Lycopene Concentrate Supplementation Decreases Plasma Values for C‐Reactive Protein and Oxidized LDL

Various lines of indirect evidence suggest that lycopene can exert anti‐inflammatory effects relevant to problems such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, a beneficial influence for lycopene supplementation on measures relevant to inflammation remain largely lacking. In the present study, a lycopene rich extract from tomato (20 mg lycopene/day in Lyc‐O‐Mato® tomato lycopene complex), or placebo, was given to healthy middle aged men for 6 weeks (N = 10 per group). Subjects did not have to follow a low lycopene diet, but a preliminary screening eliminated people with a history of frequent tomato product intake. In the lycopene group, plasma c‐reactive protein concentrations, which rise with CVD‐relevant inflammation, showed a mean decrease of almost 30% (p < 0.05, 2‐tailed paired t‐test). Placebo gave no statistically significant effect. Lycopene also produced a mean decrease of 5.1% in plasma oxidized LDL values, an atherosclerosis‐related measure that can be increased by inflammation (p < 0.05, 2‐tailed paired t‐test). Although this percent decrease was not tremendously large, longer intervention periods and/or combination with other natural products may heighten the effect. Again, placebo was ineffective. Neither of the lycopene effects was boosted by adding supplementation with zinc arginate (15 mg zinc/day) + selenium (200 μg selenium/day) in another group of subjects. These mineral supplements did improve zinc and selenium functional status based on two measures for each mineral. In summary, in a small study, supplementation with a tomato extract‐lycopene by itself produced changes in two cardiovascular disease‐relevant measures related to inflammation.