Tanning Pills

Tanning pills come in two varieties, there are tanning pills which help with the production of melanin (tanning accelerators), and there are pills which actually color the skin.

The main ingredient in those tanning pills, or tanning accelerators, which promote the production of melanin is L-Tyrosine. L-Tyrosine is a semi-essential amino acid. Manufacturers claim these pills accelerate tanning by increasing the tyrosine content of the melanocytes (the pigment producing cells), and thus enhancing melanin formation when coupled with UV light. This accelerated production of melanin can mean less UV exposure since a nice tan can develop in less time.

Those tanning pills which color the skin contain canthaxanthin. Canthaxanthin is a natural food-coloring agent, it can be found in low doses in much of the food we consume. High doses of this same chemical are used in sunless tanning pills. When these sunless tanning pills are consumed, canthaxanthin is deposited throughout the body, turning the skin and all internal organs an orange-brown color - a sunless tan.

Check with your doctor before taking any tanning supplements.