This review was written by Patrick T.
Subject: Tomato extract protects skin; German vegans "protected"?
A couple of interesting studies out of Europe. I thought that the
study showing that "tomato extract" was superior to "synthetic
lycopene" is another way of expressing the universalizable concept
that the "blend of phytochemicals" is always better than lunging at
an individual chemical as the fountain of youth. They work together
in a "thrumming concerto of the nanoworld" that has been orchestrated
by millenia of evolution, and any attempts to outsmart this
arrangement using the mere scintillas of insight we are able to glean
from the Cubist "snapshots" of reality generated from the chemistry
world are frequently predestined for ignominious refutation.
And, they looked at some vegans in Germany, and made some rather
interesting observations using indices of "health" that I do not see
frequently. Vitamin E to cholesterol ratio? Well, in any case, they
thought the vegans we in "good health".
Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2005 Jan;75(1):54-60.
"Compared to week 0, the delta a-value at week 12 was 25% lower in
the synthetic lycopene group. The protective effect was more
pronounced in the Lyc-o-Mato (38%) and Lyc-o-Guard-Drink (48%)
groups. In the two latter groups, phytofluene and phytoene may have
contributed to protection. Both of these carotenoids exhibit
absorption maxima at wavelengths of UV light. Absorption of UV light
protects skin from photodamage and might explain the differences
observed between groups." - PMID: 15830922
Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2005 Jan;75(1):28-36.
"Comparisons are made with dietary reference intakes and established
threshold values (ETV) for blood concentrations. Mean intakes of
vitamin C, E, and beta-carotene were higher than actual
recommendations, but comparable to reported intakes in other vegan
cohorts. Mean blood concentrations were 0.76 micromol/L for
beta-carotene and 117 micromol/L for vitamin C, so that nearly all
participants showed concentrations that were above the ETV for the
prevention of chronic diseases. Although mean vitamin E intake was
24.8 mg/day, only 32% of female and 18% of male participants showed
plasma concentrations above the ETV. However, the mean vitamin
E/cholesterol ratio was high (5.97), indicating a good protection of
low-density lipoprotein (LDL) against peroxidation. Of the reported
antioxidant vitamins, only plasma vitamin C concentration was a good
biomarker of fruit and vegetable intake. The high concentration of
antioxidative compounds in plasma may be one of the reasons for the
lower incidence of chronic diseases in people consuming a plant-only
diet." - PMID: 15830918
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstra
ct&list_uids=15830922
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstra
ct&list_uids=15830918