Let’s start at the beginning.

Lycopene touches our lives from before they are fully our own and well into early childhood. Working alongside a-tocopherol, lycopene helps increase sperm motility, and studies have shown that antioxidant supplementation, particularly in the form of lycopene and other tomato carotenoids, may be beneficial to first-time mothers.²

It appears that the benefits continue after birth, too. One study found that infants whose mothers consumed seven or more servings of fruit a day exhibited an increase in cognitive development.² That increase was enhanced even further by fruits containing lycopene.³*

² Sharma, JB, et al., Effect of lycopene on pre-eclampsia and intrauterine growth retardation in primigravidas., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maulana Azad Medical College and associated Lok Nayak Hospital, New Delhi, India.

³ Bolduc, F.V., et al., Cognitive Enhancement in Infants Associated with Increased Maternal Fruit Intake During Pregnancy: Results from a Birth Cohort Stu..., EBioMedicine (2016),

Breathe easy.

As we come into our own as adults, so does lycopene. Exercise is a vital part of any healthy lifestyle, and studies show that carotenoid supplementation can ease exertion-induced stress in a variety of ways. Lycopene, zeaxanthin, and lutein⁴ work as antioxidants to help maintain healthy lungs during intense exercise,⁵ may improve vascular endothelial dilation in ultra-marathon runners,⁶ and may help prevent free radical damage induced by physical activity.⁷*

⁴ Stahl et al. 1998. FEBS Letters, 427

⁵ Neuman, I, et al., Reduction of exercise-induced asthma oxidative stress by lycopene, a natural antioxidant., Department of Allergy, Hasharon Hospital, Golda Medical Center, Petach Tivka and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.

⁶ Samaras, Antonios et al., Effect of a special carbohydrate–protein bar and tomato juice supplementation on oxidative stress markers and vascular endothelial dynamics in ultra-marathon runners. Food and Chemical Toxicology 69 (2014): 231-36.

⁷ Harms-Ringdahl, M et al., Tomato juice intake suppressed serum concentration of 8-oxodG after extensive physical activity. Nutrition Journal (2012): 11-29. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-11-2.

Put yourself out there.

For younger adults getting exercise is crucial to staying healthy. However, this activity often takes place outdoors, which put an increased stress on our skin. Thankfully carotenoids like lycopene, lutein, and beta-carotene help ease the toll of environmental stresses by aiding in skin resilience. By focusing on our skin health and nutrition at an early age, we can begin a beautiful journey towards lifelong skin health.*

*Krutmann et al. Br J Dermatol. 2017.

Life always finds a way.

At our very core, we’re driven to ensure the survival of our species. Maintaining reproductive capabilities for as long as possible is an important part of that, and lycopene can help us achieve it by benefiting women’s and men’s bodies at different ages. For example, some studies have found that it can support healthy sperm viability and activity, thus helping to maintain fertility in men.^9,10*

⁹ Durairajanayagam, D, et al., Lycopene and male infertility. Center for Reproductive Medicine, Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

¹⁰ Gupta, NP, et al., Lycopene therapy in idiopathic male infertility--a preliminary report. Department of Urology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, 110029, New Delhi, India.

Spreading the health.

A diet rich in plant-based carotenoids like lycopene supports a resilient immune system in two keys ways. First, as a powerful antioxidant, lycopene is known to help reduce the effects of stress and inflammation by promoting a balanced cytokine response to help create an overall state of molecular calm.¹⁸ It’s also been shown to help optimize circulation, promoting healthy blood flow, ideal oxygen saturation and the delivery of key nutrients to tissues when and where they’re needed—making good nutrition work even harder for us and helping keep our bodies ready for whatever internal and external threats they may confront.¹⁹*

¹⁸Riso 2006, Kim 2011, Hadad 2012

¹⁹Kim, JY. Et al., 2011 Atherosclerosis, 215: 189-195

This is a smooth move.

Skin is the body’s largest organ. As we grow older, it requires more upkeep to maintain its softness, radiance, and resilience. However, there is a positive association between antioxidant levels in skin and it perceived attractiveness.⁸ Carotenoids like lycopene, lutein, and beta-carotene work hard from the inside out to keep skin looking and feeling healthy.*

⁸Krutmann et al. Br J Dermatol. 2017.

Keep up the good work.

Exercise is vital to sustained health for midlife adults, but muscle fatigue and soreness can limit the amount of activity. Those limitations are linked to muscle pain after exercise and carotenoids are here to help. In a double-blind placebo controlled study, it’s been shown that post-exercise levels of myoglobin, the muscle damage biomarker, were lessened by supplementation with a tomato based supplement containing lycopene, phytoene, and phytofluene.*

Neiman, David C, Goodman, Courtney L, et al. (in press). Effects of 4-week Ingestion of Tomato-Based Carotenoids on Exercise-Induced Inflammation, Muscle Damage, and Oxidative Stress in Endurance Runners. International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.

Listen to your heart.

Much like physical or mental calmness, cardiovascular calmness works by mitigating external pressure and stress. Facilitating a state of cardio-metabolic calmness becomes an even higher priority as the years pass by. Phytonutrients like beta-carotene, phytoene, and phytofluene can combine with lycopene to create nutrient and antioxidant effects that have positive impacts on heart health.^11,12 In a human double blind, placebo controlled study, lycopene found in natural tomato extract helped to maintain healthy blood pressure already within the normal range and to protect against low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation.¹³*

¹¹ Deplanque et al. 2016. Food Nutr Res.

¹² Agarwal, S., et al., Tomato lycopene and low density lipoprotein oxidation: a human dietary intervention study. Lipids (1998): 981-984.

¹³ Mordente, A, et al. Lycopene and cardiovascular diseases: an update. Curr Med Chem. (2011): 1146-1163.

Keep the vision thriving.

Carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin protect our eyes by working as powerful antioxidants. Lycopene is the most easily oxidized carotenoid out of this group, so it is thought to “sacrifice” itself to boost the beneficial properties of other phytonutrients.¹⁴ While in circulation, lycopene in the blood supports the transport of lutein to the eye by protecting it from oxidation. Lycopene also repairs and “recycles” carotenoids that have been damaged, which reduces the chance that they’ll be turned into pro-oxidants.¹⁴*

¹⁴ Böhm, F., et al, Interactions of dietary carotenoids with activated (singlet) oxygen and free radicals: Potential effects for human health. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research (2012): 205-216. doi:10.1002/mnfr.201100222.

Aging beautifully.

As we age, our skin becomes more susceptible to the effects of environmental stress. Carotenoids can be used in conjunction with a comprehensive skin health regime to help balance our skin’s response from these effects. By building up a natural reservoir of free radical-fighting phytonutrients in our skin, we can ensure we’re equipped to take in the outside world throughout our later years.

Krutmann et al. Molecular evidence that oral supplementation with lycopene or lutein protects human skin against ultraviolet radiation: results from a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Br J Dermatol. 2017 May;176(5):1231-1240. doi: 10.1111/bjd.15080.

The more the merrier.

Our blood micronutrient levels change as we get older. Age is inversely associated with carotenoid absorption,¹⁵ which means that it becomes less and less present in our bodies. It’s crucial for older adults to follow a carotenoid-rich diet and supplementation regimen in order to build up a “reservoir of goodness,” ensuring those positive effects can still be felt even as our carotenoid levels naturally decline.¹⁶*

¹⁵ Stuetz, W., et al., Plasma Carotenoids, Tocopherols, and Retinol in the Age-Stratified (35–74 Years) General Population: A Cross-Sectional Study in Six European Countries. Nutrients (2016): 614.

¹⁶ Darvin, M. et al Eur. J. Pharm. Biopharm 69 (2008) 943–947.

Slow it down.

Prostate health is a major area of concern for all aging men. One commonly faced issue is oxidative stress, which can lead to interrupted sleep with nighttime trips to the bathroom. Here, our hero nutrient works synergistically with tocopherols and phytosterols to help maintain prostate health associated with promoting healthy sleep.¹⁷*

¹⁷ Pastori M. et al. 1998. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 29;250(3):582-5.