# People are ‘carrotmaxxing’ and ‘shrimpmaxxing’ for tanner skin — no sun (or food) required

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/people-are-carrotmaxxing-and-shrimpmaxxing-for-tanner-skin-no-sun-or-food-required/
- Published: 2026-11-13T11:58:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-13T12:24:31+00:00
- Original publisher: New York Post (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://nypost.com/2026/11/13/health/people-are-carrotmaxxing-and-shrimpmaxxing-for-tanner-skin/
- Topics: Culture, Food, World

## Key points

- Carotenoid supplements and foods are being used for a warmer skin tone.
- The colour comes from pigment build-up, not sun-induced tanning.
- Excess carrots or tomatoes can discolour skin, usually reversibly.

## Summary

Some people are using carotenoid supplements or eating pigment-rich foods to give their skin a warmer, more golden appearance without sunbathing or using tanning beds. The trend matters because the colour change is not a sun tan: it comes from pigments accumulating in the skin, and experts caution that excessive intake can visibly discolour it.

Carotenoids include beta-carotene in carrots, astaxanthin in shrimp and salmon, and lycopene in tomatoes; several supplement brands combine them. A dietitian estimates that 20 to 50 milligrams of beta-carotene daily for several weeks, roughly three to eight large carrots a day or one to two glasses of carrot juice, may produce a colour change. Carotenemia is generally harmless and fades when intake is reduced, while too many tomatoes can cause orange-red lycopenemia; eating shrimp is not known to turn skin pink.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.