Lycopene intake and uterine fibroids in Black women over five years
What it found
Higher lycopene intake made no clear difference to the chance of developing uterine fibroids in 1,230 Black women followed for about five years.
The same was true for other carotenoids and vitamin A.
What they found
Studies in people
Lycopene and fibroid risk
Women were split into four groups based on how much lycopene they ate, from under 2,376 micrograms a day to 4,818 or more. The chance of getting fibroids was about the same across all four groups.
Other carotenoids and vitamin A
Intakes of alpha carotene, beta carotene, cryptoxanthin, lutein-zeaxanthin, and vitamin A also showed no clear link to fibroid development. Taking vitamin A or beta carotene supplements made no appreciable difference either.
Body size and fat intake
The researchers checked whether body weight, smoking, or dietary fat changed the results. None of these factors altered the lack of link between carotenoids and fibroids.
Other findings
Top lycopene foods
Among the women studied, the top five sources of lycopene were spaghetti with meat sauce, pizza, tomato juice, catsup, and watermelon.
What the authors conclude
- They say their findings do not support the idea that eating more lycopene or other carotenoids lowers the chance of getting uterine fibroids.
- Their results match two earlier US studies in women, even though animal tests in quail had suggested a benefit.
- They suggest it is unlikely that carotenoid intake prevents fibroids in people.
How it was done
Uterine fibroids are a leading reason for hysterectomies in the United States and cost more than $2.2 billion each year. Earlier work in quail suggested lycopene might shrink similar growths, but past studies in women relied on self-reported diagnoses that can miss many cases.
Researchers followed 1,230 Black women aged 23 to 35 in Detroit who did not have fibroids at the start. Women filled out food questionnaires to estimate their daily intake of lycopene and other nutrients. They received ultrasound checks at the start and every 20 months for about five years to look for new fibroids.
What it can’t tell you
- This study followed women over time, so it can show a link but cannot prove that lycopene causes or prevents fibroids.
- Diet was only measured once at the start using questionnaires, which may not reflect what women actually ate over the full five years.
- The researchers did not measure carotenoid levels in the blood, so they could not confirm exactly how much reached the body's tissues.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by NIEHS NIH HHS (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- Conflict of interest disclosures: None.
- Authors work at
- Boston University School of Public Health, MA; Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, DC; National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, NC
The paper
- Title
- Intake of Lycopene and other Carotenoids and Incidence of Uterine Leiomyomata: A Prospective Ultrasound Study
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Wise LA, Wesselink AK, Bethea TN, et al (2021). Intake of Lycopene and other Carotenoids and Incidence of Uterine Leiomyomata: A Prospective Ultrasound Study. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2020.08.013Free full textPubMed 33350944DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error