Does having melanin provide for some added positive benefits?

Answer 1

Melanin is a substance that gives the skin and hair its natural color. It also gives color to the iris of the eye, feathers, and scales. In humans, those with darker skin have higher amounts of melanin. By contrast, those with less pigment have lighter or more fair skin coloring.

Melanin, sometimes referred to as a chemical, is formed as part of the process of metabolizing an amino acid called tyrosine. In the skin, melanin is formed by cells called melanocytes. Certain medical conditions, such as albinism, are associated with the lack of melanin. Albinism is a condition marked by the abesnce of a normal amount of pigment in the body. Animals, humans, and even plants can have albinism.

Melanin provides many benefits to human beings. One of the most recognized benefits involves ultraviolet rays of the sun. Melanin provides a natural protection against the harmful effects of these rays. However, it does not provide complete protection from the sun, and individuals with darker skin tones are still at risk from the sun's damaging rays.

Answer 2

Melanin alone, can not answer the question of why people are red, yellow, indigo, blue or white? We have become so mixed that there is no longer a pure race. However, there is a grand design to the varieties of colors that we are. If we were all one color would we learn as much? I think not. I realize I may be off track; when I think of melanin I can't help but wonder why we are different colors? I believe-in part- it is because it is helping us to prepare for even more diversity later on. 0.k.- life- after our sojourn here on Earth. The answers prior to mine are good. I hope this adds something else to provoke an even deeper question. Why the different races?

Answer 3

Good question! It has values I was not aware of until I looked it up. It certainly has some positive benefits especially when exposed to the sun. I have included some links for you.

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http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002256.htm
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http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9051870/melanin
a dark biological pigment (biochrome) found in skin, hair, feathers, scales, eyes, and some internal membranes; it is also found in the peritoneum of many animals (e.g., frogs), but its role there is not understood. Formed as an end product during metabolism of the amino acid tyrosine, melanins are conspicuous in dark skin moles of humans; in the black dermal melanocytes (pigment…

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http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=4340
Melanin: A skin pigment (substance that gives the skin its color). Dark-skinned people have more melanin than light- skinned people. Melanin also acts as a sunscreen and protects the skin from ultraviolet light.
Melanin is produced by cells called melanocytes.
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It provides some protection again skin damage from the sun,
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and the melanocytes increase their production of melanin in response to sun exposure. Freckles, which occur in people of all races, are small, concentrated areas of increased melanin production.