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Betacarotene for tanning
I am feeling very pale and pasty after the winter and since summer is still not here, wondered if there was such a thing as a natural tanning pill? I’ve heard that people use high doses of beta-carotene but then turn orange which is not very desirable!
Beta-carotene is a dietary source of vitamin A - and while you are safe to take dosages of up to 300mg a day, since this is a fat-soluble nutrient, higher doses will accumulate in the body to cause the skin discolouration you have been alerted to.
It is true that a combination of betacarotene (25mg a day) taken alongside vitamin E (500 International Units) can help protect the sensitive fairer skin from sunburn and promote faster tanning, but this is not going to give you a fake tan if that is what you are looking for.
You would also need to take the above dosages for 12 weeks to get maximum results; so if you are planning to spend the summer in the sun, it would be sensible to start this regimen now and since animal studies suggest this same combination can also help protect against skin cancers and premature ageing, you will not be doing your skin any harm.
If you smoke, your skin will certainly benefit from an increased intake of beta-carotene because lower levels of this nutrient have been reported among both active and passive smokers.
Both beta-carotene and vitamin E are widely on sale in good health stores but make sure you buy a naturally-sourced vitamin E which the body can better utilise.