Do you know the effects and functions of lycopene?

Lycopene is a natural pigment found in plants, mainly in ripe tomatoes. Tomato pigment is one of the most powerful antioxidant pigments in plants, so lycopene is very valuable, especially for those who are afraid of suntan. So today I will share with you some of the benefits and functions of lycopene.

1. Lycopene regulates cell growth and metabolism

Usually, there are channels composed of membrane proteins between cell gaps, which have selective permeability and allow second messengers and growth regulators to pass through. Cells transmit growth regulation signals within the cell population through gap junctional communication (GJIC), thereby regulating the normal proliferation and differentiation of cells. Experiments have shown that lycopene inhibits tumor growth by inducing intercellular junctions, enhancing GJIC between normal cells, controlling cell growth and inducing cell differentiation. When Japanese scholars used fluorescent dye tracing technology to study the effect of lycopene on GJIC in rat liver tissue, they found that feeding 5 mg/kg BW lycopene every day for 5 consecutive days could significantly enhance the function of GJIC; at the same time, because the GJIC function of most tumor cells is weak or absent, its GJIC function is reduced or inhibited after cell transformation. The inhibition or destruction of GJIC function is considered to be an important mechanism in the carcinogenic stage.

2. The health benefits of lycopene

The above biological characteristics of lycopene determine that it has multiple health functions such as anti-oxidation, inhibition of mutation, reduction of nucleic acid damage, reduction of cardiovascular diseases and prevention of cancer.

3. Lycopene can regulate cholesterol metabolism

Lycopene is a hypocholesterol agent that inhibits macrophage 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA, the rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis. Experiments have found that when lycopene is added to the medium for culturing macrophages, their cholesterol synthesis is reduced, and lycopene also increases the activity of macrophage low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptors. Experiments also show that supplementing the human body with 60 mg of lycopene every day for 3 months can reduce the cytoplasmic LDL cholesterol concentration by 14%.

4. Prevention and inhibition of tumors

Lycopene has the effect of preventing and inhibiting tumors. On the one hand, it is because of its antioxidant effect; on the other hand, lycopene can block the gene mutation process of tissue cells under the influence of external mutagens, which is one of the important mechanisms of tumor formation. Experiments have found that lycopene can affect the S phase of the cell cycle of breast, lung and uterine cancer cells; lycopene affects cell growth by inhibiting the conversion phase from Gl to S in the cell cycle; lycopene can inhibit the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and the formation of heterocyclic amines produced in the browning reaction of fried or grilled meat and fish, thereby effectively inhibiting the production of carcinogens and the induction of tumors. Studies have shown that lycopene has a certain inhibitory effect on digestive tract cancer, cervical cancer, breast cancer, skin cancer, bladder cancer, etc.