Lycopene & Cholesterol

According to a new study published in Nutrition, lycopene may have an added heart health benefit in regards to maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. Lycopene is an antioxidant present in red and pink colored fruits (such as tomatoes). A study from the Central South University Changsha, China, researched 40 male adult rabbits over an 8-week period. The animals were fed a high-fat diet, either without lycopene, 2 different doses of lycopene or with fluvastatin (a statin). Compared with the control, the animals fed only the high-fat diet had higher levels of total and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, low oxidized low-density lipoprotein, malondialdehyde, and interleuikin-1 than animals fed the standard diet.*

Animals that were fed the high-fat diet with lycopene or the fluvastatin had improved levels of these indicators. On top of that, the lycopene of both doses actually showed better results than the statin! It will be interesting to see the results of future human studies regarding lycopene and cholesterol.

Lycopene is available in Viteyes® Multivitamin AREDS Companion and at higher doses in the Viteyes® Complete formula.

*M.-Y. Hu, PhD., Y.-L. Li, M.S., C.-H. Jiang, Ph.D., Z.-Q. Liu, Ph.D. S.-L. Qu, Ph.D., Y.-M. Huang, M.D.. Nutrition. “Comparison of lycopene and fluvastatin effects on atherosclerosis induced by a high-fat diet in rabbits.” Published online 01 July 2008.