In vitro studies indicate that lycopene is one of the most effective antioxidants among carotenoids, potentially preventing deleterious oxidative effects by deactivating singlet oxygen that may play a role in the development of cardiovascular disease, cancer and other diseases (1). Although important for plants, the relevance of singlet oxygen deactivation to human health is less clear (25).
Authored by Dr Peter Engel in 2010, reviewed and revised by Jonas Wittwer Schegg on 03.10.2017.
