Daily intake of a lycopene-rich juice is associated with reductions in inflammatory markers but not increases in skin carotenoids in a pilot study among participants with obesity

Authors: JILCOTT PITTS, STEPHANIE - East Carolina University; WU, QIANG - East Carolina University; LASKA, MELISSA - University Of Minnesota; GATES, ELIZABETH - East Carolina University; SEESE, MEGUMI - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); SENKUS, KATELYN - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); LONGLAX, SANTIAGO - Baylor College Of Medicine; PORTILLO-VARELA, ALEXANDRA - Baylor College Of Medicine; DINARDO, ANDREW - Baylor College Of Medicine; MORAN, NANCY - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)

Submitted to: BMC Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2025
Publication Date: 12/19/2025
Citation: Jilcott Pitts, S.B., Wu, Q., Laska, M.N., Gates, E., Seese, M.H., Senkus, K.E., Longlax, S.C., Portillo-Varela, A., Dinardo, A.R., Moran, N.E. 2025. Daily intake of a lycopene-rich juice is associated with reductions in inflammatory markers but not increases in skin carotenoids in a pilot study among participants with obesity. BMC Nutrition. 12. Article 11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-025-01222-y.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-025-01222-y

Interpretive Summary: Obesity is linked to long-term inflammation in the body, which can raise the risks of diseases like heart disease and diabetes. Carotenoids are natural compounds found in fruits and vegetables that may help lower inflammation. However, we do not fully understand how short-term intake of carotenoid-rich foods affects inflammation in people with obesity. In this study, 25 adults with obesity drank 4 ounces of tomato juice every day for 3 weeks. This juice provided a high amount of lycopene, a type of carotenoid. Participants were asked to keep their usual diets the same. Researchers measured carotenoid levels in the blood and skin, and tested several markers of inflammation before and after the 3-week period. Most participants followed the plan closely, with all drinking at least 83% of the juice provided. After 3 weeks, lycopene levels in the blood increased. However, skin carotenoid scores measured by the device did not change. Several markers of inflammation decreased, suggesting that the tomato juice may have helped reduce inflammation in the body. In conclusion, drinking a small amount of lycopene-rich tomato juice daily for 3 weeks increased blood lycopene levels and reduced some signs of inflammation in adults with obesity. More research is needed to better understand how carotenoids help lower inflammation.

Technical Abstract: Obesity is associated with systemic inflammation, increasing chronic disease risk. Carotenoids possess anti-inflammatory properties, yet the short-term impact of carotenoid-rich juice intake on inflammation in individuals with obesity remains unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this paper was to examine: (1) participant adherence to a 3-week lycopene-rich juice intervention; (2) variance and effect sizes of responses to the dietary intervention; (3) changes in skin and plasma carotenoids, and inflammatory markers among adults with obesity. Twenty-five participants with body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m**2 were recruited and completed the study. Participants drank 4 ounces (118.3 mL) of study-provided tomato juice, providing 8400 ug lycopene daily, for 3 weeks. Participants were asked to keep their diets isocaloric and to continue with the habitual diet. Skin and plasma carotenoids were measured at baseline and at 3-weeks, using reflection spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography, respectively. Thirteen inflammatory markers and C-reactive protein were quantified, and 3-week changes were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Results: Mean age was 38.6 (10.7) years and mean BMI was 35.9 (4.1) kg/m**2. Ten participants drank 83–99% and 15 participants drank 100% of the juice assigned. Effect sizes for inflammatory markers ranged from Cohen's d=0.07 to d=0.57. There was a significant 3-week increase in plasma lycopene concentrations (9.72 (-1.04, 14.1) ug/dL, p=0.029), but not in concentrations of other plasma carotenoids (p>0.273). There was no change in skin carotenoid scores (p=0.592); however, there was a reduction in IL-1ß, TNF-', IL-6, IL-17 A, IL-12p70, IL-23, IL-33 out of 13 inflammatory markers tested (p<0.037). A 3-week lycopene rich juice intervention was associated with an increase in plasma lycopene and a reduction in inflammatory markers. There was not an increase in skin carotenoid scores. More research is needed to further understand the mechanisms by which carotenoid intake can influence inflammation among adults with obesity.