Lycopene and risk of cardiovascular diseases: A meta-analysis of observational studies

“…Another observational meta-analysis reported that circulating lycopene levels were inversely associated with the risk of stroke (RR: 0.693, 95% CI 0.503, 0.954) (257). These results coincide with those of Song et al (258) RR: 0.83 (95% CI 0.69, 0.96) who also described a lower risk of CHD with lycopene intake (RR: 0.87; 95%CI 0.76, 0.98).…”

“…This observation suggests that, within the context of this study, lycopene primarily exerts its beneficial effects through the modulation of molecular and inflammatory pathways rather than acting as a direct antiobesity agent by reducing fat mass. This aligns with evidence highlighting the pleitropic effects of lycopene,, which extend beyond mere weight reduction to encompass improvements in metabolic and cardiovascular health through its potent antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties [21]. The lack of direct impact on weight gain underscores the complexity of obesity pathophysiology and the diverse mechanisms through which bioactive compounds can confer protection against its deleterious consequences.…”

“…The pooled RR was similar for circulating lycopene levels but the only significant association was for stroke (11). No significance was found in relation to the link between circulating lycopene concentrations and CHD incidence, with a high heterogeneity (I 2 = 61.5%), which may be partly due to the small sample size in the CHD subgroup (11). A previous systematic review, including human intervention trials in relation to the cardioprotective effects of lycopene, demonstrated mixed results (28).…”