Lyco pene is an antioxidant in the carotenoid family.

Antioxidants protect your body from damage caused by compounds known as free radicals.

When free radical levels outnumber antioxidant levels, they can create oxidative stress in your body. This stress is linked to certain chronic diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimer’s .

Research shows that lycopene’s antioxidant properties can help keep free radical levels in balance, protecting your body against some of these conditions .

In addition, test-tube and animal studies show that lycopene may protect your body against damage caused by pesticides, herbicides, monosodium glutamate (MSG) and certain types of fungi

Lycopene’s strong antioxidant action may prevent or slow down the progression of some types of cancer.

For instance, test-tube studies show that the nutrient may slow down the growth of breast and prostate cancers by limiting tumor growth (7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source).

Animal studies further report that it may prevent the growth of cancer cells in the kidneys (9Trusted Source).

In humans, observational studies link high intakes of carotenoids, including lyco pene, to a 32–50% lower risk of lung and prostate cancers (8Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source).

A 23-year study in more than 46,000 men looked at the link between lycopene and prostate cancer in more detail.

Men who consumed at least two servings of lyco pene-rich tomato sauce per week were 30% less likely to develop prostate cancer than those who ate less than one serving of tomato sauce per month.