Health benefits of lycopene: strong bones to prevent cancer

The human body cannot produce lycopene so it must be obtained from food sources. Lycopene itself belongs to the carotenoid antioxidant family, which gives fruits and vegetables their red color. What are the health benefits of lycopene?

Various benefits of lycopene for body health

As explained above, lycopene is included as an antioxidant. In the body, antioxidants ward off free radicals to protect you from various risks of degenerative diseases. Call it arthritis, heart disease, atherosclerosis, stroke, hypertension, stomach ulcers, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cancer, and premature aging.

That is why, there have been many studies that have focused on looking at the benefits of lycopene. Among others are:

1. Help prevent cancer

Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant, which can prevent and slow down several types of cancer. Researchers at the University of Portsmouth, England, report that lycopene is useful for inhibiting the growth of breast cancer cells and prostate cancer.

The benefits of lycopene on the development of prostate cancer were also found by another study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, after involving 46,000 men who were asked to consume tomato sauce.

2. Keeping eyes healthy

Free radicals can cause eye health problems. In an experiment by the Department of Pharmacology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, the research team found that lycopene may have the ability to prevent or delay the development of cataracts in the vast majority of cases.

Lycopene also has a protective effect against age-related macular degeneration. This condition is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly. In 2012, an article in the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine stated that taking lycopene can protect you from macular degeneration thanks to its antioxidant properties and anti-inflammatory properties. Lycopene has been found to slow down oxidative stress in eye cells which can lead to macular degeneration. Even so, the scientific evidence is still limited.

Lycopene and other carotenoids may also be useful in the treatment of glaucoma.

3. Maintain heart health

A review study published in the journal Maturity in 2010 concluded that taking high doses of lycopene supplements (at least 25 mg per day) can reduce total cholesterol by up to 8 mg / dL and LDL cholesterol by 10.35 mg / dL, after looking at 12 previous studies. This review study also states that the consumption of lycopene supplements can reduce systolic blood pressure.

Lowering cholesterol and blood pressure levels can protect you from the risk of heart disease and keep your heart healthy.

4. Relieve neuropathic pain

Neuropathy is a chronic pain condition caused by damage to nerves and damage to soft tissues. Many things can cause neuropathy, from alcohol abuse to diabetes. Sometimes, neuropathy doesn't have an exact cause.

In a study published in the European Journal of Pain, it was shown that increasing the intake of foods containing lycopene has the strong potential to relieve chronic pain caused by neuropathy.

5. Keep bones healthy and strong

Apart from vitamin K and calcium, lycopene intake is equally important for keeping bones healthy and strong. The antioxidant properties of lycopene help ward off oxidative stress that causes bone fragility. Lycopene also facilitates bone formation and increases bone density increases.

The benefits of lycopene are more effective from fresh fruits and vegetables than supplements

Now there are many supplements and vitamins that are fortified with lycopene. However, supplements are not regulated as strictly as medical drugs by the BPOM, so the exact dosage rules are not yet known. In general, the dosage of lycopene supplements will be adjusted to the factors of age, health conditions, and the needs of each person. Reporting from WebMD, a daily supplement containing 120 mg of lycopene is safe to use for up to one year.

It needs to be understood, high doses and sustained long-term consumption of lycopene supplements can actually lower the body's immune system to fight disease. So, first consult with your doctor before using any supplements.

If you want to get the benefits of lycopene to maintain a healthy body, it's better to get it from natural sources. Lycopene can be found in watermelon, guava, papaya, mango, purple cabbage, and carrots. Even so, the content of lycopene is mostly in fresh tomatoes and processed tomato products - such as tomato juice, tomato sauce, or tomato paste. The lycopene content in tomato products is also more easily absorbed by the body so you can reap the maximum benefits of lycopene.