Tomato and lycopene supplementation and cardiovascular risk factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Cheng, Koutsidis, Lodge, et al. Atherosclerosis, 2017.
Study design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of 21 intervention studies from 1,189 publications, assessing supplementation with tomato products and lycopene in adults over 18.
- Tomato interventions were associated with a reduction in LDL cholesterol of -0.22 mmol/L (p = 0.006).
- Tomato interventions also lowered IL-6 and improved endothelial function (FMD) by 2.53%.
- Lycopene supplementation lowered systolic blood pressure by -5.66 mmHg (p = 0.002).
- Other outcomes such as triglycerides and CRP did not change significantly.
What it means for your product: The main reference for education on tomatoes and heart health. The effects differ between tomato products and pure lycopene, so state which form was studied.









