# Funny, you don't look Bluish . . . **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 12, 2011, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-you-dont-look-bluish/581624 "2011-05-12T04:47:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-you-dont-look-bluish/581624/1 "2011-05-12T04:47:16Z")
Or do you? Suppose you drank a significant amount of non-toxic blue dye. Obviously, some of it would pass through your body and out through your urine and feces. And some of it would be absorbed by your body. Would your entire body take on a bluish tint? Would only your blood vessels be affected, or would the dye get into the cells of your muscles, bones, skin, organs, etc.? If you continued to drink the dye, would every cell in your body be affected? Or would the dye break down into other substances, and not turn anything blue at all? ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-you-dont-look-bluish/581624/2 "2011-05-12T04:55:13Z")
Well, drinking colloidal silver will turn you blue like this guy: > **[Fox News - Breaking News Updates | Latest News Headlines | Photos & News...](https://www.foxnews.com/)** > > Breaking News, Latest News and Current News from FOXNews.com. Breaking news and video. Latest Current News: U.S., World, Entertainment, Health, Business, Technology, Politics, Sports. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-you-dont-look-bluish/581624/3 "2011-05-12T05:00:42Z")
I don’t know about dyes, but you can turn yourself blue by ingesting too much silver - it’s not really toxic, but it doesn’t break down and does eventually make its way into skin cells, eyes and other organs. The condition is called argyria. You can also have fun with carotene, which is found in carots (duh) and isn’t toxic either. It just turns you a sickly shade of orange if you have too much of it. ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-you-dont-look-bluish/581624/4 "2011-05-12T07:17:48Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Or do you? > > Suppose you drank a significant amount of non-toxic blue dye. Obviously, some of it would pass through your body and out through your urine and feces. And some of it would be absorbed by your body. > > Would your entire body take on a bluish tint? Would only your blood vessels be affected, or would the dye get into the cells of your muscles, bones, skin, organs, etc.? If you continued to drink the dye, would every cell in your body be affected? Or would the dye break down into other substances, and not turn anything blue at all? those two answered your question. it’s a matter of finding the (safe) substance that brings about the correct chemical reaction roundabout your skin for the desired color. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-you-dont-look-bluish/581624/5 "2011-05-12T07:20:14Z")
I remember reading somewhere that food given to comatose patients was being dyed blue (for some reason, but I don’t know what it was), but that this was causing problems (in cases where they didn’t recover) as post-mortem examination was finding the internal organs all dyed deep blue. ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-you-dont-look-bluish/581624/6 "2011-05-12T11:44:46Z")
About 150 mg/kg of [Brilliant Blue G](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brilliant_Blue_G) has been shown to turn rats’ skin and eyes blue (and also to help repair their spinal cord injuries.) See [here](http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/07/bluerats/) and [here](http://www.pnas.org/content/106/30/12489.long) for details. ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-you-dont-look-bluish/581624/7 "2011-05-12T13:58:04Z")
> **[Is there really a race of blue people?](https://www.straightdope.com/21342421/is-there-really-a-race-of-blue-people)** ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-you-dont-look-bluish/581624/8 "2011-05-12T14:08:13Z")
[Obligatory link](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.greatorlandodiscounts.com/blue1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.greatorlandodiscounts.com/blue-man-group.htm&h=296&w=450&sz=37&tbnid=MK6vsNrvFxVT5M:&tbnh=84&tbnw=127&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dblue%2Bman%2Bgroup%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=blue+man+group&hl=en&usg=__ZB1_a8JMqZBOiNznHOf4tprjdh8=&sa=X&ei=R-nLTZHdIsLi0QHzqc3dBg&sqi=2&ved=0CH0Q9QEwBA). ---
**Author:** ![Lestrade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@Lestrade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lestrade)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-you-dont-look-bluish/581624/9 "2011-05-12T16:24:11Z")
> [@MikeS](#): > > About 150 mg/kg of [Brilliant Blue G](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brilliant_Blue_G) has been shown to turn rats’ skin and eyes blue (and also to help repair their spinal cord injuries.) See [here](http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/07/bluerats/) and [here](http://www.pnas.org/content/106/30/12489.long) for details. Interesting. Looking a bit more turned up this: [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/5921266/Blue-MandMs-mend-spinal-injuries.html](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/5921266/Blue-MandMs-mend-spinal-injuries.html) > [@](#): > > On the downside, the treatment causes the skin to temporarily turn bright blue… I’m seeing the potential for the best zombie Halloween costume ever. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-you-dont-look-bluish/581624/10 "2011-05-13T16:30:26Z")
> [@MikeS](#): > > About 150 mg/kg of [Brilliant Blue G](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brilliant_Blue_G) has been shown to turn rats’ skin and eyes blue (and also to help repair their spinal cord injuries.) See [here](http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/07/bluerats/) and [here](http://www.pnas.org/content/106/30/12489.long) for details. OK, so the picture of the rat in the second link is pretty much the cutest thing I’ve seen today, what with the little blue paws and ears and nose. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-you-dont-look-bluish/581624/11 "2011-05-13T20:01:19Z")
See the “medical mystery” [_Eleven Blue Men_\* and Other Narratives of Medical Detection\*,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleven_Blue_Men) by Berton Roueché. His writing and medical descriptions are wonderful, and the title story is directly on OP. BTW, the OP subject line has always amused me. And, on purpose clearly, it is delivered by The Blue Meanie in _Yellow Submarine_. Is that where it originates? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-you-dont-look-bluish/581624/12 "2011-05-13T21:22:35Z")
Insert Smurf joke here. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2011, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-you-dont-look-bluish/581624/13 "2011-05-13T22:08:57Z")
> [@mac\_bolan00](#): > > those two answered your question. it’s a matter of finding the (safe) substance that brings about the correct chemical reaction roundabout your skin for the desired color. Back before we were married, my wife suffered from **Carotenaemia** , a yellowing of the skin caused by excessive intake of carrots or other vegetables. It took her years to get over, and her skin still has a somewhat yellowish cast from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-you-dont-look-bluish/581624/14 "2011-05-14T03:43:18Z")
I’m _ **not** _ bluish! I’m from … _ **Argentina** _ … ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-you-dont-look-bluish/581624/15 "2011-05-14T04:52:50Z")
> [@brujaja](#): > > I’m _ **not** _ bluish! > > I’m from … _ **Argentina** _ … I’m from … _ **Communist China** _ … ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-you-dont-look-bluish/581624/16 "2011-05-14T06:34:02Z")
As a data point, I’ve drunk a non-trivial amount of the blue [Brain Wash](http://www.thirstydudes.com/review/1007), and so far the coloring hasn’t stained all the way through to my skin. I’m not sure about all of my internal organs. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2011, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-you-dont-look-bluish/581624/17 "2011-05-14T14:52:20Z")
Not blue, blue blue. Toilet bowl blue. ---
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-you-dont-look-bluish/581624/18 "2011-05-16T14:00:27Z")
> [@Number](#): > > As a data point, I’ve drunk a non-trivial amount of the blue [Brain Wash](http://www.thirstydudes.com/review/1007), and so far the coloring hasn’t stained all the way through to my skin. > > I’m not sure about all of my internal organs. **Dude!** \*\*\*\*\* Where are you getting blue brainwash?? I loove that stuff! \*\*\*\*\* I’m a girl, and I use “Dude” as a unisex term ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-you-dont-look-bluish/581624/19 "2011-05-16T17:01:25Z")
[Rocket Fizz](http://rocketfizz.com/) carries it sporadically, dude.[sup]\*\*\*\*\*[/sup] I’ve heard that batches of it are only made every few months, but I don’t have a reliable cite for that. I prefer the red variety if I can get it, as it doesn’t seem to stain quite as much. The flavor also seems slightly better, but that may be my imagination. [sup]\*\*\*\*\*[/sup] As it happens, I am a dude. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-you-dont-look-bluish/581624/20 "2011-05-16T17:19:04Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > I’m from … _ **Communist China** _ … Oh, admit it, why don’t you? You’re Andorian: [Andorian | Memory Alpha | Fandom](http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Andorian) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/funny-you-dont-look-bluish/581624.md?page=2)