Lycopene Benefits for Men
Written by Ben Bunting: BA(Hons), PGCert.
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There are many different antioxidants that our bodies need to stay healthy. One such antioxidant is lycopene, which can be found in various fruits and vegetables.
Lycopene is a powerful nutrient that can help protect our bodies against diseases and improve our overall health. [1]
Health Benefits of Lycopene
The benefits of Lycopene are plentiful. It's a powerful nutrient that can help protect our bodies against diseases and improve our overall health.
By eating foods rich in lycopene, we can take advantage of its many health benefits.
1. Different Diseases that Lycopene Can Help Protect Against
Some of the diseases that lycopene can help protect us from include cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. [2] It can reduce the risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
Additionally, lycopene can help improve our overall immune system function.
So if you're looking for a way to improve your health, adding more lycopene-rich foods to your diet is a great way to start!
There are plenty of delicious options to choose from, so there's no excuse not to get started!
2. How is Lycopene beneficial for women in particular? Use of Lycopene Supplements
Lycopene is especially beneficial for women. It can help protect us from diseases like ovarian cancer, and it's also been shown to improve our overall health.
In addition to eating foods rich in lycopene, we can also take supplements to help ensure that we're getting enough of this nutrient.
By incorporating lycopene into our diets, we can improve our health and reduce our risk of developing serious diseases.
Lycopene is beneficial for women because it helps protect us from diseases like breast cancer. [3]
According to recent studies, lycopene can help reduce the risk of this and other types of cancer by up to 33%.
Additionally, lycopene is beneficial for our skin and can help keep us looking young and healthy.
So, if you're looking for a way to improve your overall health, consider adding more lycopene-rich foods or lycopene supplements to your diet. You won't regret it!
3. Benefits for Men Sexual Health
Lycopene is beneficial for sperm health, erections, and the prostate. With the instances of infertility increasing amongst couples around the world, one of the many causes includes poor nutrition, or lack of certain nutrients.
a) Benefits for Sperm Health:
Lycopene is beneficial for sperm health because it helps protect them from damage. [4]
Additionally, it can improve their motility and morphology, which can help increase the chances of conception.
A recent study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food found that lycopene may improve sperm quality and motility. [5]
The study participants were given a lycopene supplement for 12 weeks, and the results showed that lycopene improved sperm quality in men with poor sperm quality.
A 2014 study found that a dose of 4-8mg of lycopene daily for a period of 3-12 months improved sperm count, viability and general immunity that resulted in more pregnancies. [6]
Based on these clincial trials, it's possible that lycopene supplements could be a helpful for men who are trying to improve their sperm quality.
If you're struggling with poor sperm quality, talk to your doctor about whether a supplement containing lycopene could be a good option for you.
b) Health Benefits for Erections:
Lycopene can also help improve erections by increasing blood flow to the penis. This is because lycopene is a vasodilator, meaning that it relaxes blood vessels and allows more blood to flow through them. This can help improve erection quality and duration. [7]
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a condition that affects many men and can be caused by various factors, such as age, health conditions, and lifestyle choices.
While many treatments are available for ED, including prescription medications and surgery, some men may prefer to try natural remedies instead. Lycopene is a natural antioxidant found in high concentrations in tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables.
Studies have shown that lycopene may offer some benefits for ED, including improved blood circulation and increased libido.
In addition, lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that can help protect the body from free radicals, damaging cells, and contributing to diseases. If you are interested in trying lycopene to treat your ED, keep a few things in mind.
➡️READ: Natural treatments for male infertility
First, it is important to discuss the option with your doctor to ensure that it is safe for you to take lycopene supplements. Second, you should make sure to eat a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, especially those high in lycopene.
Finally, you may want to consider taking a lycopene supplement to ensure that you are getting enough of the nutrient. Talk to your doctor about whether taking a supplement is right for you.
If you do decide to try a lycopene supplement, be sure to choose a reputable brand and follow the directions carefully.
c) Benefits for Prostate Health:
Lycopene is a carotenoid found in high concentrations in tomatoes and watermelons. Some research suggests it may also be beneficial for the prostate. [8]
A study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention found that men with the highest blood levels of lycopene were 55% less likely to develop prostate cancer than those with the lowest levels.
A 1999 study of 578 men who had previously developed prostate cancer found that those who had a diet rich in lycopene may be of a less risk to suffer the reoccurrence of prostate cancer or the further development of prostate cancer. [9]
Further research published in 2021 also found that a diet which is low in lycopene correlates with a higher risk of prostate cancer. [10]
Lycopene is very beneficial for the prostate. The prostate relies on a high level of oxygenation to function properly, and lycopene can help improve oxygenation by increasing the amount of oxygen delivered to the prostate. This can help protect the prostate from diseases such as cancer.
Some of the Best Sources of Lycopene
Tomatoes are one of the best sources of lycopene, but they can also be found in watermelon, pink grapefruit, papaya, and guava. [11]
Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that can help protect our bodies against diseases like cancer.
By eating foods rich in lycopene, we can improve our overall health and reduce our risk of developing certain conditions.
So, what are you waiting for? Add some lycopene-rich foods to your next grocery list and start reaping the benefits!
Adding More Lycopene-Rich Foods to Our Diets
Adding more lycopene-rich foods to our diets is an easy way to improve our overall health.
Not only is lycopene a powerful antioxidant, but it's also been shown to reduce our risk of developing certain diseases.
By including more lycopene-rich foods in our diets, we can improve our health and prevent disease.
If you prefer the convenience of a supplement, check out the ideal dose, here.
Conclusion
As the research shows, there are many benefits to consuming a diet rich in the antioxidant lycopene, these can include:
- cardiovascular health
- reproductive health
- prostate health
- preventing cancers
However, there are few foods that are rich in this nutrient, tomato probabaly being the most popular and widely consumed.
An alternative option is to take a supplement containing lycopene.
References:
- https://web.archive.org/web/20160304105957id_/http://www.mccordresearch.com/sites/default/files/pdf/Multivitamin/Multi-Lycopene.pdf
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4832910/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3736525/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0015028209008346
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00394-019-02173-4
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4023371/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5974099
- https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/133/11/3356/4817958
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10096552/
- https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.792572/full
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15857218/