Tanning Pills - Are Beta Carotene and Canthaxantin Good or Bad?
Natural tanning pills usually come in two types. The first type contain tyrosine which may fuel the body's natural tanning process because tyrosine is the nutrient that is converted into melanin (the brown skin pigment) in the process of tanning. The second type is entirely different. These are tanning tablets that contain various pigments that are consumed with the hope of being deposited in the skin and imparting a nice colour. Namely, these pigments usually canthaxanthin and beta carotene. Canthaxanthin is a pigment which is widely distributed in nature. It was first isolated in edible mushrooms and has also been found in bacteria, crustaceans and fish such as carp, golden mullet and seabream.
Canthaxanthin is used in farm-raised trout and is used in combination with astaxanthin for some salmon feeds. When ingested, canthaxanthin is deposited in the skin and imparts a golden orange hue causing some companies to market tanning pills that contain canthaxanthin. However, canthaxanthin tanning pills have been associated with health problems, including an eye disorder called canthaxanthin retinopathy (the formation of yellow deposits on the eye's retina). Clearly such effects have given tan pills a bad name. But is there an alternative? Beta carotene is a red-orange pigment abundant in plants and fruits. It is a precursor of vitamin A (pro-vitamin A) and the most common form of carotene. The most common side effect of beta carotene consumption is carotenodermia, a harmless condition that presents as a bronze skin tint. This arises from the deposit of the carotenoid in the outermost layer of the skin. It is this side effect property that is used to produce the sunless tanning effect.
A key difference is that, unlike canthaxanthin, beta carotene is said to possess profound health benefits. Beta carotene helps prevent night blindness and other eye problems, skin disorders, enhances immunity, protects against toxins, colds, flu, and infections. It is an antioxidant and protector of the cells and may help slow the ageing process. It is a remarkably safe nutrient and free negative to side effects. You may want to consider it in summer, particularly if you have fair skin. Beta carotene, like many supplements is not the same in its natural and synthetic forms. Natural beta carotene is made up of two molecule types; synthetic beta carotene contains only one. While many of the benefits of beta carotene can be found in both forms, some of its properties may only be found in its natural form. Beta carotene deficiencies sometimes occur in people who do not eat green leafy vegetables. When beta carotene tanning supplements are used, vitamin E supplementation may be helpful also. Tanning pills like MyTan Bronze contain natural beta carotene.