Vitamin A can be obtained through diet or created in the body, if a person eats beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is the best known of a family of pigments known as carotenoids. The lesser-known ones include zeaxanthin, lutein and lycopene. Judging from a growing amount of research, diets rich in carotenoids may reduce the risk of a variety of seemingly age-related diseases.

In 1991, researchers reported that low levels of lycopene in the bloodstream were associated with an increased risk of pancreatic, bladder and rectal cancers. In 1995, another group of researchers reported that there was a strong inverse connection between intake lycopene and prostate cancer risk. 

Published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the researchers recommended increased intake of fruits and vegetables of all kinds. They also suggested that tomato-based foods were especially beneficial for reducing the risk.

The US Food and Drug Administration agrees that there may be some benefit. They believe that the evidence is compelling but not conclusive. The FDA recommends the consumption of ½ to 1 cup of tomatoes and/or tomato sauce per week. 

What's interesting is that the nutrient content of those two foods are not similar. A half cup of tomato sauce provides 19.4mg of lycopene, while a medium sized fresh tomato provides only 3.7mg. So, the FDA is not making a specific recommendation for nutrient intake.

In truth, it is difficult for researchers to determine the preventive benefit of any nutrient or even of any drug. It would be necessary to look at a wide range of factors that could contribute to an increased or decreased risk of a disease. 

In addition to looking at the relationship between lycopene and prostate cancer, a number of other risk factors have been identified, including genetics. Low blood levels of vitamin D were recently linked to an increased risk of the disease as well as many other types of cancer.

USDA surveys indicate that many people are not meeting their minimum daily requirements for vitamin D. Doctors' observational studies have confirmed those findings. 

It is important to choose your dietary supplements carefully. Unless the label specifies that all of the ingredients are from natural sources, you could be increasing your exposure to petrochemicals. Vitamins derived from crude oil, particularly vitamin A, E and other common ones, are what you'll find in the cheap supplements on the market.

Proving a certain link between low intake of lycopene and prostate cancer risk may never be possible. We hope that increasing our nutrient intake will reduce our risk of various diseases. For that reason, we choose a good multi-nutritional supplement that contains a mixture of the natural carotenoids. 

One thing that research has shown beyond a shadow of a doubt is that diets rich in fruits and vegetables are healthier; however, the nutrient content of those foods varies greatly. The only way to really be sure  that you are meeting the body's nutrient needs is to take a supplement. The connection between lycopene and prostate cancer may be vague. But, there's no doubt that good nutrition is important.