Nutraceuticals and nootropics for anti-aging

Lycopene needs help in fighting cancer

Lycopene — the substance responsible for the red color in fruits such as watermelons and tomatoes — has become popular as an anti-cancer supplement. The rationale for this usage comes mainly from demographic studies. Populations that consume more tomato products have a lower incidence of various cancers — including prostate, breast, and colon cancers.

Evidence from some laboratory studies has pointed to lycopene as the probable anti-cancer agent in tomatoes, but proof has been lacking. Tomatoes contain many other interesting compounds besides lycopene, and there has been a suspicion that lycopene may not be acting alone. Now, researchers at the University of Illinois appear to have confirmed this suspicion. Rats with prostate cancer were divided into three groups: one group was fed a control diet, the second was supplemented with lycopene, and the third was supplemented with tomato powder (containing lycopene plus other related substances). 80% of the control group died of prostate cancer, as compared with 72% of the lycopene group and 62% of the tomato-powder group.

Most lycopene supplements do contain tomato powder rather than plain lycopene.

Link to news article:

Lycopene's Anti-cancer Effect Linked To Other Tomato Components

Link to research abstract:

Prostate carcinogenesis in N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (NMU)-testosterone-treated rats fed tomato powder, lycopene, or energy-restricted diets.