Phytonutrients found in tomatoes have been shown to have a beneficial effect in maintaining blood pressure within normal range, according to a randomized, double-blind study published in Nutrients.
 
Part of Lycored’s heart health clinical program, the research adds to an existing body of evidence for the safety and efficacy of the company’s tomato nutrient complex. It is the fourth in a series of human clinical trials on the product’s benefits as a holistic solution contributing to overall cardiometabolic health.
 
Previous research has linked lycopene with significant reductions in systolic blood pressure. Importantly, in most of these studies its source has been tomato extracts which also contain other tomato nutrients.
 
Lycored set out to compare the blood pressure-lowering effects of pure lycopene with those of the synergistic combination of tomato phytonutrients in its proprietary tomato nutrient complex. This extract contains lycopene but also other active carotenoids from tomatoes, such as phytofluene and phytoene as well as naturally occurring tomato vitamins such as vitamin E.

Sixty-one volunteers between ages 35-60 and with systolic blood pressure between 130-140 mmHg took part in this study. They were given capsules containing tomato nutrient complex standardized for 5, 15, or 30 mg of lycopene (and containing all the rest of the tomato phytonutrients), pure lycopene, or a placebo, and instructed to take them with their main meal.
 
Treatment with the tomato nutrient complex containing 15 or 30 mg of lycopene was associated with statistically significant reductions in blood pressure. However, similar effects were not observed for any of the other treatments. The findings indicate that tomato nutrient complex has beneficial outcomes on systolic blood pressure while lycopene alone does not drive the same effect. 
 
A possible explanation for the results is a role for the other phytonutrients in the tomato. This would explain the lower effectiveness of pure synthetic lycopene, which does not contain any other tomato component.
 
Lycored’s heart health clinical program helped it create Cardiomato, its cardio-optimized carefully calibrated patented composition. Cardiomato is specifically designed to support holistic cardio-metabolic wellness, healthy blood pressure, and cellular calmness over time. 
“This research reflects the evolution of our cardio-metabolic journey,” said Karin Hermoni, head of science and nutrition at Lycored.
 
“One of its aims was to compare the effects on blood pressure of pure synthetic lycopene as a standalone with that of the entire nutrient and carotenoid mixture from the tomato. The results suggest that the myriad active nutrients our extract contains work synergistically to drive significant benefits.”
 
The research indicates that the benefits of the tomato nutrient complex are long-lasting. A subset of 27 subjects continued to supplement for an additional four months, and a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure was evident at all points.
 
The study also included a dose response to strengthen understanding of the bioavailability and efficacy of the composition in different doses. It suggested that tomato nutrient complex standardized for 15 mg of lycopene is optimum to normalize systolic blood pressure. In accordance with these findings, this is the dose Lycored recommends for supporting cardio-metabolic wellness when formulating with the extract. 
 
“This study provides tangible evidence supporting the dose of tomato phytonutrients, and specifically of lycopene, that we recommend to deliver benefits for cardio-metabolic health,” Hermoni said. “These results are only part of a full program examining the bioavailability and efficacy of tomato phytonutrients.”