Recent Longevity News for the seven days ending 11/12/08.  You should consult your doctor if you are taking any medications.

Vitamin D Insufficiency Linked to Increased Body Fat - Medscape, 11/10/08 - "The study sample consisted of 90 postpubertal women aged 16 to 22 years and living in California ... Insufficiency of 25(OH)D, defined as a serum level of 29 ng/mL or less, was present in approximately 59% of participants, and the remaining 41% had sufficient 25(OH)D levels, defined as a serum level of 30 ng/mL or more. Serum 25(OH)D levels were strongly negatively related to CT measures of visceral and subcutaneous fat and to DXA values of body fat" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.

Can Vitamins And Minerals Prevent Hearing Loss? - Science Daily, 11/10/08 - "The combination of vitamins A, C and E, plus magnesium, is given in pill form to patients who are participating in the research. Developed at the U-M Kresge Hearing Research Institute, the medication, called AuraQuell, is designed to be taken before a person is exposed to loud noises. In earlier testing at U-M on guinea pigs, the combination of the four micronutrients blocked about 80 percent of the noise-induced hearing impairment"

Hibiscus Tea May Cut Blood Pressure - WebMD, 11/10/08 - "Overall, drinking hibiscus tea blends lowered systolic blood pressure -- the top number in the blood pressure reading -- by an average of 7 points. That was significantly more than the 1-point drop observed in people who were given a placebo in the form of hibiscus-flavored water"

JUPITER hits New Orleans: Landmark study shows statins benefit healthy individuals with high CRP levels - theheart.org, 11/9/08 - "In a study of individuals with low LDL cholesterol but elevated C-reactive-protein (CRP) levels, investigators showed that rosuvastatin (Crestor, AstraZeneca) 20 mg significantly reduced the primary end point—a composite of nonfatal MI, nonfatal stroke, hospitalization for unstable angina, revascularization, and confirmed death from cardiovascular causes—by 44% compared with individuals treated with placebo" - Note:  They seem to be attributing this to the reduction in CRP.  At 12 months, the CRP  of the 20 mg Crestor group was 2.2.  The baseline was 4.2.  That's a (4.2 - 2.2)/4.2 = 47.6% reduction in CRP.  Another option to reduce CRP might be Periostat (low dose doxycycline for periodontal disease).  See my CRP page for other ways to reduce it.  See:

• Low-dose Periostat (Doxycycline) Shows Benefits in Patients with Heart Failure - Doctor's Guide, 11/20/02 - "At six-month follow-up, sub-antimicrobial dose doxycyline significantly reduced CRP levels by 45.8 percent compared to baseline values (p<0.05). The drug was also associated with a 33.5 percent reduction in interleukin-6 and a 50 percent reduction in metalloproteinase ... The findings are exciting, since research is now showing that CRP is both a key marker of inflammation leading to future acute coronary events, but also that CRP itself may contribute to the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis"

Study: Statins help people with normal cholesterol, too - USATODAY.com, 11/9/08 - "A study involving nearly 18,000 patients has shown for the first time that giving a cholesterol-lowering statin drug to seemingly healthy people with normal cholesterol can cut their risk of heart attacks, stroke and death by nearly half"

Low Potassium Linked To High Blood Pressure - Science Daily, 11/8/08 - "As a risk factor for high blood pressure, low levels of potassium in the diet may be as important as high levels of sodium" - See potassium citrate at Amazon.com.

CAFE Standards: Fuzzy Numbers on U.S. Fuel Economy - TIME, 11/7/08 - "The EPA's new tests account for faster driving, acceleration and deceleration and air-conditioning use — in other words, the way most real people drive. As a result fuel-economy ratings have dropped about 12% for city driving and about 8% for highway driving. When the new tests kicked in, a 2006 Toyota Prius, for instance, went from having a 55 m.p.g. combined efficiency rating to 46 m.p.g. — overnight"

Could Vitamin D Save Us From Radiation? - Science Daily, 117/08 - "calcitriol, the active form of vitamin D, may protect us from background radiation and could be used as a safe protective agent before or after a low-level nuclear incident" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.

Dietary Sport Supplement Shows Strong Effects In The Elderly - Science Daily, 11/7/08 - "In the treatment group, 67% of the subjects showed an improvement in their fitness levels, compared to 21.5% of the people receiving the placebo treatment" - See Beta Alanine products at iHerb.

LycoRed files patent for skin health science - Nutra USA, 11/7/08 - "According to LycoRed, subjects were supplemented by either Lyc-O-Mato capsules (10mg lycopene per day), or a placebo, for ten weeks. Following exposure to UV radiation at the end of the study, it was found that subjects in the tomato extract group had a sunburn cell count six times lower than in the placebo group. There was also evidence of reduced depletion of Langerhans cells, said the company" - See Jarrow Lyco-Sorb (contains Lyco-O-Mato) at Amazon.com.

Most People Who Have Prediabetes Don’t Know It - WebMD, 11/6/08 - "Though only 4% of participants reported having prediabetes, researchers believe that 26% of adults have it, a figure based on laboratory test results in the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey" - Note: Diabetes runs in my family.  I've been taking pioglitazone for several years for prevention.  See:

• Pioglitazone Cuts Risk of Progression to Diabetes - Clinical Psychiatry News, 7/08 - "People with impaired glucose tolerance were 81% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes over a 3-year period if treated with pioglitazone ... Patients were randomized to treatment with placebo or 30 mg/day pioglitazone. If the drug was tolerated after 1 month, the dose could be increased up to 45 mg/day" - See pioglitazone at OffshoreRx1.com.

Drug 'tricks body to lose weight' - BBC News, 11/5/08 - "The drug SRT1720 - a chemical cousin of red wine extract resveratrol - targets the protein SIRT1, which is thought to combat ageing ... The French team from the University Louis Pasteur became interested in the SIRT1 protein after earlier studies showing resveratrol countered some effects of a high-calorie diet via SIRT1" - See resveratrol products at Amazon.com.

Multivitamins and minerals help children's brain function: study - Nutra USA, 11/5/08 - "the children in the vitamin/mineral group performed more accurately on two tests of attention. Indeed, the researchers noted the first signs of improvement only three hours after the first dose on the first day" - [Abstract]

Abstracts from this week's Doctor's Guide Nutrition/Dietetics plus abstracts from my RSS feeds (Click here for the journals, the PubMed ones at the top):

Fructose consumption and consequences for glycation, plasma triacylglycerol, and body weight: meta-analyses and meta-regression models of intervention studies - Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Nov;88(5):1419-37 - "The meta-analysis shows that fructose intakes from 0 to >or=90 g/d have a beneficial effect on HbA(1c). Significant effects on postprandial triacylglycerols are not evident unless >50 g fructose/d is consumed, and no significant effects are seen for fasting triacylglycerol or body weight with intakes of <or=100 g fructose/d in adults" - I don't get it.  It would seem like fructose would make HbA(1c) worse.

Rosuvastatin to Prevent Vascular Events in Men and Women with Elevated C-Reactive Protein - N Engl J Med. 2008 Nov 9 - "In this trial of apparently healthy persons without hyperlipidemia but with elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels, rosuvastatin significantly reduced the incidence of major cardiovascular events"

Early endothelial dysfunction as a marker of vasculogenic erectile dysfunction in young habitual cannabis users - Int J Impot Res. 2008 Nov-Dec;20(6):566-73 - "We conclude that early endothelial damage may be induced by chronic cannabis use (and endocannabinoid system activation); insulin resistance may be the hallmark of early endothelial dysfunction and may concur to determine vascular ED in the absence of obesity"

Anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and plant sterols in hyperlipidemic individuals - Atherosclerosis. 2008 Sep 27 - "The combination of n-3 PUFA and plant sterols reduced several inflammatory markers. High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) was reduced by 39% (P=0.009), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) by 10% (P=0.02), interleukin-6 (IL-6) by 10.7% (P=0.009), leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)) by 29.5% (P=0.01) and adiponectin was increased by 29.5% (P=0.05). Overall cardiovascular risk was reduced by 22.6% (P=0.006) in the combination group. CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated, for the first time that dietary intervention with n-3 PUFA and plant sterols reduces systemic inflammation in hyperlipidemic individuals. Furthermore, our results suggest that reducing inflammation provides a potential mechanism by which the combination of n-3 PUFA and plant sterols are cardioprotective" - See Mega Twin EPA at Amazon.com and Jarrow Max DHA at Amazon.com.

Vitamin D and Prevention of Colorectal Adenoma: A Meta-analysis - Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2008 Nov;17(11):2958-69 - "Circulating 25(OH)D was inversely associated with risk of colorectal adenomas: the OR was 0.70 [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.56-0.87] for high versus low circulating 25(OH)D. The highest quintile of vitamin D intake was associated with an 11% marginally decreased risk of colorectal adenomas compared with low vitamin D intake (OR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.78-1.02). For recurrent adenomas, there was a decreased risk of 12% (95% CI, 0.72-1.07) among individuals with high versus low vitamin D intake. The inverse associations appeared stronger for advanced adenoma [OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.45-0.90 for serum 25(OH)D and OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.63-0.95 for vitamin D intake], but the number of studies was small" - See vitamin D at Amazon.com.

Green tea extracts for the prevention of metachronous colorectal adenomas: a pilot study - Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2008 Nov;17(11):3020-5 - "The incidence of metachronous adenomas at the end-point colonoscopy was 31% (20 of 65) in the control group and 15% (9 of 60) in the GTE group (relative risk, 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.24-0.99; P < 0.05). The size of relapsed adenomas was also smaller in the GTE group than in the control group (P < 0.001). No serious adverse events occurred in the GTE group. CONCLUSION: GTE is an effective supplement for the chemoprevention of metachronous colorectal adenomas" - See green tea extract at Amazon.com.

Effects of Telmisartan and Ramipril on Adiponectin and Blood Pressure in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes - Am J Hypertens. 2008 Oct 30 - "There was a significant increase in adiponectin levels in the telmisartan (0.68 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.27 to 1.10) microg/ml, P < 0.01) but not in the ramipril group" - See my adiponectin page.  An increase in adiponectin is a good thing.  See telmisartan at OffshoreRx1.com.

Telmisartan versus angiotension-converting enzyme inhibitors in the treatment of hypertension: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials - J Hum Hypertens. 2008 Nov 6 - "Telmisartan had fewer drug-related adverse events than enalapril (RR 0.57, 95% CI 0.44-0.74), ramipril (RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.26-0.75), lisinopril (RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.56-0.89) and perindopril (RR 0.52, 95% CI 0.28-0.98). The meta-analysis indicates that telmisartan provides a superior BP control to ACEIs (enalapril, ramipril and perindopril) and has fewer drug-related adverse events and better tolerability in hypertensive patients" - Click here for reasons telmisartan might be a first line treatment.

Multivitamins and minerals help children's brain function: study - Br J Nutr. 2008 Nov;100(5):1086-96 - "these results would seem to suggest that vitamin/mineral supplementation has the potential to improve brain function in healthy children"

Neat Tech Stuff :

• Colorado Company to Take Algae-Based Fuel to the Next Level  - NYTimes.com, 11/11/08 - "the company is expecting yields of 2,500 to 3,000 gallons an acre per year ... In contrast, soybeans, the main source of biodiesel used in this country, yields 50 to 70 gallons per acre"
• I was reading some blogs on nukes and couldn't believe some of the ignorance. Some people still believe that they must be launched in a missile and other nations are nowhere near having that technology.  Others believe you won't survive so it's not a problem. That's totally untrue. If the marijuana smugglers can get tons of marijuana through our borders, terrorists can get 10 pounds of plutonium through. This is a good educational video. Start at 9:30 if you want to skip the cold war history:  http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/irwin_redlener_warns_of_nuclear_terrorism.html
• Something to think about, the bomb on Nagasaki would require the 10 to 13 pounds of plutonium which is about the size of a head of cabbage (11:50). The remaining parts could easily be manufactured in the U.S. He also claims that the possibility of a terrorist nuke is almost inevitable (16:15).
• How-to of the Day - wikiHow - "More than 2000 RAD. The symptoms set in instantly, with the same symptoms [nausea, headache, and vomiting] but with increased intensity. Then the symptoms will cease for several days in the "walking ghost" phase. Then suddenly gastrointestinal cells are destroyed, with a loss of water and excessive bleeding. Death will set in with delirium and insanity. When the brain is no longer able to control the bodily functions such as breathing or blood-circulation, the individual will die. There is no medical therapy available to reverse the effects; medical help is for comfort only."

• http://www.spectator.co.uk/melaniephillips/2545716/is-america-really-going-to-do-this.thtml 

Supplement Focus (Carotenoids):

Carotenoid News & Research:

• See Jarrow Formulas, CarotenALL at Amazon.com.  There are over 600 carotenoids.  I had a couple studies several years ago where the links have long gone dead that showed that taking large amounts of just one carotenoid can cause a deficiency of the others.
• LycoRed files patent for skin health science - Nutra USA, 11/7/08 - "According to LycoRed, subjects were supplemented by either Lyc-O-Mato capsules (10mg lycopene per day), or a placebo, for ten weeks. Following exposure to UV radiation at the end of the study, it was found that subjects in the tomato extract group had a sunburn cell count six times lower than in the placebo group. There was also evidence of reduced depletion of Langerhans cells, said the company" - See Jarrow Lyco-Sorb (contains Lyco-O-Mato) at Amazon.com.
• Lycopene as effective as statins for artery health: rabbit study - Nutra USA, 7/3/08 - "The results of our experiment in the high-fat diet rabbit model showed that lycopene and fluvastatin lowered serum levels of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol, improved lipid metabolism, and reduced the amount of triacylglycerols ... Lycopene intervention reduced the increase in ox-LDL levels in rabbits on the high-fat diet, whereas fluvastatin did not show such an effect. The cause of this difference is at present not known, although the result speaks in favour of lycopene ... These findings provide a theoretical rationale for the use of lycopene as a preventive in atherosclerosis" - [Abstract] - See Jarrow Lyco-Sorb (contains Lyco-O-Mato) at Amazon.com.
• Study supports lycopene protecting skin from within - Nutra USA, 4/29/08 - "Consuming lycopene-rich tomato paste may protect against sunburn and sun-induced skin ageing ... Skin samples taken from the subjects indicated that the tomato paste-supplemented individuals had higher skin levels of pro-collagen, a molecule which gives the skin its structure and loss of which leads to skin ageing and lack of elasticity" - See Jarrow Lyco-Sorb (contains Lyco-O-Mato) at Amazon.com.
• Could foods prevent ovarian cancer? - MSNBC, 3/14/08 - "A 2007 study published in the British Journal of Nutrition linked greater consumption of carotenoid phytochemicals with a 67 percent lower risk of ovarian cancer. This included not only beta-carotene, the oft-cited carotenoid in deep-orange vegetables and fruits, but also alpha-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein and zeaxanthin — carotenoids found in a wide range of red, orange, yellow and green vegetables" - See Jarrow Formulas, CarotenALL, Mixed Carotenoid Complex at Amazon.com.
• Lutein, zeaxanthin for AMD protection: more science - Nutra USA, 3/13/08 - "people with the highest average intakes of dietary lutein and zeaxanthin had a 65 per cent reduced risk of neo-vascular AMD than those with the lowest average intakes" - [Abstract]
• Vision: Antioxidants May Cut Cataracts - New York Times, 2/12/08 - "Compared with the one-fifth of women who consumed the least antioxidants, the one-fifth who consumed the most reduced their risk for cataracts by 14 percent with vitamin E and 18 percent with lutein"
• Astaxanthin may boost muscle endurance and fat loss - Nutra USA, 2/5/08 - "astaxanthin supplementation "accelerated the decrease of body fat accumulation with exercise training" - [Abstract] - Note:  Astaxanthin is just one of over 600 carotenoids.  The problem with taking large doses of just one carotenoid is that it may cause a deficiency of the others.  I had a study on that but the link went dead.  I tried to find it via http://www.archive.org/web/web.php but it was a .asp web page and it appears that it doesn't work with those extensions. (Click here and see the OnHealth.com, 5/2/00 article).  I take Jarrow Formulas, CarotenALL, Mixed Carotenoid Complex at Amazon.com.
• Eat Your Leafy Vegetables To Decreased Your Risk Of Cataracts - Science Daily, 1/14/08 - "When the participants were split into five groups based on the amount of lutein and zeaxanthin they consumed, those in the group who consumed the most (about 6,716 micrograms per day) had an 18 percent lower chance of developing cataracts than those who consumed the least (1,177 micrograms per day). The one-fifth who consumed the most vitamin E from food and supplements--about 262.4 milligrams per day--were 14 percent less likely than the one-fifth who got the least (4.4 milligrams per day)"
• More support for lycopene's prostate benefits - Nutra USA, 1/9/08 - "At the end of the six month intervention period ... levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a marker of prostate health, were reduced in the lycopene group showing improvements in health of the tissue. However, no changes were recorded in the placebo group ... Moreover, no enlargement of the prostate occurred in the lycopene group, whereas growth was observed in the placebo group" - [Abstract] - See Jarrow Lyco-Sorb at Amazon.com.
• Long-term Beta Carotene Supplementation May Help Prevent Cognitive Decline, Study Suggests - Science Daily, 11/12/07 - "placebo or 50 milligrams of beta carotene every other day ... In this generally healthy population, the extent of protection conferred by long-term treatment appeared modest; nonetheless, studies have established that very modest differences in cognition, especially verbal memory, predict substantial differences in eventual risk of dementia; thus, the public health impact of long-term beta carotene use could be large" - Note:  The problem with beta-carotene is that it is just one of over 600 carotenoids and some studies show that taking large doses of just on carotenoid can cause a deficiency of the others.
• Nutrients May Help Save Eyes - WebMD, 9/11/07 - "Those with the highest self-reported intake of foods rich in lutein and zeaxanthin were 35% less likely than those with the lowest lutein and zeaxanthin intake to have "wet" age-related macular degeneration"
• Certain Nutrients Associated With Reduced Risk For Age-related Eye Disease - Science Daily, 9/10/07 - "If these cross-sectional results can be confirmed in prospective samples and experimental studies, lutein and zeaxanthin may be considered as useful agents in food or supplement-based interventions designed to reduce the risk of AMD"
• Compounds That Color Fruits And Veggies May Protect Against Colon Cancer - Science Daily, 8/19/07 - "In animal studies, rats induced with colon cancer cells were fed a daily diet of anthocyanin extracts either from bilberries and chokeberries, which are most often used as flavorings or to make jams and juices. The dietary addition of the anthocyanin extracts reduced signs of colon tumors by 70 and 60 percent, respectively, when compared to control rats"
• Lutein and Zeaxanthin review - ConsumerLab.com, 7/17/07
• Prostate Cancer Confusion? - Dr. Weil, 6/18/07 - "while these investigators concluded that on the basis of their retrospective analytical methods lycopene and other carotenoids had no effect on prostate cancer, we have very good evidence from other studies that lycopene does in fact lower the risk"
• No Magic Tomato? Study Breaks Link Between Lycopene And Prostate Cancer Prevention - Science Daily, 5/17/07
• Could Carrots Be The Secret To A Long-life And Sex Appeal? - Science Daily, 5/10/07 - "males eating more carotenoids were better able to protect their cells from damage and so lived longer - and that females found these long-lived males particularly attractive"
• Beta-Carotene Pills May Not Help Aging Eyes - WebMD, 3/14/07 -  "The difference between the two groups was so small that it could have been due to chance" - Note:  Beta-carotene is just one of over 600 carotenoids and many believe that taking mega-doses of just one carotenoid can cause a deficiency of the others.  I get my carotenoids from food, dunaliella salina algae (Body Wise), Jarrow Lyco-Sorb (contains Lyco-O-Mato) at Amazon.com, carotenoids at Amazon.com and Jarrow Formulas, CarotenALL at Amazon.com.
• Tomato extract could stop platelet build-up, boost heart health - Nutra USA, 9/25/06 - "significant reductions in the build-up of platelets (stimulated by administration of ADP and collagen) were observed three hours after supplementation with tomato extract equivalent to two and six tomatoes (by 21.3 per cent for six tomato equivalents, and 12.7 per cent for the two tomato equivalents for the ADP administered groups, and by 17.5 per cent for six tomato equivalents, and 7.8 per cent for the two tomato equivalents for the collagen administered groups), while no significant effects were measured for control group"
• Lutein skin health study elicits excited response at conference - Nutra USA, 9/13/06 - "the oral lutein supplement was seen to increase skin hydration by 38 per cent, skin elasticity by 8 per cent, and the level of superficial lipids by 33 per cent (after adjustments for placebo)"
• Study boosts lutein safety rep and finds new research possibilities - Nutra USA, 7/20/06
• Carotenoids linked to lower risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma - Nutra USA, 6/12/06 - "High daily intakes of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, as well as vegetables in general, could reduce the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma by almost 50 per cent"
• What causes age spots and is there anything that I can do to make them go away? - Dr. Murray
• Study sheds light on lutein's anti-inflammatory effect - Nutra USA, 5/22/06
• More support for lycopene protection against prostate cancer - Nutra USA, 5/3/06 - "half of these men to receive a daily supplement of eight milligrams of lycopene (LycoRed's Lyc-O-Mato) for one year and followed for a futher year ... blood levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a protein that is used as a marker for the disease, decreased by 42 per cent after supplementation" - See Jarrow Lyco-Sorb (contains Lyco-O-Mato) at Amazon.com which contains Lyc-O-Mato.
• Prostate tumours shrunk by lycopene, vitamin E combo - Nutra USA, 4/14/06 - "Compared with the control, the combined mixture of lycopene and vitamin E, at five mg/kg BW each, suppressed the growth of the prostate xenograft by 73 per cent at day 42 ... the mice receiving the combined supplement also lived 40 per cent longer"
• Tomato Juice Keeps Emphysema From Developing In New Model; Lycopene Cited - Science Daily, 1/25/06 - "50% tomato juice drink "completely prevented" smoke-induced emphysema" - See Jarrow Lyco-Sorb (contains Lyco-O-Mato) at Amazon.com.
• Tomato Juice Might Protect Lungs - HealthDay, 1/9/06 - "Tomato juice prevented emphysema in mice exposed to cigarette smoke ... They attributed the protective effect to lycopene"
• Brightly-coloured Fruit And Veg May Protect Against Arthritis - Science Daily, 9/27/05 - "eating more brightly-coloured fruits and vegetables like oranges, carrots and sweetcorn may help reduce the risk of developing inflammatory disorders like rheumatoid arthritis ... the average daily beta-cryptoxanthin intake of the 88 patients who had developed inflammatory polyarthritis was 40% lower than those who hadn't, and their intake of another carotenoid, zeaxanthin, was 20% lower"
• Smoking Plus Beta-Carotene May Up Cancer Odds - WebMD, 9/20/05 - "high beta-carotene intake (from foods or supplements) was linked to low levels of cancer in nonsmoking women and high levels of the same cancers in women who smoke"
• Recently I have seen lycopene products being touted for their anticancer and antioxidant properties. Are these claims valid? - Dr. Murray
• Carotenoid combo reduces damage to cells, may fight disease - Nutra USA, 3/15/05 - "The mixed carotenoids supplemented group showed significantly decreased DNA damage as early as day 15 (by around 22 per cent) and this further decreased at days 29 and 43. By day 57, it had been reduced by 36 per cent"
• Antioxidant levels key to prostate cancer risk in some men - Nutra USA, 3/15/05 - "Greater levels of selenium, vitamin E and the tomato carotenoid lycopene have been shown to reduce prostate cancer in one out of every four Caucasian males, or those who inherit a specific genetic variation that is particularly sensitive to oxidative stress"
• Lycopene intake linked to lower pancreatic cancer risk - Nutra USA, 3/10/05 - "lycopene, provided mainly by tomatoes, was associated with a 31 per cent reduction in pancreatic cancer risk among men in the highest quartile of intake compared with those in the lowest quartile"
• Protective Effects of Oral Antioxidants on Skin and Eye Function - Medscape, 12/17/04 - "Carotenoids used as nutritional supplements seem to play an interesting photoprotective role for both skin and eyes"
• Eat Spinach, Prevent Cataracts? - WebMD, 12/3/04 - "Our results are the first to provide physical evidence suggesting that lutein and zeaxanthin decrease damage caused by ultraviolet radiation"
• Lycopene, Nature’s Most Potent Antioxidant Shows Broad Disease-Preventive Effects - Life Extension Magazine, 12/04
• Vitamin E + Lycopene Fights Prostate Cancer - WebMD, 9/30/04 - "a combination treatment with low-dose lycopene and vitamin E had the strongest effect at slowing tumor growth -- a 73% slowing of growth on the 42nd day of the test ... The next best results came from the low dose of lycopene alone, which slowed tumor growth by 53% in the same time frame"
• Long-Term Use of Beta Carotene Beneficial - Clinical Psychiatry News, 9/04 - "there was a highly significant improvement in cognitive scores—particularly in verbal memory—among the 2,029 men with long-term exposure to the supplements, compared with the 2,020 who had been taking placebo for nearly two decades"
• Update on Lycopene - Dr. Murray's Natural Facts, 8/25/04 - "men who consumed the highest levels of lycopene (6.5 mg per day) in their diet showed a 21 percent decreased risk of prostate cancer compared with those eating the lowest levels. When the researchers looked at only advanced prostate cancer, the high lycopene eaters had an 86% decreased risk" - See iHerb or Vitacost lycopene products.
• Lutein, zeaxanthin appear to restore eye cell health - Nutra USA, 8/25/04 - "Lutein and zeaxanthin are the primary components of macular pigment and have been associated with a reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss for people over the age of 50 in the Western world"
• Full-Fat Salad Dressings Enhance Bioabsorption of Carotenoids - Medscape, 8/5/04 - "By choosing reduced-fat or fat-free salad dressings, consumers could potentially compromise their exposure to the putative bioactivity of those carotenoids in preventing heart disease, cancer, and other chronic diseases"
• A Little Fat Helps the Vegetables Go Down - WebMD, 7/27/04
• ISU Research Says Fat Good With Veggies - Intelihealth, 7/26/04 - "A bit of fat added to fresh vegetables helps bodies absorb cancer-fighting lycopene and alpha- and beta-carotenes"
• Carotenoids play role in cell communication - Nutra USA, 7/20/04
• Major study backs carotenoids' protective effects on heart - Nutra USA, 6/14/04
• Breakthrough research on lycopene - Nutra USA, 4/15/04 - "Men eating four to five tomato based-dishes per week were found to be protected by 25 per cent compared to men eating tomatoes only rarely" - See iHerb or Vitacost lycopene products.
• Carotenoids Reduce HPV Symptoms - Physician's Weekly, 2/16/04 - "Patients who increased their intake of vitamin C and consumed carotenoid-rich papaya at least once per week had a lower risk of persistent HPV in the study"
• The Prostate Cancer-Fighter - WebMD, 11/4/03 - "in rats made to develop prostate cancer in the laboratory, those who were fed a diet containing tomato powder experienced a longer survival prior to developing cancer and were 26% less likely to die from prostate cancer compared with those on a "control" diet containing no tomato or lycopene foods ... In rats fed a diet of lycopene alone, the death rates from prostate cancer were similar to those rats fed a control diet"
• Pizza Prevents Cancer? It's Part of the Mediterranean Diet - WebMD, 7/21/03 - "Gallus and colleagues sifted through diet surveys completed by 5,500 Italians ... regular pizza eaters had 34% less risk of oral cavity and pharyngeal cancer, 59% less risk of esophageal cancer, and 25% less risk of colon cancer ... Italian pizza is less than 50% crust, 20% tomato sauce, 20% mozzarella cheese, and 4% olive oil ... There's less refined carbohydrates, plus cooked tomatoes, which are a rich source of lycopene, a natural chemical that has been shown in numerous studies to protect against cancer ... We think that there's a specific compound in cooked tomatoes that is protective"
• What do you think of the new study showing that antioxidants don’t cut the risk of heart disease - Dr. Weil, 7/14/03 - "If you want to supplement your diet, take a product that provides as many members of this family of protective pigments as possible: alpha-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene, etc. As for vitamin E, most studies use synthetic alpha-tocopherol. I recommend using natural vitamin E supplements that provide all four tocopherols and all four tocotrienols"
• Beta-Carotene and Other Carotenoids Protect Skin from Ultraviolet Damage - New Hope Natural Media, 3/13/03 - "36 adults between the ages of 22 and 55 were assigned to receive one of the following: (1) 24 mg per day of beta-carotene, (2) a mixed carotenoid supplement containing 8 mg per day each of beta-carotene, lutein and lycopene, or (3) a placebo for 12 weeks. Skin redness before and 24 hours after irradiation with UV light was measured initially and after 6 and 12 weeks of supplementation ... Both groups that took the nutritional supplements containing carotenoids had a significant decrease in UV light-induced redness of the skin after 12 weeks of treatment ... since lutein and lycopene are found in high amounts in other organs, the health benefits of these substances may go beyond just protecting the skin" - [Abstract]
• Lutein for Cataract Sufferers - New Hope Natural Media, 3/13/03 - "15 individuals with age-related cataracts were randomly assigned to receive either 15 mg of lutein, 100 IU of vitamin E, or a placebo three times per week for up to two years. Visual acuity improved significantly in the lutein group, whereas no change was seen in the vitamin E and placebo groups"
• Wow, You Coulda Had Some Lycopene! - Cancer Decisions Newsletter , 1/7/03 - "Men who received the lycopene supplement had lower prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and less aggressive tumors than the non-supplemented control group. Their tumors were smaller (80 percent of the tumors were under 4 milliliters (ml) in volume, compared to 45 percent in the control group). Their cancer was much more likely to be within the surgical margins and/or confined to the prostate gland (73 percent, compared to 18 percent of the control group). And the invasion of the prostate gland by cancer-like "PIN" cells was completely prevented in this group, compared to a 33 percent incidence of "PIN" cells in the control group" - See Vitacost or iHerb lycopene products.  My favorite is Jarrow Lyco-Sorb (contains Lyco-O-Mato) at Amazon.com, which has the brand name Lyc-O-Mato.
• A Better Antioxidant [astaxanthin]? - Dr. Weil, 12/12/02 - "to my knowledge none of the specific claims for astaxanthin as a superior antioxidant have been proved in humans ... However, I do think we all need to make an effort to eat more foods containing carotenoids, including astaxanthin"
• Watermelon for Prostate Cancer? - Dr. Weil, 12/10/02 - "Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that a number of large studies have shown is particularly good at protecting against prostate, colon and rectal cancer, as well as heart disease ... contains 40 percent more lycopene than an equivalent weight of tomatoes ... The body converts about 500 different carotenoids into vitamin A ... If you don’t get enough of these foods in your diet, you may want to use an antioxidant supplement. I recommend a mixed carotenoid supplement containing lycopene, lutein, alpha-carotene, and zeaxanthin, as well as beta-carotene"
• Cancer Researchers Keen on Tomatoes - WebMD, 11/11/02 - "For example, a five-year Japanese study shows daily use of a supplement that contained a combination of natural tomato extract, beta-carotene, and vitamin E might be an effective way to reduce the risk of liver cancer in those at risk. Researchers found that patients who received the supplement had a 50% suppression of liver cancer" - See iHerb or Vitacost lycopene products.
• Should Smokers Avoid Beta-Carotene? - Dr. Weil, 9/12/02
• Carotenoid-Rich Foods Protect Against Oxidative Stress, but Carotenoids Alone Don't Provide Benefit - Doctor's Guide, 7/3/02
• High Oxidative Stress, Low Antioxidant Status In Alzheimer Disease - Doctor's Guide, 6/3/02 - "Lymphocyte DNA 8-OHdG content in people AD may thus reflect a condition of increased oxidative stress related to a poor antioxidant status ... researchers also noted a significant inverse relationship between lymphocyte DNA 8-OHdG content [a marker of oxidative damage to DNA] and plasma levels of lycopene, lutein, a-carotene and b-carotene, respectively"
• Breast Cancer May Be Thwarted By Carotenoids - Doctor's Guide, 5/23/02 - "These results suggest carotenoids may protect against development of breast cancer"
• Macular Degeneration Epidemic - Life Extension Magazine, 5/02 - "AMD patients who have begun taking high-dose lutein supplements (4 mg or more per day) appear to return to 'normal' levels after a few months. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that a long-term deficiency of macular carotenoids may be associated with higher risk of AMD"
• Common Foods Help Prevent Cancer - WebMD, 4/10/02 - "found that regular green tea drinking cut cancer risk in half ... men who ate more than two servings of tomato sauce per week had a 23% lower risk of prostate cancer than men who ate less than one serving a week"
• Tomatoes Lower Prostate Cancer Risk - WebMD, 3/4/02 - "This newest investigation "confirmed our previous findings," ... "Frequent tomato or lycopene intake was associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer. Intake of tomato sauce, the primary source of [ready available] lycopene, was associated with an even greater reduction in prostate cancer risk." ... Although all evidence points to lycopene as the beneficial ingredient, that remains to be proved" - See Jarrow Lyco-Sorb (contains Lyco-O-Mato) at Amazon.com.
• Lycopene lowers PSA - Life Extension Magazine, 1/02 - "32 mostly African American patients who had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and were awaiting radical prostatectomy were put on diets that included enough tomato sauce to provide 30 mg/day of lycopene for three weeks. Prostate cancer is more frequent and serious among African Americans than among Caucasians ... Mean serum PSA concentrations fell by 17.5%, while a measure of oxidative status fell by 21.3%. DNA damage in the cancer cells fell by 40% after three weeks, of which author Phyllis E. Bowen says, “We don’t know whether that’s good or bad.” Most important, high concentration of lycopene in prostate tissues resulted in a nearly three-fold increase in programmed cell damage among cancer cells, which is a good thing"
• Pasta Treatments for Prostate Cancer - WebMD, 12/18/01
• The Wizard is Oz - Life Extension Magazine, 11/01 - "Best-selling author and nutritional guru to the rich and famous, Oz Garcia is singing the praises of the Life Extension Foundation and its products in his newest book, The Healthy High Tech Body, published in September 2001 ... Supplements at the top of Garcia's list of recommendations ... DHA ... NADH ... Alpah Lipoic Acid ... Acetyl-L-Carnitine ... An expanded list of his recommendations includes lycopene, gamma tocopherol, vinpocetine, SAMe, folic acid, carnosine, glutathione, DMAE, Huperzine A, probiotics, MSM, secretagogues, arginine pyroglutamate, IP-6, bioflavonoid formulas and grape skin/seed extracts"
• Antioxidants, At Certain Levels, May Reduce Blood Pressure - Doctor's Guide, 11/14/01 - "increasing levels of serum beta- carotene were associated with significant reductions in systolic blood pressure, while increasing levels of serum vitamin C were associated with significant reductions in diastolic pressure ... In contrast, serum levels of vitamin E were associated with significant increases in diastolic blood pressure"
• Carrots, tomatoes keep lung cancer away - Life Extension Magazine, 9/01
• Scientists Think Roadside Berries Could Be Cancer Fighter - Intelihealth, 9/14/01
• Study Provides New Evidence That Chemical In Tomato Sauce May Help Fight Prostate Cancer, Particularly In Black Men - Intelihealth, 8/30/01 - "Researchers at the University of Illinois in Chicago fed 32 volunteers with newly diagnosed prostate cancer three-fourths cup of tomato sauce daily for three weeks ... the treatment resulted in reduced blood levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), a protein whose increased levels are strongly linked to a higher prostate cancer risk ...Researchers believe that lycopene, a red pigment with high antioxidant potential, is the most likely agent involved in this effect"
• Tomato Extract May Have Role in Slowing Prostate Cancer - WebMD, 8/10/01 - "So when the results came in, Kucuk and colleagues were startled: the men who used the lycopene supplement actually had smaller tumors than the men who did not. Even more intriguing, the tumors taken from the men who used lycopene supplement were more likely to be confined to the prostate, and less likely to have advanced beyond it."
• Newly Hip Nutrient May Stave Off Heart Disease - WebMD, 6/21/01 - "the team gave lutein supplements to two types of heart-disease prone mice. These treated mice had significantly less atherosclerosis than did similar mice that hadn't received the supplemental lutein"
• Eye-opening Zeaxanthin - Nutrition Science News, 6/01
• Tomatoes May Help Fight High Blood Pressure - Doctor's Guide, 5/20/01 - "patients were treated with a placebo for four weeks and then tomato extract (Lyc-O-Mato, LycoRed Natural Products Industries, Ltd.), for eight weeks ... Results showed a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure, from 144 mm Hg to 135 mm Hg, representing a mean 9 mm Hg reduction. Additionally, some favorable effects on diastolic blood pressure, blood lipids, lipoproteins, and oxidative stress markers were noted" - See Jarrow Lyco-Sorb (contains Lyco-O-Mato) at Amazon.com, which contains the Lyco-O-Mato.
• Lutein and Zeaxanthin Make Macular Pigment - Nutrition Science News, 1/01
• Ulcer Therapy, Vitamins May Team Up to Prevent Stomach Cancer, Drugs Halted, Healed Abnormalities With Cancer Potential - WebMD, 12/8/00 - "people who took the three-drug combination alone or in combination with vitamin C and/or beta carotene were three to five times more likely than people who received no treatment to have a reduction in the size of precancerous stomach abnormalities."
• Lutein: The Eyes Have It - Nutrition Science News, 11/00
• Lutein May Improve Vision - Life Extension Magazine, 9/00
• Phytochemicals: Nutrients Whose Time Has Come - Nutrition Science News, 7/00
• Looking For Supplements That Aid Vision - OnHealth.com, 5/2/00 - "There are over 600 carotenoids in the food we eat," says Dr. Donald S. Fong, a California ophthalmologist who has done research at the National Institutes of Health on the importance of nutrients in retinal diseases. "So if you supplement with high doses of any single one, you block the absorption of other carotenoids you may need. And, in addition, you might increase the risk of disease in other parts of the body." (a good reason to go with a supplement like Body Wise, which has dunaliella salina algae for mixed carotenoids).
• Eating Tomatoes Protects DNA - Nutrition Science News, 8/99
• LYCOPENE The Rediscovered Carotene - Life Extension Magazine, 8/99
• Cancer Prevention Diet - Nutrition Science News, 8/99
• Leafy greens may hold key to healthy eyes - CNN, 7/13/99
• Tomato Nutrient Lycopene Helps Fight Prostate Cancer - Life Enhancement Magazine, 6/99
• Chemopreventive effects of carotenoids and curcumin on mouse colon carcinogenesis - Life Extension Magazine, 6/99
• Foods That Fight Cancer - Time, 4/26/99
• Second Sight - Nutrition Science News, 4/99
• Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs, Soy Milk And Tomato Extract All Reduce Cancer Risk - Doctor's Guide, 4/16/99
• Tomato Sauce Helps Beat Might Protect against Heart Attack - Doctor's Guide, 10/15/97
• Evidence Mounting: Beta-Carotene Supplements Reduce Prostate Cancer Risk - Doctor's Guide, 5/23/97
• Vitamin supplement [beta-carotene] may help prevent prostate cancer - CNN, 5/19/97
• Researchers Credit Processed Tomato Products With Reduced Cancer Risk - Doctor's Guide, 3/3/97

Carotenoid Abstracts:

• Comparison of lycopene and fluvastatin effects on atherosclerosis induced by a high-fat diet in rabbits - Nutrition. 2008 Jun 26 - "Compared with the control, levels of total cholesterol, total triacylglycerol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, malonaldehyde, oxidized low-density lipoprotein, and interleukin-1 were increased and total antioxidant capacity and nitric oxide were decreased in the animals with a high-fat diet (P < 0.05). Intragastric administration of lycopene counteracted the change in these parameters (P < 0.05). In this case, the data showed that lycopene in the used dose was better than the fluvastatin intervention. Morphologic analysis revealed that lycopene and fluvastatin markedly reduced the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in the aorta compared with the situation in rabbits on a high-fat diet alone ... Lycopene, like fluvastatin, significantly attenuated atherogenesis in rabbits fed a high-fat diet" - See Jarrow Lyco-Sorb (contains Lyco-O-Mato) at Amazon.com.
• Total plasma carotenoids and mortality in the elderly: results of the Epidemiology of Vascular Ageing (EVA) study - Br J Nutr. 2008 May 29:1-7 - "After controlling for potential confounding factors, mortality risk increased significantly in men (P = 0.03) with plasma carotenoids in the lowest quintile compared with men with plasma carotenoids in the highest (relative risk 2.94 (95 % CI 1.21, 7.17)). A significant association between mortality by cancer and low plasma carotenoid level variable was also found in men (unit = 1 mumol/l; relative risk 1.72 (95 % CI 1.02, 2.86); P = 0.01)" - See Jarrow Formulas, CarotenALL, Mixed Carotenoid Complex at Amazon.com.  I think the problem with beta-carotene in smokers was due to the fact that taking large doses of a single carotenoid has been shown to reduce levels of the others.  There are over 600 carotenoids.
• Low plasma carotenoids and skeletal muscle strength decline over 6 years - J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2008 Apr;63(4):376-83 - "These findings suggest that older community-dwelling adults with lower plasma carotenoids levels, a marker of poor fruit and vegetable intake, are at a higher risk of decline in skeletal muscle strength over time" - See Jarrow Formulas, CarotenALL, Mixed Carotenoid Complex at Amazon.com.
• Astaxanthin improves muscle lipid metabolism in exercise via inhibitory effect of oxidative CPT I modification - Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2008 Feb 22;366(4):892-7 - "Astaxanthin increased fat utilization during exercise compared with mice on a normal diet with prolongation of the running time to exhaustion. Colocalization of fatty acid translocase with carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT I) in skeletal muscle was increased by astaxanthin. We also found that hexanoyl-lysine modification of CPT I was increased by exercise, while astaxanthin prevented this increase. In additional experiment, we found that astaxanthin treatment accelerated the decrease of body fat accumulation with exercise training"
• Dietary carotenoids, vitamins C and e, and risk of cataract in women: a prospective study - Arch Ophthalmol. 2008 Jan;126(1):102-9 - "In these prospective observational data from a large cohort of female health professionals, higher dietary intakes of lutein/zeaxanthin and vitamin E from food and supplements were associated with significantly decreased risks of cataract"
• Lycopene inhibits disease progression in patients with benign prostate hyperplasia - J Nutr. 2008 Jan;138(1):49-53 - "Whereas progression of prostate enlargement occurred in the placebo group as assessed by trans-rectal ultrasonography (P < 0.05) and digital rectal examination (P < 0.01), the prostate did not enlarge in the lycopene group. Symptoms of the disease, as assessed via the International Prostate Symptom Score questionnaire, were improved in both groups with a significantly greater effect in men taking lycopene supplements" - See Jarrow Lyco-Sorb at Amazon.com.
• J Nutr. 2008 Jan;138(1):49-53Lycopene Inhibits Disease Progression in Patients with Benign Prostate Hyperplasia - J Nutr. 2008 Jan;138(1):49-53 - "Symptoms of the disease, as assessed via the International Prostate Symptom Score questionnaire, were improved in both groups with a significantly greater effect in men taking lycopene supplements. In conclusion, lycopene inhibited progression of BPH" - See Jarrow Lyco-Sorb (contains Lyco-O-Mato) at Amazon.com.
• J Nutr. 2008 Jan;138(1):49-53Lycopene Inhibits Disease Progression in Patients with Benign Prostate Hyperplasia - J Nutr. 2008 Jan;138(1):49-53 - "Symptoms of the disease, as assessed via the International Prostate Symptom Score questionnaire, were improved in both groups with a significantly greater effect in men taking lycopene supplements. In conclusion, lycopene inhibited progression of BPH"
• J Nutr. 2008 Jan;138(1):49-53Lycopene Inhibits Disease Progression in Patients with Benign Prostate Hyperplasia - J Nutr. 2008 Jan;138(1):49-53 - "Symptoms of the disease, as assessed via the International Prostate Symptom Score questionnaire, were improved in both groups with a significantly greater effect in men taking lycopene supplements. In conclusion, lycopene inhibited progression of BPH"
• Lycopene and soy isoflavones in the treatment of prostate cancer - Nutr Cancer. 2007;59(1):1-7 - "The data suggest that lycopene and soy isoflavones have activity in prostate cancer patients with PSA relapse disease and may delay progression of both hormone-refractory and hormone-sensitive prostate cancer"
• Plasma carotenoids and prostate cancer: a population-based case-control study in Arkansas - Nutr Cancer. 2007;59(1):46-53 - "This study added to the emerging evidence that high circulating levels of lycopene, lutein/zeaxanthin, and beta-cryptoxanthin are associated with a low risk of prostate cancer" - See Jarrow Formulas, CarotenALL, Mixed Carotenoid Complex at Amazon.com.
• Lycopene and lutein inhibit proliferation in rat prostate carcinoma cells - Nutr Cancer. 2007;58(2):171-7 - "These studies are consistent with epidemiological studies that show inverse relationships of these carotenoids with prostate cancer" - See Jarrow Formulas, CarotenALL, Mixed Carotenoid Complex at Amazon.com.
• Plasma carotenoid levels and cognitive performance in an elderly population: results of the EVA Study - J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2007 Mar;62(3):308-16 - "participants with the lowest cognitive functioning (<25th percentile) had a higher probability of having low levels of specific plasma carotenoids (<1st quartile): lycopene and zeaxanthin. For zeaxanthin, odds ratios (ORs) were as follows: OR(DSS) = 1.97 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.21-3.20), OR(FTT) = 1.70 (CI = 1.05-2.74), and OR(WFT) = 1.82 (CI = 1.08-3.07); for lycopene, OR(DSS) = 1.93 (CI = 1.20-3.12) and OR(TMTB) = 1.64"
• Tomato juice decreases LDL cholesterol levels and increases LDL resistance to oxidation - Br J Nutr. 2007 Jul 9;:1-8 - "a high dietary intake of tomato products had atheroprotective effects, it significantly reduced LDL cholesterol levels, and increased LDL resistance to oxidation in healthy normocholesterolaemic adults. These atheroprotective features associated with changes in serum lycopene, beta-carotene and gamma-carotene levels"
• Dietary carotenoids and risk of breast cancer in Chinese women - Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2007;16 Suppl:437-42 - "higher intake of lycopene, beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin is associated to a lower risk of breast cancer among Chinese women"
• Tea and lycopene protect against prostate cancer - Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2007;16 Suppl:453-7 - "The protective effect of green tea was significant (odds ratio 0.14, 95% CI: 0.06-0.35) for the highest quartile relative to the lowest after adjusting for total vegetables and fruits intakes and other potential confounding factors. Intakes of vegetables and fruits rich in lycopene were also inversely associated with prostate cancer risk (odds ratio 0.18 ... habitual drinking tea and intakes of vegetables and fruits rich in lycopene could lead to a reduced risk of prostate cancer in Chinese men. Together they have a stronger preventive effect than either component taken separately"
• Tomatoes, tomato products and lycopene in the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer: do we have the evidence from intervention studies? - Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2006 Nov;9(6):722-7 - "Increasing evidence suggests that a single serving of tomatoes or tomato products ingested daily may contribute to protect from DNA damage. As DNA damage seems to be involved in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer, the regular ingestion of tomatoes or tomato products might prevent the disease"
• Associations between intermediate age-related macular degeneration and lutein and zeaxanthin in the Carotenoids in Age-related Eye Disease Study (CAREDS): ancillary study of the Women's Health Initiative - Arch Ophthalmol. 2006 Aug;124(8):1151-62 - "Diets rich in lutein plus zeaxanthin may protect against intermediate AMD in healthy women younger than 75 years"
• Vitamin and carotenoid status in older women: associations with the frailty syndrome - J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2006 Jun;61(6):600-7 - "Frail women are more likely to have relatively low serum carotenoid and micronutrient concentrations and are more likely to have multiple micronutrient deficiencies"
• Lutein supplementation in retinitis pigmentosa: PC-based vision assessment in a randomized double-masked placebo-controlled clinical trial - BMC Ophthalmol. 2006 Jun 7;6(1):23 - "These results suggest that lutein supplementation improves visual field and also might improve visual acuity slightly, although these results should be interpreted cautiously. As a combined phase I and II clinical trial, this study demonstrated the efficacy and safety of lutein supplementation"
• Association of carotene rich diet with hypogonadism in a male athlete - Asian J Androl. 2006 Jul;8(4):488-92 - "This is the first report associating excessive carotene intake with a hypothalamic form of hypogonadism in a young man"
• Association of abdominal obesity with decreased serum levels of carotenoids in a healthy Japanese population - Clin Nutr. 2006 May 12 - "abdominal fat accumulation is associated with oxidative stress as determined by low levels of serum carotenoids in females"
• Combined Lycopene and Vitamin E Treatment Suppresses the Growth of PC-346C Human Prostate Cancer Cells in Nude Mice - J Nutr. 2006 May;136(5):1287-93 - "lycopene combined with vitamin E may inhibit the growth of prostate cancer"
• Natural antioxidants from tomato extract reduce blood pressure in patients with grade-1 hypertension: a double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study - Am Heart J. 2006 Jan;151(1):100 - "Systolic blood pressure decreased from 144 (SE +/- 1.1) to 134 mm Hg (SE +/- 2, P < .001), and diastolic blood pressure decreased from 87.4 (SE +/- 1.2) to 83.4 mm Hg" - See Jarrow Lyco-Sorb (contains Lyco-O-Mato) at Amazon.com.
• Diabetes mellitus and serum carotenoids: findings of a population-based study in Queensland, Australia - Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Sep;82(3):685-93 - "Serum carotenoids are inversely associated with type 2 diabetes and impaired glucose metabolism. Randomized trials of diets high in carotenoid-rich vegetables and fruit are needed to confirm these results and those from other observational studies. Such evidence would have very important implications for the prevention of diabetes"
• Lycopene--a natural antioxidant - Orv Hetil. 2005 Jul 31;146(31):1621-4 - "Lycopene is the most powerful antioxidant amongst carotenoids. Beside the antioxidant effect it influences the expression of various proteins (enzymes of biotransformation, cyclin D1, connexins). According to epidemiologic studies tomato lycopene may reduce the risk of prostate cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Positive effects are also hypothesized in case of other diseases such as osteoporosis, neurodegenerative diseases and hypertension" - See Jarrow Lyco-Sorb (contains Lyco-O-Mato) at Amazon.com.
• Dietary Intake of Lycopene Is Associated with Reduced Pancreatic Cancer Risk - J Nutr. 2005 Mar;135(3):592-597 - "After adjustment for age, province, BMI, smoking, educational attainment, dietary folate, and total energy intake, lycopene, provided mainly by tomatoes, was associated with a 31% reduction in pancreatic cancer risk among men"
• Lutein absorption is facilitated with cosupplementation of ascorbic acid in young adults - J Am Diet Assoc. 2005 Jan;105(1):114-8 - "Cosupplementation with another antioxidant may facilitate absorption"
• Lycopene, ß-carotene, and colorectal adenomas -Am  J  of Clin Nutr, Vol. 78, No. 6, 1219-1224, 12/03 - "Our findings support the hypothesis that lycopene contributes to the protective effect of high tomato intakes against the risk of colorectal adenomas"
• Synthetic and tomato-based lycopene have identical bioavailability in humans - Eur J Nutr. 2003 Oct;42(5):272-8 - "synthetic and natural lycopene are equivalent sources of lycopene and that there is no interaction with other circulating carotenoids"
• Dietary supplementation with a natural carotenoid mixture decreases oxidative stress - Eur J Clin Nutr. 2003 Sep;57(9):1135-40 - "Consumption of the natural carotenoid mixture lowered the increase in oxidative stress induced by the fish oil ... The carotenoid mixture also enhanced the plasma triglyceride-lowering effect of the fish oil" - See my favorite, Jarrow Formulas, CarotenALL at Amazon.com.
• Dietary carotenoids and risk of coronary artery disease in women - Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Jun;77(6):1390-9 - "Higher intakes of foods rich in alpha-carotene or beta-carotene are associated with a reduction in risk of CAD"
• Dietary intakes and plasma concentrations of carotenoids and tocopherols in relation to glucose metabolism in subjects at high risk of type 2 diabetes: the Botnia Dietary Study - Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Jun;77(6):1434-41 - "The data suggest an advantageous association of carotenoids, which are markers of fruit and vegetable intake, with glucose metabolism in men at high risk of type 2 diabetes"
• Non-nutritive bioactive constituents of plants: lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin - Int J Vitam Nutr Res 2003 Mar;73(2):95-100 - "These carotenoids are efficient antioxidants quenching singlet molecular oxygen which is formed in photooxidative processes and thus may contribute to the prevention of light-exposed tissue, skin and eyes, from light-induced damage. Increasing lycopene intake by daily consumption of tomato paste over a period of ten weeks provides protection against erythema formation following UV-irradiation. Lycopene and other carotenoids may be used as oral sun protectants and contribute to the maintenance of skin health ... These macula carotenoids are suggested to play a role in protection against light-dependent damage. Filtering of blue light and scavenging of reactive intermediates generated in photooxidation are considered to be the underlying protective mechanisms. Epidemiological studies provide evidence that an increased consumption of lutein is associated with a lowered risk for age-related macular degeneration, a disease with increasing incidence in the elderly"
• Dietary carotenoids, vegetables, and lung cancer risk in women: the Missouri women's health study - Cancer Causes Control 2003 Feb;14(1):85-96 - "beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein + zeaxanthin, and total carotenoid intake were each associated with a significantly lower risk of lung cancer" - Note:  Beta-carotene is just one of over 600 carotenoids.  Some feel that taking mega-doses of just one can cause a deficiency of the others.