Effect of lycopene supplementation on cardiovascular parameters and markers of inflammation and oxidation in patients with coronary vascular disease

Abstract

Oxidative stress and antioxidant deficiency play a pivotal role in initiation, development, and outcomes of cardiovascular disease. Pharmacokinetic parameters as well as the impact of highly bioavailable lycopene on cardiovascular variables, markers of inflammation and oxidation were investigated during a 30‐day clinical trial in patients with coronary vascular disease. The patients were randomized into two major groups and were supplemented with a single 7 mg daily dose of lycopene ingested either in the form of lactolycopene (68 patients) or in the form of lycosome‐formulated GA lycopene (74 patients). The endpoints included cardiovascular function parameters, serum lipids, and four markers of oxidative stress and inflammation. Ingestion of lycosome‐formulated lycopene increased serum lycopene levels by 2.9‐ and 4.3‐fold, respectively, after 2 and 4 weeks of the trial, whereas supplementation with lactolycopene upregulated serum lycopene by half‐fold only after 4 weeks of ingestion. Lycosome formulation of lycopene resulted by the end of the trial in a threefold reduction in Chlamydia pneumoniae IgG and reduction to the same degree of the inflammatory oxidative damage marker. The decrease in oxidized LDL caused by lycosome‐formulated lycopene was fivefold. Moreover, supplementation with lycosome‐formulated lycopene was accompanied by a significant increase in tissue oxygenation and flow‐mediated dilation by the end of the observational period. In contrast, lactolycopene did not cause any significant changes in the parameters studied. Therefore, enhanced bioavailability of lycopene promotes its antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory functions and endorses a positive effect of lycopene on cardiovascular system.

The Role of Circulating Lycopene in Low-Grade Chronic Inflammation: A Systematic Review of the Literature

“…All studies, except one, reported increased circulating lycopene levels following tomato/lycopene supplementation. In the exceptional study, supplementation with Lactolycopene capsules (supplements with lycopene entrapped with whey proteins) did not lead to a significant increase, but supplementation with Lycosome GA capsules (supplements with microencapsulated lycopene) did [ 63 ]. In a second study, supplementation with a combination of lycopene and rosuvastatin also did not significantly change plasma lycopene levels [ 70 ].…”

“…Petyaev et al [ 63 ] investigated the effect of supplementation with Lactolycopene or Lycosome GA capsules in patients with coronary artery disease. Serum lycopene levels of participants receiving Lactolycopene did not increase and CRP and MDA levels did not change after one month of supplementation.…”

“…Four of the selected intervention studies investigated the effect of lycopene supplementation on inflammatory markers in patients with Cardiovasc. diseases [ 61 , 63 , 64 , 73 ]. These studies did not show consistent results.…”

“…These studies did not show consistent results. In one study, only MDA decreased [ 63 ]. In the next study, only CRP decreased in women (not in men) [ 61 ].…”

Effect of lycopene supplementation on cardiovascular parameters and markers of inflammation and oxidation in patients with coronary vascular disease

“…In Petyaev et al. (), the authors wish to disclose the following information which should have appeared in the Conflict of Interest section:…”