Lycopene is an antioxidant discovered initially in tomatoes that may enhance cardiovascular well being, forestall oxidative injury and oxidative stress, deal with systemic irritation, and has even been studied as a preventative agent towards prostate most cancers.
Lycopene will be taken in supplemental type to get a concentrated dose, with the entire antioxidant and anti inflammatory advantages, and has been studied in quite a lot of scientific trials for its potential for bettering long-term well being.
We’ve reviewed and ranked the ten only lycopene dietary supplements in the marketplace, so in case you are trying to make the most of the long run well being advantages related to this complement, learn on.
Rankings
1. NOW Lycopene
NOW Lycopene retains it primary, however this formulation has a stable dosage of 20 mg of lycopene per capsule, which is delivered in rice bran oil and a gelatin capsule.
These apart, there are zero further components, making this a wonderful selection for lycopene.
2. Puritan’s Pleasure Lycopene
Puritan’s Pleasure Lycopene is widespread and the dosage is excessive, at 40 mg per capsule.
The capsule design isn’t the cleanest, however so far as lycopene dietary supplements which might be each excessive dosage and delivered dissolved in a lipid resolution, it’s your greatest guess by an extended methods.
3. Life Extension Mega Lycopene
Life Extension Mega Lycopene provides a center of the street dosage of 15 mg of lycopene in a soy-free formulation that makes use of rice bran oil and sunflower lecithin as the first solvents for lycopene.
It’s a reasonably good and pretty pure selection should you don’t want a super-high dosage of lycopene.
4. Wholesome Origins Pure Lyc-O-Mato
Wholesome Origins Pure Lyc-O-Mato doesn’t ship the best lycopene dosage, at solely 15 mg per capsule, however it does present lycopene alongside loads of the opposite biologically lively compounds you’ll discover in tomatoes, like vitamin A, vitamin E, and quite a lot of phytonutrients that help the operate of lycopene.
5. We Like Nutritional vitamins Lycopene
We Like Nutritional vitamins Lycopene is the way in which to go if you need a robust dose of lycopene. At 50 mg per capsule, it gives a number of instances the dosage you’d get in lots of different lycopene dietary supplements.
As well as, the one different components on this complement are gelatin and rice flour, making it a really merely designed complement.
Nonetheless, this lycopene complement does have one drawback: the lycopene isn’t dissolved in an oil, so it will likely be more durable in your physique to soak up should you don’t take it alongside meals with some fats or oil in it.
6. KRK Dietary supplements Lycopene-50
KRK Dietary supplements Lycopene-50 additionally makes use of a excessive dose type of lycopene, and delivers 50 mg per capsule, however its components checklist is a contact extra bloated.
Moreover, it’s not fairly as widespread or well-known of a model, which sadly leaves it decrease within the rankings.
7. Swanson Lycopene
Swanson Lycopene delivers a stable 20 mg of lycopene per capsule, however sadly you’ll should put up with a number of components, like soybean oil and beeswax. For most individuals, there are higher options for lycopene.
8. Dr. Mercola Noticed Palmetto with Lycopene
For folks taking lycopene for sexual wellness, Dr. Mercola Noticed Palmetto with Lycopene is a superb possibility because of the synergistic interplay between lycopene and noticed palmetto, one other complement that could be very helpful for males’s sexual wellness. Whereas it’s a distinct segment decide, it’s however an possibility to think about should you’re particularly trying to take lycopene in your sexual well being.
9. NutriONN 100% Pure Tomato Lycopene
NutriONN 100% Pure Tomato Lycopene is low in dosage and never the perfect in terms of complement design both; although its customers do fee it fairly extremely, its low dosage (10 mg per capsule) and barely bloated components checklist is bested by quite a lot of different lycopene dietary supplements in the marketplace
10. twenty first Century Most Energy Lycopene
Whereas twenty first Century Most Energy Lycopene is a well-liked supply of lycopene, its tablet-based formulation implies that it carries much more components than a capsule.
Should you don’t thoughts pill fillers, binders, and coloring brokers, like silicon dioxide and synthetic coloring brokers, its dosage is stable, at 25 mg, however for purity, there are rather a lot higher choices on the market.
Class winners
Finest lycopene total: NOW Lycopene
NOW Lycopene takes our prime cease because of its stable dosage and super-pure formulation. It’s a dependable go-to for day by day lycopene supplementation for any goal.
Finest lycopene for irritation: Puritan’s Pleasure Lycopene
Wish to harness the highly effective anti-inflammatory properties of lycopene? Puritan’s Pleasure Lycopene is the way in which to go. Its market-leading dosage of 40 mg per capsule places the complete energy of lycopene to work in chopping down on irritation in your physique.
Finest lycopene for coronary heart well being: NOW Lycopene
NOW Lycopene is our selection should you’re available in the market for a day by day lycopene complement to take for coronary heart well being. The dosage is stable, however not extreme, and the capsules are simplistic and freed from extraneous components, which is especially fascinating for one thing you is perhaps taking for the long run.
Finest lycopene for prostate well being: Puritan’s Pleasure Lycopene
Puritan’s Pleasure Lycopene is excessive in dosage and is dissolved in a lipid resolution, which additional aids its bioavailability and helps give it the perfect shot at bettering prostate well being.
Finest lycopene for pores and skin: Puritan’s Pleasure Lycopene
Puritan’s Pleasure delivers a robust 40 mg dose of lycopene, which helps be sure that this highly effective antioxidant makes its method to your pores and skin to combat oxidative injury and encourage collagen therapeutic. For a fast and straightforward complement for wholesome pores and skin, it’s a simple decide.
Finest lycopene for eye well being: Life Extension Mega Lycopene
Searching for a lycopene complement to associate with a watch vitamin? Life Extension Mega Lycopene is our favourite, because of its middle-of-the-road dosage and really pure formulation. For eye well being, it appears to be extra vital to keep up constant consumption of key vitamins over lengthy durations of time, versus taking excessive doses, which tilts the scales in direction of Life Extension.
Who should purchase lycopene?
Lycopene is mostly thought-about protected for most people and is useful in defending towards CVD, and sure cancers. Whereas there are numerous different touted advantages, there may be inadequate proof to help many of the claims.
Pregnant girls and kids ought to keep away from lycopene dietary supplements as there may be inadequate analysis relating to the security in these populations. Individuals who have not too long ago undergone surgical procedure or who’re going too within the close to future also needs to keep away from lycopene as it could decelerate bloodletting, inflicting extreme bleeding. It’s advisable to remain from lycopene for 2 weeks pre and post-operation.
Lycopene doesn’t presently work together with any drugs, however you need to nonetheless communicate to your physician earlier than taking it in case you are taking prescription drugs – simply to be protected.
How We Ranked
The very first thing we analyzed, when rating the perfect lycopene dietary supplements, was the ingredient checklist. For our rankings, we most popular dietary supplements that included lycopene by itself. Merchandise like KRK and Nature’s Bounty with bloated ingredient lists have been penalized and ranked decrease, regardless of the upper dosage of lycopene per serving. Quite the opposite, merchandise like Now made the highest of the checklist for offering a complement with nearly nothing aside from lycopene.
Subsequent, we regarded on the dosage. In response to analysis, 15mg per day appears to be the bottom efficient dosage. As such, we most popular merchandise with greater than that, like GNC. Merchandise that had very excessive dosages (50mg) have been penalized, as this made it tough to tailor to the person.
Since nearly all lycopene dietary supplements are available capsules, the capsule design was impotent to think about. Whereas we did have a slight choice for cellulose-based capsules, if the design was clear, we didn’t penalize gelatin ones.
Lastly, we thought-about purity. Firms like Now that supplied third-party testing data ranked the perfect because it confirmed the corporate’s dedication to purity. That is why they took our prime spot.
Advantages
Lycopene consumption has been linked to decreased threat of heart problems. Preliminary proof for the well being advantages of lycopene got here from epidemiological research which concerned 1000’s of people that stuffed out meals frequency questionnaires, who have been then tracked over time.
Researchers observed a sample between excessive consumption of tomato-containing meals and a decreased threat of heart problems.
One such examine, printed within the Journal of Vitamin by researchers at at Brigham and Girls’s Hospital in Boston, quantified this relationship amongst a bunch of almost 40,000 girls (1).
The researchers uncovered a development in direction of decrease charges of heart problems among the many girls who had the best consumption of tomato-based meals, significantly after they contained oil as effectively.
Lycopene is absorbed higher when it’s dissolved in fats or oil. Like just a few of its chemically-related compounds, like beta carotene (present in eye nutritional vitamins, basic antioxidant dietary supplements, amongst different sources), lycopene is fat-soluble.
That implies that your physique shops it and absorbs it higher once you provide it alongside some fats. In response to Dr. Edward Giovannucci, a dietary epidemiology researcher at Harvard College’s College of Public Well being, lycopene ought to be consumed alongside fat or oils if eaten in meals (2).
By extension, a high-quality lycopene complement will present lycopene dissolved in some kind of oil, like soybean oil or corn oil. It will guarantee larger absorption.
The fats solubility of lycopene isn’t merely theoretical: a examine printed in 2005 by researchers in Australia demonstrated convincingly that lycopene in tomatoes consumed by itself is absorbed a lot much less successfully than when it’s accompanied by oil (3).
The antioxidative energy of lycopene might forestall prostate most cancers. Like many different antioxidants, like inexperienced tea and resveratrol, one of many areas of best curiosity in lycopene supplementation is within the chance that it might cut back your threat of most cancers.
Epidemiological proof helps this hyperlink, at the least almost about prostate most cancers. A examine printed within the Journal of the Nationwide Most cancers Institute in 2002 examined the hyperlink between lycopene consumption and prostate most cancers incidence amongst a bunch of well being care professionals who have been tracked longitudinally for a number of years, and those that received prostate most cancers have been recorded (4).
The researchers discovered that individuals who had the best estimated consumption of lycopene had a 23% decrease threat of prostate most cancers in comparison with these with the bottom consumption.
Lycopene has been studied as a therapy for prostate most cancers as effectively. Due to the rising proof on lycopene’s potential to forestall prostate most cancers, some small pilot research have even examined utilizing it as an adjunctive therapy for prostate most cancers.
One examine printed in 2001 used a 30 mg dose of lycopene or a placebo in a small group of males who had been not too long ago recognized with prostate most cancers (5).
For the reason that males have been going to have their prostates eliminated surgically anyhow, the researchers examined the consequences of a 3 week lycopene supplementation routine on the expansion of their prostate tumors.
Although the pattern dimension was small, the researchers did discover that the tumors within the males who had taken lycopene had grown lower than the tumors within the males who took the placebo, offering tantalizing proof that lycopene might even be used along with customary remedies for prostate most cancers.
It ought to be emphasised, although, that this was a pilot examine with a really small pattern dimension and it’s not attainable to attract any agency conclusions from these knowledge.
Lycopene can cut back irritation and enhance levels of cholesterol, particularly in people who find themselves chubby. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, lycopene has additionally been subjected to research on decreasing irritation.
One goal situation for a lot of those experiments is weight problems, as extra physique fats is immediately linked to continual, systemic irritation, which in flip is assumed to trigger lots of the destructive well being results associated to weight problems.
One examine printed within the Journal of Dietary Biochemistry studied chubby people over the course of twelve weeks (6). Half the themes have been placed on a low lycopene weight-reduction plan, whereas the opposite half have been placed on a excessive lycopene weight-reduction plan and likewise given a ten mg lycopene complement to take on daily basis.
The researchers discovered that the excessive lycopene group decreased biomarkers of irritation whereas additionally growing their ranges of HDL (“good”) ldl cholesterol. This provides to the tally of continual ailments that lycopene might assist enhance or forestall.
Unwanted effects
Just about all lycopene dietary supplements include no extra lycopene than you’d get with a number of hearty servings of any tomato-containing meals, so the percentages of any adversarial results are extraordinarily low.
A examine printed in 2006 within the journal Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology reviewed the scientific literature and established 75 mg per day as a well-established noticed protected stage―even at intakes this excessive, no destructive results are noticed (7).
Even past this consumption stage, the one motive the edge isn’t increased is due to an absence of proof.
Really useful dosage
Primarily based on extrapolations from the epidemiological literature, to match the lycopene consumption among the many folks with the bottom threat for heart problems and prostate most cancers, you need to try for at the least 10 mg of lycopene per day, and the next consumption of 15-30 mg per day might be higher.
To this point, scientific analysis has targeted on doses of 30 mg per day, break up into two capsules (one taken within the morning and one taken within the night).
This possible helps preserve blood ranges of lycopene excessive all through the day and evening. As talked about earlier, lycopene will most likely be absorbed most successfully if it’s taken in a complement that delivers the lycopene dissolved in an oil.
For treating systemic irritation associated to being chubby, you might want the next dosage in case your dietary consumption of lycopene additionally doesn’t go up.
The scientific analysis on utilizing lycopene for systemic irritation in people who find themselves chubby or overweight makes use of a excessive lycopene weight-reduction plan at the side of supplementation, so you might must up the usual dosage.
FAQ
What’s the greatest pure supply of lycopene? Lycopene has been well known as a robust antioxidant and anti inflammatory, making it broadly used and broadly studied to cut back threat components for coronary heart illness, most cancers, and different continual ailments linked to irritation and oxidative injury.
It’s best-known as a constituent of tomatoes, and certainly, tomatoes are by far the best supply of lycopene, however it’s additionally present in watermelon, cabbage, grapefruit, and papaya.
Can lycopene assist with weight reduction? There isn’t any stable proof that lycopene dietary supplements are efficient for weight reduction. Nonetheless, many weight reduction merchandise include small quantities of the nutrient. Naturally occurring lycopene in meals like tomatoes and cooked purple peppers could also be simpler for weight reduction as a result of they’re a part of a balanced and nutritious diet.
Does lycopene trigger zits? It’s recommended that lycopene can assist deal with zits due to its position in nature. The potent antioxidant is current in vegatables and fruits to forestall hurt from the solar. Whereas it’s not recommended that it causes zits, the proof behind it serving to to deal with zits can be not ample.
How does lycopene assist sunburns? There have been some research which have proven lycopene can cut back the severity of sunburns as a preventative measure, however there isn’t a conclusive proof. Lycopene is a robust antioxidant that assaults free radicals within the physique, serving to to advertise pores and skin and cell well being, which is the place the hyperlink comes from.
Can lycopene assist my eyesight? Sure. It’s attainable that lycopene can assist cut back the formation of cataracts and cut back macular degeneration, that are the main causes of blindness in adults (8).
Extra research are required to quantify these claims. Equally to stopping sunburns, lycopene’s antioxidant properties, and the way they assault free radicals are the first proof linking it to doubtlessly bettering one’s eyesight.
Does lycopene decrease blood strain? There have been research that recommend lycopene has helped decrease blood strain in people that suffer from the ailment. Nonetheless, if the person had pre-hypertension, it has not been efficient.
Lycopene is thought to have adversarial interactions with blood strain remedy, so please seek the advice of your physician in case you are trying to take lycopene to deal with your hypertension, and you might be already on remedy.
How a lot lycopene ought to I take? The dosage of lycopene dietary supplements will differ by producer and by every individual. Sometimes, lycopene dietary supplements are available a smooth gel or capsule type, and the dosage can vary from 10mg per day to 30mg per day. Many research have used 7mg per day to 75mg per day doses of their analysis.
When ought to I take lycopene? All the time learn and observe the label of any complement you’re taking. Sometimes, lycopene is taken twice day by day with meals. Dosage instances can differ amongst producers, so guarantee you might be following the instructions of the product you might be utilizing.
Can I take lycopene if I’m pregnant or breastfeeding? Lycopene dietary supplements could also be unsafe for pregnant or breastfeeding girls. A small examine has proven there to be adversarial results in utilizing lycopene throughout being pregnant, inflicting preterm labor or low delivery weight, however one other small examine confirmed no proof of this (2).
Sadly, there may be not sufficient recognized in regards to the interactions between these dietary supplements and being pregnant, so please contact your doctor if you wish to begin a complement like this throughout your being pregnant.
Which is the perfect lycopene complement? Whereas everybody has totally different preferences for his or her favourite dietary supplements, a number of the hottest manufacturers of lycopene embody Puritans Pleasure Lycopene, NOW Dietary supplements Lycopene, twenty first Century Lycopene, Ahana Vitamin Lycopene, and KRK Dietary supplements Lycopene.
Who ought to keep away from lycopene? Lycopene dietary supplements usually are not very best for anybody with a tomato allergy. Lycopene can decelerate blood clotting and may trigger bleeding in individuals who have not too long ago had surgical procedure, so they need to keep away from taking a complement. Pregnant girls or girls who’re breastfeeding ought to seek the advice of their physician earlier than taking a lycopene complement.
Can I take lycopene with a multivitamin? Many multivitamins include lycopene already, so double-check to be sure to are doubling your dose of lycopene. If you wish to take each a multivitamin and Lycopene, seek the advice of your physician or pharmacist earlier than combining dietary supplements.
Can I take lycopene with an antioxidant? Lycopene is a robust antioxidant with many well being advantages. If you wish to mix lycopene with one other antioxidant or complement, please contact your physician and talk about it with them earlier than beginning on any complement mixture.
It’s attainable that lycopene can negatively work together with different dietary supplements. Another dietary supplements might lower the physique’s absorption of lycopene as effectively.
Is it attainable to take an excessive amount of lycopene? The suitable dosage of lycopene will differ from individual to individual. There are lots of components that contribute to figuring out which is the suitable dose, together with age and total well being. Nonetheless, you possibly can take an excessive amount of lycopene, however it’s exhausting to determine on what an excessive amount of could also be for you. Should you begin having adversarial results, please contact poison management or a medical skilled to find out an answer.
Does lycopene forestall prostate most cancers? There have been conflicting leads to the research linking lycopene to most cancers prevention. Some research have proven that lycopene has lowered the expansion of most cancers and lowered the chance of most cancers. In distinction, others have demonstrated that lycopene has no bearing on most cancers prevention.
Is there an impression on male fertility by taking lycopene? Research have proven that constantly taking lycopene can have a constructive impact on sperm high quality. There was one examine carried out in India in 2000 that concerned a pattern of 30 males who participated by taking 2000 micrograms of lycopene twice day by day. 66% of them confirmed a major enchancment in sperm focus over the three month interval.
Extra research with bigger pattern sizes could be required to recommend this proof as being substantial.
How do I do know if I’m allergic to lycopene? Whereas lycopene is non-toxic and naturally occurring, there are some people who’re allergic. Reported illnesses associated to lycopene allergy embody rashes, abdomen ache or cramps, fuel, diarrhea, nausea, and lack of urge for food.
You probably have a sensitivity to tomatoes, grapefruit, purple peppers, plums, or different vegatables and fruits with a purple pigment, seek the advice of along with your physician earlier than taking lycopene dietary supplements.
Are lycopene’s advantages all true? From decreasing blood strain to stopping many kinds of most cancers, it’s recommended that lycopene is a implausible antioxidant. Many research have been carried out on the consequences of lycopene within the physique, and the outcomes are considerably inconclusive. Some research present very constructive outcomes, and a few present no impression from the complement.
Extra analysis is required to substantiate the claims surrounding lycopene and its precise impression on our well being. Whatever the forwards and backwards nature of lycopene research, researchers are optimistic that lycopene has many actual advantages.
Does lycopene assist with joint ache? Like lots of the different claims that lycopene is related to, there may be proof to recommend that lycopene each helps and has no vital impression on joint ache. Lycopene has additionally been linked to serving to forestall rheumatoid arthritis and different severe joint points. Nonetheless, there may be not sufficient proof to have a concrete conclusion.
Does lycopene assist with bronchial asthma? Analysis means that lycopene might assist shield the lungs from irritation earlier than the onset of allergic airways in mice, however the examine has not been replicated with people. Scientific research recommend {that a} weight-reduction plan wealthy in antioxidants can assist cut back the chance of growing bronchial asthma, however it’s unclear what position lycopene performs as a person nutrient.
How do I do know if lycopene is true for me? Figuring out if a complement is best for you by yourself generally is a problem. Make an appointment along with your physician to debate lycopene, the scientific advantages, and a correct dosage based mostly in your age, well being, and pre-existing situations. This can assist decide whether it is best for you.
All in all, lycopene will be a wonderful complement for somebody who doesn’t eat numerous the vegatables and fruits containing it naturally, however nonetheless needs to achieve the advantages from it.
Is lycopene protected to take with different drugs? Lycopene dietary supplements have been recognized to work together with blood thinners and blood strain drugs. In case you are on a drugs that will increase the chance of bleeding, like ibuprofen, naproxen, warfarin, antiplatelet medicine, or heparin, including lycopene can additional enhance the chance of bleeding. Please seek the advice of your physician earlier than beginning a brand new lycopene complement should you take any drugs.
Is lycopene efficient at strengthening my immune system? Lycopene is a robust antioxidant, however it’s not solely answerable for immune well being. Your immune system advantages extra from quite a lot of nutritional vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants from a wholesome and balanced weight-reduction plan. Further dietary supplements are glorious should you particularly lack a nutrient, however your physician ought to decide that and talk about your choices with you.
Can lycopene cut back the chance of stroke? In response to Harvard Medical College, lycopene discovered naturally occurring in tomatoes was linked to decreasing the chance of stroke due to the anti-inflammatory properties. The identical can’t be stated for a lycopene complement since additional analysis and research are essential to find out this.
How lengthy ought to I take lycopene for? Some physicians recommend taking lycopene for as much as six months, however research point out that it may be taken as much as a 12 months with no adversarial results. Seek the advice of your physician to watch and assist handle how lengthy you ought to be taking a lycopene complement.
Are lycopene dietary supplements higher than lycopene from tomatoes? Whereas lycopene dietary supplements might include extra lycopene per serving, many researchers speculate that lycopene from tomatoes is definitely extra useful and efficient. Whereas there are numerous potentialities, it’s believed that there’s extra of a synergistic impact with the tomato’s different useful vitamins, fiber, and nutritional vitamins.
There are tens of 1000’s of phytochemicals present in tomatoes, all of which play a task defending towards illness, alongside lycopene. Typically, it’s nearly all the time higher to devour the meals model of a complement, reasonably than the artificial model in a capsule or pill.
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Recap
Lycopene has sturdy antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties, and these properties seem like linked to decreases in threat for heart problems and prostate most cancers. Lycopene, being a fat-soluble vitamin, is greatest absorbed when dissolved in oil.
In case your complement doesn’t ship it in oil, think about taking it alongside some olive oil or fish oil to spice up absorption. Shoot for at the least 10 mg per day, and 30 mg per day could be higher. Most scientific research break up this dose up into two equal parts taken within the morning and the night.
Lycopene is a very good complement selection for males, as a result of they’re clearly in danger for prostate most cancers, and as well as, males have the next fee of heart problems than girls.
Taking a lycopene complement is a technique you may be capable of mitigate these dangers and enhance your long-term well being.
For BodyNutrition’s #1 advisable lycopene complement, click on right here.
