Lycopene

psi,psi-Carotene · all-trans-Lycopene

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Cardiovascular risk markers¹ Prostate cancer risk² Male fertility parameters³ Skin photoprotection^{4, 5} Metabolic syndrome⁶ Periodontal disease (with scaling)^{7, 8} Exercise-induced asthma⁹	Pregnancy or nursing¹⁰ Soy allergy (soy-containing products)¹⁰

Lycopene is a red carotenoid pigment in tomatoes, watermelon, and pink grapefruit that is not converted to vitamin A⁹. It acts as an antioxidant by quenching singlet oxygen⁹. Supplementation follows from that effect and is used for cardiovascular risk, prostate health, male fertility, and skin photoprotection, typically in men with prostate or fertility concerns and adults with cardiometabolic risk.

Observational data link higher lycopene exposure to lower cardiovascular disease risk^{11, 12}. Higher intake tracked with lower prostate cancer risk in a dose-response meta-analysis, though Memorial Sloan Kettering reports trials have not shown prevention⁹. A meta-analysis of fertility trials found modest gains in sperm concentration. A 2021 case-cohort study in older adults found plasma lycopene was not significantly associated with dementia risk; no trial has tested lycopene for dementia prevention. Lycopene is sold mostly as softgel capsules, and measured content in commercial brands has deviated from labeled amounts⁹.

Large intakes of tomato products can cause orange skin discoloration⁹. Product labels in the United States ask pregnant or nursing users to consult a doctor before use¹⁰.

Last updated October 16, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

77 sources, 63 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
InteractionsThe medicines and supplements it interacts with, the effect of each, and what labeling says to watch.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources