Are Tanning Supplements Safe? What the Research Says

Modern Carotenoid Supplements Have Their Own Safety Data

Each carotenoid used in modern formulas has been studied on its own, and each carries FDA GRAS status, short for Generally Recognized As Safe, the agency's formal designation for ingredients cleared for use in food.

Astaxanthin has a dedicated safety review behind it. The review looked at 87 human studies, and found no safety concerns with natural astaxanthin supplementation ^[1].

Lycopene is widely studied and considered safe for daily use, even at doses far higher than what modern supplements actually contain. Researchers have set 75 mg per day as a safe upper level for lycopene supplements, based on clinical testing that found no adverse effects at that dose ^[2].

Beta-carotene has one of the longest safety records of any supplement ingredient. A placebo-controlled study enrolled 22,071 participants, more than 11,000 of whom took beta-carotene for 12 years, and found no harm from it, and no benefit either ^[3].

So Why Did "80s Tanning Pills" Have a Bad Reputation?

It's important to make the distinction between modern tanning supplements and 1980s "tanning pills." The reputation traces back to the 1980s, and one specific ingredient used back then: canthaxanthin.

The FDA has documented a range of health problems linked to canthaxanthin at the megadoses those pills used. The company seeking FDA approval actually withdrew its application after these problems were discovered ^[4].

Canthaxanthin and astaxanthin are not the same thing at all. The two names still get confused constantly. Astaxanthin is a totally different molecule, a natural carotenoid made by microalgae. Beta-carotene and lycopene are different again, both naturally occurring carotenoids found in everyday food. Cleveland Clinic draws this same line, separating beta-carotene and lycopene from canthaxanthin because the first two occur in food and carry real health benefits ^[5]. Checking a label for canthaxanthin, and confirming it isn't there, is the simplest way to rule out that older category entirely.

Turning Orange Is a Harmless Side Effect of Cheap Products

Cheap tanning products often lean on beta-carotene alone, since it's the least expensive carotenoid to source. Taken by itself in a high enough dose, that's what produces an orange hue. It's called carotenemia, and it's harmless and fully reversible ^[6].

Better formulas don't rely on beta-carotene alone. They pair it with red carotenoids like lycopene and astaxanthin, mixing different tones together for a warmer, golden result instead of an orange one.

Safe Is a Property of the Product, Not Just the Ingredient

So the ingredients check out. Astaxanthin, lycopene and beta-carotene all have real safety data behind them, and that data is where most of the "is this safe" question actually gets answered. But it's only half the answer. The other half is whether the specific product on the shelf actually delivers what its label promises.

The FDA does not have the authority to approve dietary supplements for safety or effectiveness before they're sold ^[7]. Companies can often bring a product to market without notifying the FDA at all. That means the real safety risk with most supplements isn't the ingredient anymore. It's whether the manufacturer actually tests what's inside the capsule, batch after batch, instead of just printing a number on a label and hoping nobody checks.

This is where independent, batch-level testing matters more than any ingredient safety data. Every batch should be tested by an independent accredited lab for potency and for heavy metals, not just once at launch, with the real results published rather than a certification badge alone.

And it's not just about safety. Potency matters just as much. A product can be perfectly safe and still not do anything, if what's on the label isn't actually what's in the capsule. That's the other half of proper batch testing.

Who Should Check With a Doctor First

A few groups should talk to a doctor before starting any carotenoid supplement: anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, anyone taking anticoagulants or other regular medication, anyone with allergies or an existing liver condition, and anyone with an active inflammatory skin condition.

There's one clear exception that deserves to be stated plainly on its own: beta-carotene is not a good fit for heavy smokers, ex-smokers, or people with asbestos exposure. Large studies have recognized the combination as harmful, and the pattern held up across separate trials, run independently of each other ^[8]. This risk has not shown up in non-smokers, at any dose tested, but smokers, ex-smokers and anyone with asbestos exposure should skip beta-carotene supplements entirely.

For most other healthy adults, the carotenoids used in modern formulas carry decades of published safety data behind them.