Lycopene & Your Colon

 Lycopene, a carotenoid from tomatoes, has been found to be inversely related to cancer risk. A recent Dutch study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researched how lycopene might affect the body in persons at greater risk for colorectal cancer. The randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded crossover study included 40 men and 31 postmenopausal women with a family history of colorectal cancer and/or a personal history of colorectal adenomas.*

Higher circulating insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) concentrations have been found to be linked to a greater risk of cancer. Lycopene was thought to increase levels of a protein that binds with this and therefore lowers the chance of cancer. After 8 weeks, the researchers found increases in the participants’ “IGF-binding protein(BP)-1 and IGFBP-2 concentrations, thereby potentially decreasing the IGF-I bioavailability” according to lead author Alina Vreiling of the Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam. The researchers are hoping to see the results confirmed in larger intervention studies.

Lycopene can be found in Viteyes® Multivitamin AREDS Companion and Viteyes® Complete. Visit viteyes.com for more information.

* A. Vrieling, D.W. Voskuil, J.M. Bonfrer, C.M. Korse, J. van Doorn, A. Cats, A.C. Depla, R. Timmer, B.J. Witteman, F.E. van Leeuwen, L.J. van’t Veer, M.A. Rookus, E. Kampman. “Lycopene supplementation elevates circulating insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 and -2 concentrations in persons at greater risk of colorectal cancer.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. November 2007, Volume 86, Pages 1456-1462.