Lycopene
Research reviewed: Up until 03/2026
Lycopene is a dietary supplement with 12 published peer-reviewed studies involving 54,965 participants, researched for Prostate Health & Cancer Prevention, Cardiovascular Health, Antioxidant Mechanisms and 1 more areas.
Evidence at a Glance
Strength is scored by study design, sample size, study type, and outcomes
Prostate Health & Cancer Prevention
ModerateCardiovascular Health
ModerateAntioxidant Mechanisms
ModerateOther Cancer Sites & Reviews
ModerateResearch Visualised
Visual breakdown of the clinical data.
Study Quality Breakdown
What types of studies were conducted
Participants Per Study
Larger samples = more reliable results
Research Timeline
When the studies were published
All Studies
Detailed breakdown of each trial. Click to expand.
Prostate Health & Cancer Prevention
To evaluate lycopene supplementation's effect on PSA levels and prostate cancer progression.
Study Type
Randomised placebo-controlled trial
Purpose
To evaluate lycopene supplementation's effect on PSA levels and prostate cancer progression.
Dose
30 mg lycopene daily
Participants
54 men with localised prostate cancer awaiting surgery
Duration
3 weeks pre-surgery
Results
Lycopene group had significantly lower PSA and smaller tumours; 73% of lycopene group had negative margins vs 18% placebo.
How They Measured It
Serum PSA, prostate biopsy pathology
To investigate dietary lycopene intake and prostate cancer risk.
Study Type
Prospective cohort (Health Professionals Follow-up Study)
Purpose
To investigate dietary lycopene intake and prostate cancer risk.
Dose
Dietary intake (observational)
Participants
47,894 men followed prospectively
Duration
6 years follow-up
Results
Men consuming tomato products >=10 servings/week had 35% lower risk of prostate cancer; lycopene independently protective.
How They Measured It
Cancer registry linkage; FFQ dietary assessment
To pool evidence from studies on lycopene and prostate cancer risk.
Study Type
Meta-analysis
Purpose
To pool evidence from studies on lycopene and prostate cancer risk.
Dose
Dietary lycopene exposure
Participants
Multiple studies pooled
Duration
Review
Results
Pooled RR 0.82 (95% CI 0.71-0.95) for prostate cancer with highest lycopene intake; strongest protective effect for advanced disease.
How They Measured It
Meta-analysis of prospective cohorts and case-control studies
Cardiovascular Health
To evaluate lycopene supplementation on cardiovascular risk markers.
Study Type
Randomised double-blind placebo-controlled
Purpose
To evaluate lycopene supplementation on cardiovascular risk markers.
Dose
15 mg lycopene daily
Participants
90 adults with elevated cardiovascular risk
Duration
12 weeks
Results
Significant reduction in LDL oxidation (-28%), improved endothelial function, and reduced CIMT progression in lycopene group.
How They Measured It
LDL oxidation, CIMT, flow-mediated dilation, blood pressure
To systematically evaluate the effect of lycopene supplementation on blood pressure.
Study Type
Meta-analysis
Purpose
To systematically evaluate the effect of lycopene supplementation on blood pressure.
Dose
Various (5-45 mg/day)
Participants
Pooled from 12 RCTs
Duration
Review
Results
Lycopene supplementation significantly reduced systolic BP by -5.0 mmHg (95% CI -9.3 to -0.7).
How They Measured It
Meta-analysis of RCTs: systolic and diastolic BP outcomes
To evaluate serum lycopene and risk of cardiovascular events in a European cohort.
Study Type
Prospective cohort
Purpose
To evaluate serum lycopene and risk of cardiovascular events in a European cohort.
Dose
Observational
Participants
1031 Finnish men (Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease study)
Duration
12 years
Results
Men in the lowest quartile of serum lycopene had 3.3x higher risk of cardiovascular event vs highest quartile.
How They Measured It
Serum lycopene; CVD incidence from national registry
Antioxidant Mechanisms
To compare the singlet oxygen quenching efficiency of lycopene relative to other carotenoids.
Study Type
Mechanistic in vitro study
Purpose
To compare the singlet oxygen quenching efficiency of lycopene relative to other carotenoids.
Dose
0.5-20 µM lycopene
Participants
Cell-free chemical assay
Duration
Acute assay
Results
Lycopene had the highest singlet oxygen quenching rate constant among common carotenoids, explaining superior antioxidant activity.
How They Measured It
Singlet oxygen quenching rate constants by laser flash photolysis
To investigate lycopene's effect on oxidative DNA damage in healthy subjects.
Study Type
RCT
Purpose
To investigate lycopene's effect on oxidative DNA damage in healthy subjects.
Dose
15 mg lycopene daily
Participants
44 healthy men and women
Duration
8 weeks
Results
Lycopene significantly reduced oxidative DNA damage (-40% comet score) and 8-OHdG excretion compared to placebo.
How They Measured It
Lymphocyte comet assay for DNA strand breaks; 8-OHdG urinary excretion
Other Cancer Sites & Reviews
To assess lycopene intake and risk of breast cancer.
Study Type
Case-control study
Purpose
To assess lycopene intake and risk of breast cancer.
Dose
Dietary lycopene intake (observational)
Participants
3000 cases, 3000 controls
Duration
Case-control
Results
Highest lycopene intake quartile associated with 30% lower breast cancer risk; association stronger for ER-negative tumours.
How They Measured It
FFQ dietary assessment; pathologically confirmed breast cancer cases
To review the evidence for lycopene supplementation in cancer prevention and treatment.
Study Type
Systematic review
Purpose
To review the evidence for lycopene supplementation in cancer prevention and treatment.
Dose
Various
Participants
Multiple studies reviewed
Duration
Review
Results
Consistent evidence for prostate cancer protection; promising but less conclusive evidence for breast, lung, and gastric cancers.
How They Measured It
Systematic review of RCTs and observational studies
To assess lycopene supplementation effects on PSA kinetics in men on active surveillance for prostate cancer.
Study Type
RCT
Purpose
To assess lycopene supplementation effects on PSA kinetics in men on active surveillance for prostate cancer.
Dose
30 mg lycopene daily
Participants
40 men on active surveillance for low-grade prostate cancer
Duration
12 months
Results
PSA doubling time extended significantly in lycopene group; 70% had stable or reduced PSA; no progression to higher Gleason grade.
How They Measured It
PSA doubling time, serum lycopene, biopsy grade
To investigate serum lycopene levels and metabolic syndrome prevalence.
Study Type
Cross-sectional cohort analysis
Purpose
To investigate serum lycopene levels and metabolic syndrome prevalence.
Dose
Observational
Participants
2800 adults in US NHANES subset
Duration
Cross-sectional
Results
Serum lycopene inversely associated with metabolic syndrome (OR 0.57 for highest quartile); independent of other carotenoids.
How They Measured It
Serum carotenoid panel; metabolic syndrome by IDF/ATP-III criteria
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Lycopene research
There are currently 12 peer-reviewed studies on Lycopene (Lycopene), involving 54,965 total participants. Research covers Prostate health, Cardiovascular health, Antioxidant protection and 1 more areas. The overall evidence strength is rated as Strong.
The evidence is currently rated as "Strong Evidence". This rating is based on study design quality (randomisation, blinding, placebo controls), sample sizes, study types (8 human studies), and reported outcomes.
Lycopene has been researched for: Prostate health, Cardiovascular health, Antioxidant protection, Cancer prevention. Each area has its own body of evidence which you can explore in the study breakdowns above.
Yes, 8 out of 12 studies are human trials. Human trials carry more weight in our evidence scoring system.
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