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Carrot Juice May Turn Skin Orange

Q. I’ve heard that too much vitamin A can be dangerous. I drink 4 oz. of carrot juice every day and I’m wondering if that might account for my dry skin.

A. Regular intake of vitamin A at a dose of more than 30,000 IU per day could cause problems like hair loss, poor appetite, bone pain, diarrhea and itchy, scaly skin. Such complications, however, are only associated with pre-formed vitamin A. While 4 oz. of carrot juice contains about 31,000 IU, this is in the form of beta carotene, a building block for vitamin A. Too much beta carotene shouldn’t cause the complications listed above, although it may well give your skin an orange hue.

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About the Author
Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist who has dedicated his career to making drug information understandable to consumers. His best-selling book, The People’s Pharmacy, was published in 1976 and led to a syndicated newspaper column, syndicated public radio show and web site. In 2006, Long Island University awarded him an honorary doctorate as “one of the country's leading drug experts for the consumer.”.
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