Title:The Effects of Lycopene and Tomato Consumption on Cardiovascular Risk Factors
in Adults: A Grade Assessment Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Volume: 29
Issue: 21
Author(s): Mohammad Zamani, Farimah Behmanesh Nia, Kimia Ghaedi, Saba Mohammadpour, Niusha Amirani, Kian Goudarzi, Kosar Sadat Hosseini Kolbadi, Matin Ghanavati*Damoon Ashtary-larky
Affiliation:
- National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition
Sciences and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Keywords:
Lycopene, tomato, cardiovascular, lipid profile, glycemic control, oxidative stress.
Abstract:
Background: In recent times, modifying dietary habits to control cardiovascular risk factors has
gained significant attention. However, previous studies have yielded inconsistent results regarding the effects of
lycopene and tomato consumption on cardiovascular risk factors.
Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the impact of consuming lycopene and tomatoes on various
cardiovascular risks factors such as lipid profile, glycemic control markers, blood pressure, inflammation, oxidative
stress, and body weight.
Methods: A systematic literature search was carried out using electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of
Science, and Scopus, up to November 2022 to identify eligible Randomized Control Trials (RCTs) evaluating
the effect of lycopene and tomato consumption on cardiovascular risk factors. Heterogeneity tests of the selected
trials were performed using the I2 statistic. Random effects models were assessed based on the heterogeneity
tests, and pooled data were determined as the weighted mean difference (WMD) with a 95% confidence interval
(CI).
Results: Out of 27,438 records initially identified, a total of 34 studies met the eligibility criteria and were included
in this meta-analysis. The results showed that lycopene consumption was associated with a significant
reduction in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, indicating a potential benefit in reducing oxidative stress. However,
lycopene and tomato consumption did not have significant effects on other cardiovascular risk factors such
as triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein
cholesterol (HDL-C), fasting blood glucose (FBG), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure
(DBP), Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 (ICAM-1), c-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis
factor α (TNF-α), body weight, and body mass index (BMI).
Conclusion: Overall, the findings showed that lycopene and tomato consumption did not affect cardiovascular
risk factors. However, lycopene supplementation may result in a significant improvement in MDA levels. With
the view to confirming these results, further studies with long-term duration and different doses are needed.
