A new study from Ohio State University suggests that a tomato-soy juice enriched with lycopene and soy isoflavones may lower markers of inflammation in adults with obesity after four weeks, offering another look at how food-based interventions could influence chronic disease risk. The findings were published recently in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. ([news-medical.net](https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260526/Tomato-soy-juice-curbs-inflammation-in-obese-adults.aspx))
What the researchers tested
In the small crossover trial, 12 healthy adults with obesity drank two 6-ounce cans of tomato-soy juice each day for four weeks, then switched after a washout period to a control tomato juice with lower carotenoid content for another four weeks. Researchers measured blood cytokines before and after each phase to see whether the intervention changed inflammation-related proteins. ([news-medical.net](https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260526/Tomato-soy-juice-curbs-inflammation-in-obese-adults.aspx))
Only the tomato-soy juice produced significant reductions in three cytokines: interleukin-5, interleukin-12p70 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. The study also found a downward trend in tumor necrosis factor alpha, though that result was not statistically significant. ([news-medical.net](https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260526/Tomato-soy-juice-curbs-inflammation-in-obese-adults.aspx))
Why the drink drew attention
According to the report, the juice combines plant compounds that have been linked in previous research to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The researchers said they wanted to test whether those effects could be observed in people rather than relying on laboratory or animal findings alone. ([news-medical.net](https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260526/Tomato-soy-juice-curbs-inflammation-in-obese-adults.aspx))
Urine metabolite analysis added another layer to the results. The team said both the tomato-soy juice and the control juice produced some shared metabolic changes, but soy isoflavone-related shifts stood out in the tomato-soy phase, supporting the idea that the intervention was affecting human biology. ([news-medical.net](https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260526/Tomato-soy-juice-curbs-inflammation-in-obese-adults.aspx))
Potential next step in pancreatitis research
The Ohio State group has already received funding for a pilot clinical trial to test whether the same tomato-soy juice can reduce inflammation in patients with pancreatitis. The researchers said their long-term goal is to determine whether food-based approaches can help modulate inflammation in a rigorous clinical setting. ([news-medical.net](https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260526/Tomato-soy-juice-curbs-inflammation-in-obese-adults.aspx))
For now, the findings are preliminary and come from a very small study, but they add to a growing body of interest in functional foods as possible tools for supporting metabolic health. The authors said additional investigation will be needed to understand the full impact of the beverage and whether the effects can translate into clinical benefit. ([news-medical.net](https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260526/Tomato-soy-juice-curbs-inflammation-in-obese-adults.aspx))
