Boston, MA—Nearly every woman is concerned about lowering her risk of breast cancer, and increasing carotenoid levels may be part of the solution.

A new meta-analysis published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute compiled information from 80% of studies on carotenoid blood levels and breast cancer published worldwide. In total, the data bank included 3,055 case subjects and 3,956 matched control subjects.

Overall, there were “statistically significant inverse associations” found between breast cancer and alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein plus zeaxanthin, lycopene and total carotenoids. According to the researchers, estrogen receptor negative tumors were especially less prevalent in women with higher carotenoid levels.

The team was based worldwide, corresponding author A. Heather Eliassen from Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, located here.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, February 2013 (online 12/21/12)