulawik A, Cielecka-Piontek J, Czerny B, Kaminski A, Zalewski P Nutrients. 2024; 16(21).

PMID: 39519540 PMC: 11547539. DOI: 10.3390/nu16213708.

Biochemical Characterization of New Sweet Orange Mutants Rich in Lycopene and β-Carotene Antioxidants.

Carmona L, Alquezar B, Pena L Antioxidants (Basel). 2024; 13(8).

PMID: 39199239 PMC: 11351333. DOI: 10.3390/antiox13080994.

References

Bramley P . Is lycopene beneficial to human health?. Phytochemistry. 2000; 54(3):233-6. DOI: 10.1016/s0031-9422(00)00103-5. View

Godos J, Giampieri F, Chisari E, Micek A, Paladino N, Forbes-Hernandez T . Alcohol Consumption, Bone Mineral Density, and Risk of Osteoporotic Fractures: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022; 19(3). PMC: 8835521. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031515. View

Durairajanayagam D, Agarwal A, Ong C, Prashast P . Lycopene and male infertility. Asian J Androl. 2014; 16(3):420-5. PMC: 4023371. DOI: 10.4103/1008-682X.126384. View

Saini R, Rengasamy K, Mahomoodally F, Keum Y . Protective effects of lycopene in cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases: An update on epidemiological and mechanistic perspectives. Pharmacol Res. 2020; 155:104730. DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.104730. View

Rapa S, Di Iorio B, Campiglia P, Heidland A, Marzocco S . Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Chronic Kidney Disease-Potential Therapeutic Role of Minerals, Vitamins and Plant-Derived Metabolites. Int J Mol Sci. 2020; 21(1). PMC: 6981831. DOI: 10.3390/ijms21010263. View

Ribeiro D, Freitas M, Silva A, Carvalho F, Fernandes E . Antioxidant and pro-oxidant activities of carotenoids and their oxidation products. Food Chem Toxicol. 2018; 120:681-699. DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2018.07.060. View

Ombelet W . WHO fact sheet on infertility gives hope to millions of infertile couples worldwide. Facts Views Vis Obgyn. 2021; 12(4):249-251. PMC: 7863696. View

Hanson C, Lyden E, Furtado J, Van Ormer M, White K, Overby N . Serum Lycopene Concentrations and Associations with Clinical Outcomes in a Cohort of Maternal-Infant Dyads. Nutrients. 2018; 10(2). PMC: 5852780. DOI: 10.3390/nu10020204. View

Russo C, Ferro Y, Maurotti S, Salvati M, Mazza E, Pujia R . Lycopene and bone: an in vitro investigation and a pilot prospective clinical study. J Transl Med. 2020; 18(1):43. PMC: 6990577. DOI: 10.1186/s12967-020-02238-7. View

10.

Tu K, Lie J, Wan C, Cameron M, Austel A, Nguyen J . Osteoporosis: A Review of Treatment Options. P T. 2018; 43(2):92-104. PMC: 5768298. View

11.

Khan N, Noori S, Mahboob T . Efficacy of lycopene on modulation of renal antioxidant enzymes, ACE and ACE gene expression in hyperlipidaemic rats. J Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone Syst. 2016; 17(3). PMC: 5843852. DOI: 10.1177/1470320316664611. View

12.

Bhatnagar A, Kekatpure A . Postmenopausal Osteoporosis: A Literature Review. Cureus. 2022; 14(9):e29367. PMC: 9586717. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.29367. View

13.

Lazarus E, Bays H . Cancer and Obesity: An Obesity Medicine Association (OMA) Clinical Practice Statement (CPS) 2022. Obes Pillars. 2023; 3:100026. PMC: 10661911. DOI: 10.1016/j.obpill.2022.100026. View

14.

Yamamoto Y, Aizawa K, Mieno M, Karamatsu M, Hirano Y, Furui K . The effects of tomato juice on male infertility. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2017; 26(1):65-71. DOI: 10.6133/apjcn.102015.17. View

15.

Overby H, Ferguson J . Gut Microbiota-Derived Short-Chain Fatty Acids Facilitate Microbiota:Host Cross talk and Modulate Obesity and Hypertension. Curr Hypertens Rep. 2021; 23(2):8. PMC: 7992370. DOI: 10.1007/s11906-020-01125-2. View

16.

Fernandes J, Cobucci R, Andre Nunes Jatoba C, Fernandes T, de Azevedo J, de Araujo J . The role of the mediators of inflammation in cancer development. Pathol Oncol Res. 2015; 21(3):527-34. DOI: 10.1007/s12253-015-9913-z. View

17.

Xu J, Song C, Song X, Zhang X, Li X . Carotenoids and risk of fracture: a meta-analysis of observational studies. Oncotarget. 2016; 8(2):2391-2399. PMC: 5356809. DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13678. View

18.

Duggirala N, Ngo K, Pagnoni S, Rosa A, Fogel B . Spinocerebellar ataxia type 14 (SCA14) in an Argentinian family: a case report. J Med Case Rep. 2023; 17(1):168. PMC: 10134643. DOI: 10.1186/s13256-023-03897-y. View

19.

Sharifi-Rad M, Anil Kumar N, Zucca P, Varoni E, Dini L, Panzarini E . Lifestyle, Oxidative Stress, and Antioxidants: Back and Forth in the Pathophysiology of Chronic Diseases. Front Physiol. 2020; 11:694. PMC: 7347016. DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00694. View

20.

Zhang X, Zhou Q, Qi Y, Chen X, Deng J, Zhang Y . The effect of tomato and lycopene on clinical characteristics and molecular markers of UV-induced skin deterioration: A systematic review and meta-analysis of intervention trials. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2023; 64(18):6198-6217. DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2022.2164557. View