A regular lycopene enriched tomato sauce consumption influences antioxidant status of healthy young-subjects: A crossover study

Tomato and tomato products are known as potential factors to decrease oxidative stress biomarkers. Therefore, the objective was to evaluate the effects of consumption of two tomato sauces with different concentrations of lycopene on oxidative stress markers. Thirty healthy subjects (Men/women: 9/21; Aged 39 +/- 6 years old; BMI: 24.5 +/- 3.3 kg/m(2)) were recruited to participate in a double-blind crossover study. Participants had to consume 160 g/day of tomato sauce, while maintaining their usual dietary and physical activity habits. The regular consumption of the high-lycopene tomato sauce induced a significant reduction in the oxidized-LDL cholesterol levels (-9.27 +/- 16.8%; p < 0.05). Moreover, total plasma antioxidant capacity tended to increase with the high-lycopene tomato sauce, while it decreased slightly with commercial tomato sauce consumption (2.69 +/- 13.4 vs 0.05 +/- 0.4; p = 0.058). Lipid, glucose profile and C-reactive protein concentrations were stable during both intervention periods, as well as anthropometric and body composition variables. Thus, the daily consumption of 160 g of a high-lycopene tomato sauce improved oxidizedLDL cholesterol levels, evidencing the putative role of lycopene in combination with other bioactive compounds in the prevention of oxidative stress related diseases. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.