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Vitamin D begins its synthesis in the skin when the skin is exposed to ultraviolet light.…
Production of vitamin D3- Actually the skin synthesizes vitamin D. UV light activates the precursor of vit. D to for vitamin d3…
Why does a gluten-free diet reverse the appearance of vitiligo? The director of the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research, Dr. Alessio Fasano, has found similarities between celiac disease and…
Skin cancer, otherwise known as skin melanoma, has become a serious epidemic in the United States over the last several years. Approximately one in 60 people will develop some form of skin cancer in their life time. With tanning beds and extended outdoor tanning becoming more common, as well as “being tan” become the new beauty tip. However, genetics still plays a very important role in skin cancer. It has been said that people with minimal eumelanin genes, the gene that determines hair and eye color, are more susceptible to skin cancer to do their light hair, eyes and fair skin. Most skin cancer cases are caused by ultraviolet rays, however, approximately five percent of cases are…
Vitamin D is a vitamin found in liver and fish oils. It is needed for the absorption of calcium. It prevents rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Sunlight gives off Vitamin D. It is also needed to absorb phosphorus. Because it absorbs calcium, it helps you have strong and healthy bones and teeth. Vitamin D helps the brain work well later in life and it is an immune…
Melanin is the pigment that gives the skin its characteristic color. Vitiligo is caused by a loss of pigment in the skin, due to destruction of pigment-forming cells known as melanocytes. The exact cause of the destruction of these cells is not known.…
Most skin cancer are caused by sun exposure. Exposure to some chemicals and in rare cases the abnormal genes that cause skin cancer can be inherited by children from their parents…
Vitamin D helps maintain calcium and phosphorous levels in the blood and bones and is not found naturally in very many foods but is added to many foods as a government regulation (Grosvenor & Smolin, 2012). Children are at risk of developing Rickets and adults develop osteomalacia when there is a long term deficiency of vitamin D. Both of these disorders causes decreased calcium and phosphorus levels, and soft and weak bones (Grosvenor & Smolin, 2012). If toxicity happens, kidney stones, headaches, muscles, muscle weakness, and fatigue can result.…
Minnesota is becoming more diverse as time passes on. One of the ever-growing populations are Somalis, as they have been seeking refuge in Minnesota for over a decade. It becomes imperative for healthcare providers to adapt to this change, address areas of need, and become culturally competent. Nurses are in a position where they need to be aware of actual and potential healthcare trends for Somali individuals;…
Moalem suggests that all humans had pale skin with dark hair all over to protect ourselves from too much sunlight. However, as the human evolved and lost a significant amount body hair, the skin, the largest organ of the body, would become exposed to the strong ultraviolet rays of the sun. Ultraviolet B, a specific type of ultraviolet light, is beneficial as it effectively converts our cholesterol into Vitamin D, which the body cannot simply live without. However, too much sunlight exposure and harmful effects quickly outnumber the beneficial ones, ranging from sunburn to skin cancer and the decrease of our body's folic acid. Thus, humans, especially those near the equator, developed a darker skin tone with the pigment melanin. While the color of the dark skin absorbs more heat and light, the melanin in the skin prevents too much of the harmful rays from penetrating the skin, protecting folic acid. However, "[dark skin] didn't evolve with a switch -- you can't turn it off when you need to whip up a batch of vitamin D." That is where the genetic mutation apolipoprotein E, or ApoE4 for short, came in. "[ApoE4] ensures that the amount of cholesterol flowing through your blood is cranked up. With more cholesterol available for conversion, dark-skinned people can maximize the use of whatever sunlight penetrates their skin." The fair-skinned Europeans of the time…
The evolutionary relationship between vitamin D, folate, and sunshine all relates to skin pigment. "Melanin, which is responsible for skin pigment, can be advantageous or nonadventageous. That is, because melanin provides protections from solar radiation, substantial amounts of this pigment can inhibit vitamin D production." (Our Origins p. 139). Therefore, the more melanin an individual has, the more protection from the sun he has. So, at the equator, we tend to see people with darker skin because they are exposed to more sun than in other parts of the world. This demonstrates a strong correlation between distance from the equator and degree of skin color. In our book, it discusses how scientists have hypothesized how human ancestors migrated from Africa into northern latitudes. At these latitudes, there is less UV radiation, so populations with dark skin were not be able to create enough vitamin D to thrive. This meant that lighter skin in humans at the northern latitudes was more favorable and had a selective advantage. As a result, the fitness at the northern latitude corresponded with a lighter skin tone. So, naturally, human populations selected for lower melanin levels, and eventually evolved lighter skin in northern latitudes which explains the relationship between vitamin D, folate, and…
References: Gutierez, David. (2009). Multiple sclerosis caused by vitamin D deficiency. Retrieved on June 7, 2009 from http://www.naturalnews.com/025791.html.…
One unpleasant aspect of genetic disease is that often they come unexpectedly and with little warning. A few summers ago, my little sister [Lisa]’s face began to undergo a startling metamorphosis. Her skin, once bronze and glistening, began turning white as death and splotchy. My sister’s precious forehead, hair and eyelids began to look like a pale jigsaw puzzle, interrupting her once perfect complexion. This genetic disorder, vitiligo, has permanently changed her appearance and her daily life. I looked on angrily, frustrated by my helplessness, as doctors prescribed her various treatment creams, but offered no cure. My love for my little sister and unrelenting wish for her happiness fueled me to seek the source of her problem – which lies in genetic research.…
vitamin D is also produced in the body by the action of sunlight on the skin).Australia is fortunate to have a plentiful and diverse food supply. This abundance of selections has led to many health related issues linked to our dietary choices.…
separation and quantification of the major circulating metabolite 25-hydroxyvitamin-D3 (25OHD3) and 25hydroxyvitamin-D2 (25OHD2) collectively termed as 25OHD. However, among other interferents, this method may…