Interactions of lycopene with other agents (micronutrients, foods):
Interactions between carotenoids
Metabolic studies show that when high doses of beta-carotene are absorbed, it competes with lutein and lycopene when they are consumed within a meal. However, consumption of high doses of beta-carotene had no adverse effect on serum carotenoid levels.
Dietary supplements versus food
In general, purified carotenoids in oil – in dietary supplements – have higher bioavailability than carotenoids from foods.The relatively low bioavailability of carotenoids from foods is partly due to the fact that they are tightly bound to the proteins of the plant matrix. Carotenoids from green leafy vegetables are associated with chloroplasts, while those from red fruits are associated with chromoplasts. Fine crushing, homogenization, and cooking destroy the plant matrix and thus increase the bioavailability of carotenoids. The bioavailability of lycopene from tomatoes is essentially enhanced by heating tomatoes in oil. The human body can absorb carotenoids through the intestine only if fat is present at the same time. However, a small amount of fat, as little as 3-5 g of fat in a meal, is sufficient to ensure absorption of carotenoids.
Margarine with vegetable sterol
Regular use of margarine with vegetable sterol may result in a 10-20% decrease in serum carotenoid levels. However, with the additional intake of carotenoids from fruits or vegetables, this deficiency can be compensated.
Fat substitute olestra (sucrose polyester)
Daily consumption of 18 g of the fat substitute Olestra resulted in a 27% decrease in serum carotenoid levels after three weeks. People who consumed only 2 g of Olestra daily were shown to have a 15% decrease in serum carotenoid levels.
