You’ve probably heard a thousand times that fruits and vegetables are good for you. But one particular plant pigment found in tomatoes, carrots, and oranges has now caught scientists’ attention more than you might expect. We’re talking about phytoene, a compound that in lab experiments extended worms’ lifespan by nearly one-fifth.

Spanish and British researchers tested phytoene in the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans, which is one of the most widely used model organisms in aging research. The results were striking. Worms that received this compound lived 10 to 18.6 percent longer than those that did not.

This may sound modest, but in aging research, it’s a remarkable effect. And it wasn’t just about longevity. The worms were also more resistant to oxidative stress—the process that damages cells and is linked to aging and many chronic diseases.

Phytoene Largely Flew Under the Radar for Years

Phytoene belongs to the carotenoid family, but unlike better-known relatives such as beta-carotene or lycopene, it doesn’t give food an obvious color. It’s colorless, and that’s one reason it long seemed like just an intermediate compound rather than a molecule with its own biological effects.

Yet a team from the Universities of Seville and Kent has been studying it for years. Phytoene can be found in tomatoes, carrots, apricots, red peppers, oranges, mandarins, and passion fruit. According to the researchers, it’s also important that our bodies can absorb phytoene and that it accumulates in various tissues, including the skin.

The researchers tested not only pure phytoene but also extracts from microalgae that contained high concentrations of the compound. Both forms worked similarly well in the experiments.

In an Alzheimer’s Model, Phytoene Slowed Damage to the Organism

Even more interesting than the lifespan extension were the results seen in a model of Alzheimer’s disease. The scientists used worms in which the protein amyloid-beta42 accumulated. This protein is associated with amyloid plaques, one of the pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease.

Phytoene reduced the toxic effects of amyloid-beta42 by roughly 30 to 40 percent in this model. In practical terms, that meant the onset of paralysis was delayed and the animals stayed in better condition for longer.

It’s important to stress that this research does not prove phytoene stops Alzheimer’s disease in humans. For now, it only suggests that phytoene might help temper some of the harmful processes linked to the buildup of problematic proteins.

It Wasn’t Just About Living Longer—Phytoene Impressed in Other Ways

The scientists also noticed another effect. Phytoene boosted the worms’ resilience to oxidative stress. At certain doses, their survival in these harsh conditions improved by up to 53 percent. Oxidative stress is closely tied to aging, neurodegeneration, and cellular damage.

Since phytoene accumulates in the skin and some studies suggest it could help protect against UV radiation, it may also play a role in skin-aging research. In more recent experiments, phytoene-rich extracts strengthened the worms’ protective barrier and improved the integrity of their outer layer, hinting at possible applications for skin-aging science.

In early tests on human cell models, phytoene also showed protective effects against oxidative damage. Researchers observed mild anti-cancer activity in colorectal cancer cells, though again this is very preliminary and far from proof of a therapeutic effect in people.

Microalgae Emerge as a Promising Source of Phytoene

One of the most intriguing sources of phytoene is microalgae. Unlike conventional crops, microalgae grow quickly, require little space, and can produce high concentrations of beneficial compounds.

The researchers worked with the species Chlorella sorokiniana and Dunaliella bardawil. Both contained enough phytoene to produce effects similar to the pure compound in the experiments.

Microalgae are already used in dietary supplements and food products. As interest in healthier and more sustainable nutrient sources grows, their importance could increase further.

So Far, Research Has Relied on a Simple Model Organism

You might think worms are a long way from humans. But Caenorhabditis elegans is no ordinary lab organism. Scientists have used it to make Nobel Prize-winning discoveries related to programmed cell death, RNA interference, and the use of the GFP protein.

Still, that doesn’t mean whatever works in worms will automatically work the same way in people. The authors of the study themselves emphasize that these are preliminary findings and that they now aim to secure funding for further research to pinpoint the exact mechanisms of phytoene’s action.

According to Dr. Paula Mapelli Brahm, the results are very encouraging but still represent only the first step. Before these findings can be translated into practical human applications, scientists will need much more data.