For some animals, have brightly colored hair is considered more advantageous in terms of looks. However, for some other animals, have a gray hair gray would be a sign of health.
A recent study showed that the level of cell damage reddish-haired boar boar higher than the gray-haired. The cause is the production of red pigment will actually suck the antioxidant function as hunter free radicals that damage cells.
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| George Clooney is set for a long and healthy life according to the latest research into how our hair colour affects our health. (Picture from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/) |
Galvan findings, published in the journal Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, could provide interesting clues about the physiological consequences of pigmentation. Research in humans found that the reddish hair and a red pigment in the skin associated with higher cancer rates.
Melanin is the pigment that determines skin color, hair, and feathers. There are two types of melanin, eumelanin which is brown or black, and pheomelanin which produce vibrant colors, like red. Pheomelanin require chemical glutathione or GSH to produce bright colors.
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| Producing the pigments that color red hair may be a drain on the body, new research finds. (Picture from: http://www.livescience.com/) |
GSH is an antioxidant that can stop the chemical reaction of oxidation. Oxidation reactions lead to the formation of free radicals cause damage to body cells.
In his experiments, Galvan wanted to know whether the bright hair will suck GSH and cause the body's cells more vulnerable to free radicals. They examined the oxidative stress in wild boar from southwest Spain to measure the level of free radical damage.
They found the highest content of pheomelanin present in wild boar hair. At the same time, the content of GAS in wild boar muscle cells decreased with increasing levels of oxidative stress is high. *** [LIVESCIENCE | MAHARDIKA SATRIA HADI | KORAN TEMPO 3948]
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