Consumption of Watermelon Juice Increases Plasma Concentrations of Lycopene and β-Carotene in Humans

Abstract

Watermelon is a rich natural source of lycopene, a carotenoid of great interest because of its antioxidant capacity and potential health benefits. Assessment of bioavailability of lycopene from foods has been limited to tomato products, in which heat processing promotes lycopene bioavailability. We examined the bioavailability of lycopene from fresh-frozen watermelon juice in a 19-wk crossover study. Healthy, nonsmoking adults (36-69 y) completed three 3-wk treatment periods, each with a controlled, weight-maintenance diet. Treatment periods were preceded by "washout" periods of 2-4 wk during which lycopene-rich foods were restricted. All 23 subjects consumed the W-20 (20.1 mg/d lycopene, 2.5 mg/d beta-carotene from watermelon juice) and C-0 treatments (controlled diet, no juice). As a third treatment, subjects consumed either the W-40 (40.2 mg/d lycopene, 5.0 mg/d beta-carotene from watermelon juice, n = 12) or T-20 treatment (18.4 mg/d lycopene, 0.6 mg/d beta-carotene from tomato juice, n = 10). After 3 wk of treatment, plasma lycopene concentrations for the W-20, W-40, T-20 and C-0 treatments were (least squares means +/- SEM) 1078 +/- 106, 1183 +/- 139, 960 +/- 117 and 272 +/- 27 nmol/L, respectively. Plasma concentrations of beta-carotene were significantly greater after W-20 (574 +/- 49 nmol/L) and W-40 (694 +/- 73 nmol/L) treatments than after the C-0 treatment (313 +/- 27 nmol/L). Plasma lycopene concentrations did not differ at wk 3 after W-20, W-40 and T-20 treatments, indicating that lycopene was bioavailable from both fresh-frozen watermelon juice and canned tomato juice, and that a dose-response effect was not apparent in plasma when the watermelon dose was doubled.

Two weeks of watermelon juice supplementation improves nitric oxide bioavailability but not endurance exercise performance in humans

“…The greater potential for nitric oxide synthesis after watermelon juice supplementation might be linked to a synergistic effect between L-citrulline and other constituents of watermelon juice. For example, watermelon juice is high in the non-enzyme antioxidants, glutathione, lycopene and β-carotene [34][35][36], which can scavenge the superoxide radical [37,51]. This is important given the rapid reaction of superoxide with nitric oxide to form peroxynitrite which compromises nitric oxide bioavailability [52].…”

“…This is important given the rapid reaction of superoxide with nitric oxide to form peroxynitrite which compromises nitric oxide bioavailability [52]. Importantly, watermelon juice supplementation has been shown to increase plasma [lycopene] and [β-carotene] [35] and recent evidence suggests that concurrent supplementation with L-citrulline and glutathione is more effective at increasing nitric oxide biomarkers than independent supplementation with L-citrulline [33]. Taken together, these findings suggest that watermelon juice supplementation might represent an effective nutritional intervention to increase nitric oxide production and bioavailability.…”

“…Moreover, watermelon is rich in many antioxidants in addition to glutathione, including lycopene and β-carotene [34][35][36]. Lycopene and β-carotene may increase nitric oxide bioavailability since they have been shown to blunt the scavenging of nitric oxide by superoxide [37].…”

Process optimization for enzyme aided clarification of watermelon juice

“…Watermelon production occupies 6-7 % of overall fruit production (Reddy et al 2008). Watermelon juice is becoming increasingly popular due to its sensorial, physical and nutritional properties (Edwards et al 2003;Huor et al 1980). Watermelon juice contains small amounts of phenolics as well as low vitamin C content compared with other fruits (Gil et al 2006).…”

Intestinal absorption of lycopene from different foods

“…Thus, lycopene was available in a comparable way from water melon juice and tomato juice. The higher lycopene dose from water melon juice did not lead to a significant higher concentration in plasma compared to the 20 mg doses (Edwards et al, 2003).…”