Melanin: Types and effects of the cell in the human body. How to increase, restore the amount of melanin in the body: products, tablets, vitamins

Melanin can be increased and reduced. The color of the skin, eyes and hair depends on it.

Content

Melanin is a pigment that is responsible for the color of our skin and eyes, and also protects against harmful UV radiation. The more this substance, the darker the skin in humans.

Read on our website another article on the topic: "5 proven ways to avoid skin pigmentation". You will learn about the prevention, home methods, cosmetics based on antioxidants, whitening creams, sparing peels.

Why do some people have more melanin, while others have less? What are other functions of melanin and are there any diseases in which these pigments are abnormal?

What is a melanin cell in the human body: functions in the skin, hair, eyes

Melanin is a pigment that is responsible for the color of our skin, hair and rainbow eye membrane. Dyes of this group are named after the Greek word "syrup"which can be translated as dark or brown.

Melanin cells are found in people, as well as in animals, invertebrates or even in various microorganisms. In each of the mentioned organisms, the pigments of this group perform different functions, but one thing can be said with confidence: these are substances with extremely important functions.

Soluble forms of melanin can perform a transport function, since even a hematoencephalic barrier (a barrier that protects the brain) freely overcome. Melanin protects the body from such pathologies and conditions:

Malignant degeneration of cells, neutralizing the carcinogenic effect: UV rays and ionizing radiation, reducing the accumulation of radionuclides in the body.
Reduces the metabolic activity of chemical carcinogens.
In conditions of the combined action of gamma radiation and stress, it shows a powerful adaptogenic effect, being a very strong antioxidant.

It was revealed that Eumlanin (this type of melanin) significantly reduces dystrophic-destructive changes in the liver, hypothalamus, thyroid gland and adrenal glands. What other types of this substance exist, read below.

Types of melanin

A person has three different pigments belonging to a group of melanins:

Eumlanin -It has a black-brown color, and it is most contained in the body.
Feomalanin -yellowish red pigment.
Neuromalanin - This form of natural pigment is found in the nervous system. It is produced in large quantities in catecholaminergic cells of black substance and blue spot. It is produced by nerve cells, and at present its function has not been fully studied.

How is this substance produced? Look for an answer below. Read further.

Melanin production: synthesis

Melanin is produced in the human body with special cells called melanocytes. They are mainly present in the basal layer of the epidermis.

The pigment produced by melanocytes is synthesized and accumulated in special bubbles called melanosomes.
Over time, these bubbles are transported to higher layers of the skin.
Ultimately, they reach the area of \u200b\u200bkeratinocytes.
There is a pigment that can now perform its protective functions.

Melanin itself is produced in a cycle of complex changes, the initial substrate of which is the amino acid Tyrosin. The main enzyme involved in these transformations, known as melanogenesis, is tyrosinase.

Melanin: Factors governing its production

Certain factors can stimulate, while others inhibit the process of melanogenesis. Factors regulating the production of this substance:

Melanin production is stimulated by ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, when we sunbathe in the summer season, our skin acquires a brownish tint (as desired by some).
Other substances that can increase melanogenesis include: alpha-melanotropic hormone (alpha-MSG) and adrenocorticotropin (ACTH).
Among the factors that can prevent the development of natural pigments are various interleukins.

It is worth knowing: Vitamins - A, B, as well as minerals - calcium and iron, affect the process of formation of melanin.

Melanin: Where to find him?

It depends on melanin that some of us have a very bright color of the skin, and other people are extremely dark -skinned. The amount of human skin is affected by the amount of melanin contained in it. Most of him with blacks, in people with fair skin - much less. Where else to find melanin?

So, not only the amount of dye, but also the ratio of the number of darker eumlanin to much lighter feoomlanin affect the final color of the skin.
The same applies to the hair. When they contain a large amount of pigment, especially Emlanin, they have a dark color. If Feomalanin prevails in the hair of this person, it is possible that he will be reddish or light strands on his head.

However, melanin can also be found in other body structures. It was already mentioned that one of his types is neuromalanin. It is present in the central nervous system. A similar dye can also be found:

In the eyeball - Melanin is responsible for the color of the iris. Dark rainbow shells are those that contain a lot of melanin, people with blue or green eyes of this pigment are much smaller.
In the adrenal glands - melanin is present in the reticular layer of these organs.
In the structures of the inner ear.

As you can see, this substance is very complex and necessary for the human body. What is its effect on the body of living organisms? Read further.

Melanin: Action in the human body

For many people, the color of hair or skin is extremely important, but the effect on their color is not the main task of melanin. Action in the human body:

This dye is designed to protect human skin.
Unfortunately, ultraviolet radiation reaching sunlight is harmful to our cells.
It can provoke DNA damage, which in the worst case leads to the development of the tumor.
It is here that the main function of melanin is manifested-the pigment has a protective effect from UV radiation. It is possible due to the fact that the pigment has the ability to absorb and dissipate ultraviolet radiation.
In addition, the energy that is absorbed by melanin can be transformed into another, which is much less harmful to the human body - we are talking about thermal energy. Thanks to this, it may become clear why people living near the equator have a much darker complexion than the Slavs.

In regions such as Africa, the effects of solar radiation are much larger than, for example, in Russia. For this reason, the inhabitants of the equatorial zone, the skin is much darker-a large amount of melanin in it is designed to protect from increased exposure to UV radiation.

It is worth knowing: Melanin acts both on the skin and on the eyes. The dye protects the delicate structures of the eye from the effects of ultraviolet radiation.

The more melanin, the lower the risk that the UV radiation will harm us. This explains why people with bright eyes have an increased risk of developing various eye diseases associated with the sun.

Those functions of melanin, which were mentioned above, are undoubtedly extremely important. But in fact, dyes from this group have other valuable functions. They are able to bind and neutralize various heavy metals. However, these functions are not yet sufficiently investigated. But it is worth noting exactly that in patients with Parkinson's disease, in which neuromalanin indicators can be low in the central nervous system, increased iron deposits in the brain tissues can be observed.

Melanin: Other types of action

Not only people, but also other living organisms can evaluate the beneficial properties of melanin. For example, in birds, feathers containing a large amount of melanin are much stronger than feathers with fewer pigments. Melanin also use various mushrooms - called radiotrophic, use a dye to absorb heat, which allows them to accumulate the energy necessary for life processes.

Some microorganisms can also use melanin, which, unfortunately, does not benefit people. In pathogenic microorganisms, melanin can be a factor in which they deceive the host’s immune system and, thus, are not eliminated. Other pathogens, thanks to melanin, can be more resistant to drugs, whether antifungal or antibacterial.

Increased, lowered melanin: diseases associated with an abnormal amount

Diseases associated with an abnormal amount of melanin

From the foregoing, it is clear that the role of Melanin is extremely important. However, some health problems may be associated with this dye. They are the result of both insufficient amounts of this substance in the body and its excess. Diseases associated with an abnormal amount of this substance:

Reduced melanin:

The condition in which the patient has an abnormally low indicator of this substance, especially in the skin or hair is albinism. A person in this case is called Albinos. Albinism can also be acquired and usually associated with damage to the cells producing the pigment, melanocytes.
There is still such a thing as congenital vitiligo, which is a genetic disease and occurs as a result of enzymatic disorders of proteins involved in melanogenesis.

Increased melanin:

Various types of skin lesions. For example, the presence of freckles on the skin is associated with the appearance of areas in which there is an increased amount of melanin.
The spots that people call are born or pigmenting appear due to local accumulation of an increased amount of melanin.

Skin cancer is another problem indirectly related to melanin. The most dangerous is malignant melanoma. It originates from cells producing melanin - melanocytes.

How to increase, restore the amount of melanin in the body: products, tablets, vitamins

If your body has a lack of melanin, then you may have bright skin, hair and gray or blue eyes. Many people want to increase or restore the amount of this substance in the body, since it is very important for the body.

The lack of melanin is also difficult to make up for, as well as the lack of any other substances. For this, you should have patience and consult a specialist. You can choose several ways to make up for the supply of this substance :

Sparing - a healthy lifestyle and the use of products that can activate the synthesis of melanin.
Medication - taking funds aimed at increasing the production of melanin.

In order for melanin level to increase, it is worth consuming such food:

The level of melanin will increase if you use such food products

As for the pills and vitamins, it is better to take them after consulting with the doctor. He will prescribe exactly the drug or dietary supplement in the form of vitamin, which is necessary for your body.

Usually people who dream of whitening the skin, for example, get rid of freckles, want to reduce the amount of melanin in the body. This can be done with the help of drugs and vitamins, but others - not like with an increase in this substance.

Remember: Any drugs or even vitamins can only be drunk after consulting with the doctor. Self -medication is dangerous to health and life.

Melanin: Reviews

If you want to forever remove age spots or freckles, then you need to reduce the amount of melanin. As mentioned above, you can do this with the help of drugs. If you need to increase the level of this substance, then it is worth consuming products that will help to do this, or maybe drink drugs and vitamins. Read the reviews of other people who attempted to change the amount of this substance in their body.

Nina, 56 years old

I did not think that because of my love for the sun during my life, I would then suffer from age spots. I always tanned a lot in the summer at sea, never covered the skin. As a result, age spots throughout the body and on the face. It turned out that I have a lot of melanin. Naturally, she wanted to whiten the skin. I tried different methods: saw vitamins, cleansed the skin with creams. Everything did not help, there was almost no effect. Perhaps I was prescribed not the drugs that were needed. I decided to try to whiten the skin with retinoids. These are physiological substances that are familiar to the skin. I used remedies with retinoids, bought at a pharmacy. After the first week of use, the effect was noticeable - the skin began to be lighter and even began to rejuvenate.

Alina, 18 years old

I have freckles since childhood. Despite the fact that it is now fashionable - I don't like it. I always wanted to get rid of them. I read that you can do this with the help of drugs and vitamins. I wanted to engage in self -medication, but my mother said that it was better not to. I wrote me for an appointment with a doctor. Now I am waiting for a reception and I will definitely drink the medicine to cleanse my face.

Natalia, 25 years old

I bought a whitening facial cream when problems with the skin began-some kind of moles began to appear, but these are not a mole. After using the cream, brown pigment spots also appeared. I turned to a dermatologist. The doctor said that there is no need to self -medicate. Pigment spots are removed well with laser technology, and moles, if they are large, then you need to contact the surgeon.