Amount of Evidence: Low Potential Benefits: Low Safety: Reasonable
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What is lycopene?
Lycopene is a carotenoid (a subgroup of vitamin A) found in tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables. This carotenoid is responsible for the red color of those foods. Because of its antioxidant effects, lycopene has also become a popular dietary supplement. In this article, we will look at the main benefits of lycopene, its potential side effects, and how to use it the right way.
Potential benefits
It is important to note that all of the potential benefits mentioned below are dose-dependent. In general, the higher the dose you take, the more pronounced the effects will be. However, they do reach a plateau at a certain point. We will discuss the best dosing protocol later in this article.
Major benefits
Reduced risk of cancer – Lycopene supplements have been shown to slightly reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer and breast cancer by slowing down tumor growth. An animal study has also found that the carotenoid may slightly decrease the risk of kidney cancer. As far as the other types of cancer, lycopene appears to have no effect. Foods rich in the carotenoid have been associated with a decreased all-cause mortality but it is likely due to other components and the synergistic interaction between them.
Minor benefits
Improved heart health – Those with high levels of lycopene have a lower chance of developing cardiovascular problems than those with low levels. However, this is likely because foods rich in the carotenoid have many other beneficial compounds. Isolated lycopene supplements may be of slight benefit for heart health but more research is needed to confirm this.
Protection against sunburn – In studies where participants consumed 8-16 mg worth of lycopene in form of tomato paste, those people had 40-50% less severe skin reactions to UV exposure. This effect may and may not apply to isolated lycopene. From what we know, the carotenoid has not been associated with a reduced risk for skin cancer.
Improved eye health – The supplement appears to reduce the risk of macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness in older adults. However, this effect is not as notable as with lutein or zeaxanthin.
Unproven benefits
The effect of lycopene on these parameters has either not been adequately researched, or the science shows little to no efficacy in these areas.
Skin quality – Unfortunately, lycopene doesn’t seem to help with acne, wrinkles, or other skin problems. It also doesn’t seem to help hydrate the skin or keep it elastic. If anything, very high amounts of the carotenoid could lead to a skin discoloration known as lycopenodermia.
Blood flow – No significant change has ever been observed.
Blood pressure – There is no strong evidence that the supplements affect blood pressure to any significant degree.
DNA protection – The supplement has not been shown in human studies to protect DNA from oxidative damage.
Inflammation – The supplement doesn’t significantly affect CRP (C-reactive protein) or other markers of inflammation.
Triglycerides – No significant influence has ever been found.
Brain health and cognition – The supplement does not directly improve brain health and cognition.
Testosterone – The supplement does not significantly affect DHT, free testosterone, or total testosterone levels.
Thyroid hormones – There is no significant interaction between the supplement and serum T3 and T4.
Well-being – Supplementation with lycopene doesn’t appear to increase subjective well-being.
Weight loss and fat loss – Taking the supplement doesn’t notably affect weight loss or burning of fat.
Strength and muscle growth – The supplement does not help you gain strength or muscle mass faster, at least this effect has never been shown by human studies.
Asthma – The supplement has not been shown to help with asthma to a significant degree.
Power output – The supplement has not been shown to directly influence power output during cardio or resistance training. It does not impact VO2 max or aerobic endurance either.
Kidney function – Kidney function biomarkers are not significantly altered by taking the supplement.
Sleep quality – The supplement does not appear to directly improve sleep quality. It also doesn’t directly affect sleep duration.
Stress and anxiety – The supplement does not seem to have a direct effect on cortisol levels.
Metabolic rate – The supplement does not speed up or slow down your metabolism.
Possible side effects
These side effects are dose-dependent and the risk for them increases (most often linearly but sometimes exponentially) as the dose is increased. Some of the side effects only apply to very high doses.
Diarrhea – Diarrhea caused by this supplement is not dangerous (assuming it doesn’t lead to severe dehydration) and usually only occurs if you take very high doses at once.
Nausea – Just like diarrhea, this side effect is not dangerous but can be unpleasant.
Lycopenodermia – Very high amounts of the carotenoid could lead to skin discoloration known as lycopenodermia. Fortunately, this side effect is rare and can be reversed by following a lycopene-free diet for a couple of weeks.
Lycopene toxicity – While toxicity is rare and may not even be a thing, taking high amounts of the carotenoid on regular basis could lead to some health problems. To stay on the safe side, it’s best to avoid very high doses since we don’t yet know whether or not they are safe to take over a long period. Specifically, it’s best to stay below 45 mg a day.
Increased risk of preterm labor or low birth weight – Because of this side effect, it is discouraged to take lycopene during pregnancy.
Who should not take lycopene?
You should probably avoid taking the supplement if you:
already consume enough lycopene from food
experience a severe adverse reaction after taking the supplement
are pregnant (since the supplement can increase the risk of preterm labor or low birth weight)
are on a tight supplement budget (since there are more cost-effective supplements on the market)
Who will benefit the most?
You should consider taking the supplement if you:
have a high budget for supplements and wish to experiment with lycopene (since the supplement appears to be somewhat safe in most cases and may do slightly more good than harm)
How much lycopene should you take?
10-20 mg appears to be the best dose to take for most people. This amount should provide most of the benefits without meaningful side effects.
Taking more than 20 mg daily should not be necessary. Also, the higher the dose you take, the higher the risk for certain side effects.
Food sources of lycopene
The richest food sources are red fruits and vegetables, such as watermelons, grapefruits, and tomatoes. Lycopene is what gives them the red color.
The fruits and vegetables richest in lycopene (the amount displayed for 100 grams) include: Dried tomatoes: 46 mg Fresh tomatoes: 3 mg Canned tomatoes: 2.7 mg Grapefruit: 1.5 mg Papaya: 1.8 mg Pink grapefruit: 1.1 mg Red peppers: 0.5 mg Watermelon: 4.5 mg
Products made from these fruits and vegetables, such as ketchup and tomato sauce, also tend to be rich in this carotenoid.
The easiest way to find out how much lycopene you are getting in your diet is with Cronometer.com – the app is free and allows you to track all vitamins, minerals, and more.
Best time to take lycopene
Since lycopene is a fat-soluble carotenoid, it likely absorbs better when taken with a source of dietary fat.
Whether you take the supplement in the morning or the evening doesn’t matter. It does not interrupt your sleep in any way.
Where to buy lycopene
Amazon seems to be the best option for ordering lycopene supplements in most countries. They offer some very affordable products that are backed by many positive reviews. Also, you can choose from a wide range of brands there without having to spend time searching through other markets on the internet.
Beware that some brands display the dosage per serving and not per pill or capsule. Therefore, you may accidentally buy something less potent than you intended. Do not fall for this marketing trick.
FAQ
The supplement can be taken daily and does not need to be cycled. However, it is not a problem at all if you don’t take it every day. Cycling the supplement could lead to better absorption but it has never been proven.
Yes. The nutrient doesn’t impact your sleep in any negative way in the short term.
The supplements rarely go bad but they can lose potency over time.
Keep the supplements in a cold, dark, and dry place and they will remain just as potent for many years.
It doesn’t directly reduce acne, unfortunately.
While toxicity is rare, too much lycopene in the system can cause some health problems, such as skin discoloration known as lycopenodermia. To prevent these side effects, it is best to stay below 50 mg a day.
The half-life of lycopene is around 2-3 days. The nutrient stays in your system for a few weeks after you consume it.
In the long-term, it typically takes around 4 weeks after you start taking the supplement to start noticing benefits.
Yes, most lycopene supplements on the market are vegan-friendly.
The carotenoid is fat-soluble.
No, it doesn’t. The supplement does not interfere with fasting in any significant way. However, it is still better to take it with a meal to increase its absorption.
References
Most of the information provided in this guide is based on scientific research that can be found and verified in the PubMed medical library. We excluded from consideration studies that are either confounded or have a high conflict of interest.
Anecdotal evidence (from reports on Reddit, YouTube, and other sources) is also taken into account unless it contradicts scientific research.
