Guide
How to compare lycopene prices
Comparing lycopene supplements on bottle price alone is misleading; the numbers that matter are price per serving and price per milligram of actual lycopene, since a high total milligram number on a label is usually a blend weight, not the lycopene content.
Comparing lycopene supplements by bottle price alone is misleading. The two numbers that actually let you compare are price per serving (bottle price ÷ servings in the bottle) and price per milligram of lycopene (price per serving ÷ the actual lycopene content) — and that second number depends on reading the label correctly, since the big milligram figure on the front is usually a blend weight, not pure lycopene.
Price per serving: the first calculation
Divide the bottle price by the number of servings, not the number of capsules — some labels use a 2- or 3-capsule serving, which changes the math. A $20 bottle of 60 capsules at one capsule per serving is $0.33/serving; the same $20 bottle at two capsules per serving is $0.67/serving. Check the "servings per container" line before comparing two products.
Price per milligram of lycopene: the number that actually matters
A supplement facts panel often lists two numbers: a total extract or blend weight (sometimes 500 mg or more) and, separately, the actual lycopene content in milligrams — usually a much smaller figure, often 10-20 mg. A "Lycopene 500 mg" claim on the front of a bottle is almost always that blend weight, not 500 mg of isolated lycopene, which would be far above the 10-25 mg used in research — see how much lycopene to take a day for that comparison. Divide your price per serving by the actual lycopene milligrams, not the blend weight, to get a comparable price per milligram across brands.
Why otherwise similar products are priced differently
Synthetic lycopene, tomato-extract lycopene and oil-based beadlet formulations carry different raw-material and manufacturing costs, which is one honest source of price variation beyond marketing. A product using a standardized tomato extract (with a stated percentage of lycopene) generally costs more to produce than a synthetic source at the same milligram output, though neither form has research showing it works better than the other at a matched dose.
A quick way to compare two products
- Find the actual lycopene milligrams per serving on each panel (not the blend weight).
- Divide each bottle's price by its servings to get price per serving.
- Divide price per serving by lycopene milligrams to get price per milligram.
- Compare that final number, not the bottle price or the blend-weight claim on the front.
Questions people ask
Are lycopene supplements worth it?
That depends on what outcome you're comparing it against and at what price — see lycopene benefits: what the research does and doesn't show for what's actually documented before deciding whether a given price is worth paying.
Why do some lycopene supplements cost so much more than others?
Differences in the source (synthetic vs. tomato extract), the format (softgel vs. capsule vs. powder), and whether the blend weight or the actual lycopene content is what's being priced all contribute — calculate price per milligram of actual lycopene before assuming a higher price means more product.
Related reading: how much lycopene to take a day, how to choose a good lycopene supplement, and lycopene without fillers.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.