A daily “tomato pill” could improve blood vessel function of people with heart disease, researchers announced today.
New research conducted at the University of Cambridge, England, has shown why a supplement of lycopene – an antioxidant in tomatoes and other fruit that is 10 times more potent than vitamin E – could be beneficial.
Dr Joseph Cheriyan, consultant clinical pharmacologist and physician at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and associate lecturer at the University of Cambridge, said while there is plenty of evidence to point to the Mediterranean diet, which includes lycopene found in tomatoes and other fruit, is good for heart health, the underlying mechanisms have never been ascertained.
However, his study, published in PLoS One may provide one answer.
Dr Cheriyan and his team carried out a randomised, double blind, placebo controlled, interventional trial that investigated the effects of lycopene on the function of blood vessels in a process called forearm blood flow, which is a predictor of heart health risk.
A total of 36 patients with heart disease and 36 healthy volunteers were each given either Ateronon (an off-the-shelf supplement containing 7mg of lycopene) or a placebo treatment.
The patients with heart disease were all on statins but had a relatively impaired function of the endothelium – the inner lining of blood vessels – compared to healthy volunteers. Having a healthy endothelium is an important factor in preventing the evolution of heart disease.
The researchers found that a 7mg of oral lycopene supplement improved and normalised endothelial function in the heart patients, but not in healthy volunteers.
Lycopene also improved the widening of the blood vessels by 53% compared to baseline in those taking the pill after correction for those who took the placebo. However, the supplement had no effect on blood pressure, arterial stiffness or levels of lipids.
“We’ve shown quite clearly that lycopene improves the function of blood vessels in cardiovascular disease patients,” said Dr Cheriyan.
“It reinforces the need for a healthy diet in people at risk from heart disease and stroke. A daily ‘tomato pill’ is not a substitute for other treatments but may provide added benefits when taken alongside other medication.
“However, we cannot answer if this may reduce heart disease – this would need much larger trials to investigate outcomes more carefully.”
Gajendragadkar, PR et al. Effects of Oral Lycopene Supplementation on Vascular Function in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease and Healthy Volunteers: A Randomised Controlled Trial. PLoS One. 9 June 2014
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