tuneTypical Dose
Typical intervention dose range across blood-pressure and lipid studies
Carotenoid
Lycopene
Lycopene
Evidence TierCWADA NOT PROHIBITED
watchEffect Window
Blood-pressure effects are generally measured over weeks.
check_circleCompliance
WADA NOT PROHIBITED
Overview
Clinical Summary
Lycopene has at best modest evidence for blood-pressure support and oxidative-stress reduction, but it is not a proven cancer-prevention supplement.
Lycopene is often sold around prostate health and antioxidant protection. The cleaner human evidence is actually cardiometabolic, but even there the signal is modest. Earlier meta-analyses suggested some blood-pressure benefit, while a newer GRADE-assessed review found little evidence for meaningful change across most cardiovascular risk factors outside oxidative-stress markers. That means lycopene should not be turned into a broad cardiometabolic or cancer-prevention claim.
Lycopene is a carotenoid with antioxidant properties, but clinically it behaves more like a modest cardiometabolic adjunct than a transformative disease-prevention agent.
Outcomes
What This Is Expected To Influence
Primary Outcomes
- Modest reduction in systolic blood pressure
Secondary Outcomes
- Small favorable lipid changes in some analyses
Safety
Contraindications and Interactions
Contraindications
No entries provided
Side effects
- GI upset
Interactions
No entries provided
Avoid if
- You are using it as a substitute for blood-pressure treatment
Evidence
Study-level References
lyc-SRC-001Meta-analysis
Sourceopen_in_newRied K, et al. Protective effect of lycopene on serum cholesterol and blood pressure: Meta-analyses of intervention trials. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2011. doi:10.1038/ejcn.2010.261. PMID:21163596.
Population: Intervention trials of lycopene and tomato products evaluating blood pressure and serum lipids.
Dose protocol: Lycopene and tomato-product interventions across trials
Key findings: Modest systolic blood-pressure reduction in meta-analysis.
Notes: Classic blood-pressure summary.
Paper content
This classic meta-analysis supports a modest blood-pressure signal for lycopene. The effect is real but small.
lyc-SRC-002Systematic review and network meta-analysis
Sourceopen_in_newRattanavipanon W, et al. Effect of tomato, lycopene and related products on blood pressure: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. Phytomedicine. 2021. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153512. PMID:33676812.
Population: Adults from randomized trials of tomato, lycopene, and related products versus placebo.
Dose protocol: Tomato, lycopene, and related products across randomized trials
Key findings: Best effects in hypertensive participants.
Notes: Best modern synthesis.
Paper content
This is the strongest modern synthesis for lycopene-related blood-pressure claims. The benefit was driven mainly by standardized tomato extract and was more convincing in hypertensive participants than in mixed populations.
lyc-SRC-003Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials with GRADE assessment.
Sourceopen_in_newZamani M, Behmanesh Nia F, Ghaedi K, et al. The Effects of Lycopene and Tomato Consumption on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Adults: A Grade Assessment Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Curr Pharm Des. 2023;29(21):1671-1700. doi:10.2174/1381612829666230726112510. PMID:37496241.
Population: Adults from randomized controlled trials examining lycopene or tomato interventions and cardiovascular risk factors.
Dose protocol: Lycopene supplementation and tomato consumption across RCTs
Key findings: Reduced oxidative stress marker (MDA) but no significant effect on blood pressure, lipids, glucose, inflammatory markers, or body weight.
Notes: GRADE-assessed analysis that tempers earlier positive blood-pressure signals.
Paper content
This GRADE-assessed systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effects of lycopene and tomato consumption on cardiovascular risk factors in adults. While lycopene consumption was associated with a significant reduction in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, indicating reduced oxidative stress, neither lycopene nor tomato interventions significantly affected triglycerides, cholesterol, blood glucose, blood pressure, inflammatory markers, body weight, or BMI. The overall conclusion was that lycopene and tomato consumption did not meaningfully affect most cardiovascular risk factors, which tempers the earlier positive meta-analytic signals for blood pressure.