Numerous studies correlate high intake of lycopene-containing foods with reduced incidence of cancer and cardiovascular disease, due to its antioxidant potential. Most of the studies are based on reported tomato intake.

 

Since tomatoes are also sources of other nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin B9, and potassium, it is not clear that lycopene itself is beneficial.

 

Lung cancer

Dietary intakes of total carotenoids, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin were associated with significant reductions in risk of lung cancer in a 14-year study of more than 27,000 Finnish male smokers (2).

 

Other studies did not show such health promoting effects (see beta-carotene).

 

Prostate cancer

The results of several prospective cohort studies suggest that lycopene-rich diets are associated with significant reductions in the risk of prostate cancer (3).

 

In a prospective study of more than 47,000 health professionals followed for eight years, those with the highest lycopene intake from tomatoes and tomato products (accounting for 82% of total lycopene intake) had a risk of prostate cancer that was 21% lower than those with the lowest lycopene intake (4). Similarly, a prospective study of U.S. physicians found those with the highest plasma lycopene levels were at significantly lower risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer (5). More recently, a prospective study in a cohort of 29,361 men followed for over 4 years found no association between dietary lycopene intake and prostate cancer risk (6).

 

It is not yet clear whether the prostate cancer risk reduction observed in some studies is related to lycopene itself, other compounds in tomatoes or other factors associated with lycopene-rich diets (7).