How Much Is Melanin Worth? - Hint: An Average Black Person Has More Than $40 Million Dollars' Worth

Melanin pride is one of the most prominent black people’s expressions.  

But what exactly is Melanin?🤔

Melanin itself is extremely valuable, literally! It may surprise you to learn that melanin is worth eight times more than gold – the priciest metal💁🏾💁🏾

It’s no coincidence that everyone has a different skin tone and eye color. Melanin, a pigment, is responsible for this issue. It is incredibly significant in terms of human beauty and health. This article will explain everything there is to know about Melanin and why this little, apparently universal pigment is so beneficial.

Happy reading!
Table of Contents

    What is Melanin?
    Melanin Is Much More Valuable Than Gold!!
    Why Melanin is charged through the nose?
    Natural ways to increase the amount of your Melanin
        Implement an appropriate amount of antioxidants
        Fortify foods rich in vitamin E
        Fortify foods rich in vitamin A
        Fortify foods rich in vitamin C
    Final Thoughts

What is Melanin?

Melanin is a natural pigment of the skin that determines the color of hair, skin, and eyes. This component is usually found in humans and some animals. In humans, the pigment melanin is primarily responsible for skin color, although it is also found in hair, iris tissue, and blood vessels in the inner ear. In addition, the pigment melanin is also found in the tissues of the brain, spinal cord, nerve cells, adrenal glands, and some other organs in the body.

Melanin in the skin is produced by melanocytes, which are found in the top layer of the epidermis. Melanocytes are aggregates of smaller melanin cells of varying proportions and alignment. Therefore, melanin is divided into different types with different roles and tasks in the body.

Everyone has the same amount of melanin pigment cells, but some people tend to make more melanocytes than others. If the concentration of melanocytes is low, people may have pale hair, skin, and irises. Meanwhile, if the cells make more pigment, hair, skin, and eyes will appear darker.  

For example, melanin gives Europeans and Americans white skin and blue eyes. People in Africa with an excess of this component have black skin and black eyes. Asians with low melanin levels but high sun exposure have yellow skin and dark eyes. Melanin pigmentation has resulted in a plethora of skin, hair, and eye color combinations for people all over the world. 

The amount of melanin the body makes depends on genes. Therefore, if parents have more or less pigmentation, their kids may have similar problems. 

In addition, Melanin pigment has an important effect in protecting the skin from the penetration of factors that negatively affect the skin such as ultraviolet rays, UV rays, factors that cause tanning, skin aging, and skin oxidation. This shield will protect skin cells from damage leading to malignant melanoma cancer.

Some studies show a lower incidence of skin cancer in people with more concentrated melanin and darker skin color. However, the relationship between skin pigmentation and skin cancer risks needs further study. 

Melanin Is Much More Valuable Than Gold!! 

A gram of melanin is valued between $450 and $550😱😱 That is insane! It may be more coveted than gold, which has been widely regarded as a form of payment from roughly 3,000 B.C. Gold is now worth $61.02, which means the natural melanin found in black people is eight times more valuable than gold. Skin pigmentation in the typical black person’s body is worth over $40 million.

However, currently, people only study how to destroy melanin cells in the body, but cannot extract this essence from the human body. There are two commonly used ways to extract melanin. The most typical way is to extricate melanin from the ink of sepia officinalis, the common cuttlefish that is the source of melanin for a long time.  

The second way is only recently studied and requires more complicated technology. Melanin is artificially synthesized from a specie of algae that can only be found in South and Central Europe. It comes in two varieties: alpha and beta. Alpha is more readily accessible to the human body. At the same time, beta is more difficult to extract but more promising to synthetical production. 

Why Melanin is charged through the nose? 

One gram of Melanin is enough to color one hair black. Yet many people have never heard of it or its measurement and don’t know the real effects of this miracle substance. 

Many people think of melanin as a pigment that solely darkened the skin and hair, which was deemed unsightly and unappealing. However, recent studies explain that there are significant forms of melanin: dark (eumelanin) and light (pheomelanin).

Eumelanin regulates the color of the skin cell from dark brown to black and Pheomelanin gives a reddish-brown color. These molecules exist in different proportions creating many different types of skin in the human body. 

Eumelanin is most abundant in people with dark skin. Eumelanin gives brown and black pigment to skin, hair, and eyes. Hair that has a greater percentage of eumelanin tends to be darker in a natural hue. In comparison, lighter hair retains its original color due to the lower concentration or naturalness of pheomelanin. Therefore, as people age, there are signs of gray hair because the melanin content is now produced less and less. The hair will gradually lose its original dark color. 

The absorption of the corresponding Melanie type can make a noticeable effect in the field of changing the hair color, eye color, and skin color in the field of cosmetology. This discovery has skyrocketed the price of Melanie extract on the market. Many people are willing to spend a ton of money on dyeing their skin brown or having a perfect tan, graceful freckles, or a lighter eye color, etc. The regulation of the amount of the pigment melanin plays a huge role in these changes. 

Adding Melanin regularly to the body will slow down the aging process and help keep skin, eyes, and hair healthier. People who have the necessary amount of Melanin will have a healthier and younger appearance. Besides, providing enough melanin also improves the vision as well as provides you with healthy and shiny hair, and helps skin avoid harmful damage caused by UV rays. 

Besides, although there are no practical applications, Melanin has demonstrated positive effects in the treatment of albinism in humans as well as in the prevention of skin cancer. As mentioned above, if your body lacks Melanin, you are at a greater risk of albinism. This disorder is intimately tied to the body’s inherent melanin production.

Furthermore, numerous studies have shown that people who lack this substance will cause certain disorders that are detrimental to the following generation. This may also be the reason why this pigment is so valuable. 

Natural ways to increase the amount of your Melanin 

Increased or reduced melanin pigmentation can result in a variety of undesirable illnesses. The pigment melanin is continually produced by the body, the amount of which is governed by hereditary variables. As a result, controlling melanin can be challenging and requires a considerable amount of time. 

There is no method to permanently reduce or enhance melanin, however, you can manage pigmentation and routinely supplement with various dietary supplements such as: 

Implement an appropriate amount of antioxidants 

Antioxidants play an important role in the production of Melanin. Antioxidants can effectively enhance melanin production. Specifically, micronutrients such as flavonoids or polyphenols can influence melanin production and hyperpigmentation. 

Eat more antioxidant-rich foods like dark green leafy vegetables, dark berries, dark chocolate, and colorful vegetables for more antioxidants. Taking vitamin tablet and mineral supplements may also provide you with essential micronutrients.

Fortify foods rich in vitamin E 

Vitamin E is a factor that helps a lot in beautifying the skin. It can remove melasma caused by melanin pigment. Besides, this vitamin is also an antioxidant and is necessary to increase the level of melanin in the body. 

Although there is no research on the direct link of vitamin E to melanin, vitamin E may help protect skin from sun damage. You can accumulate this component by consuming foods rich in vitamin E, such as vegetables, whole grains, seeds, and nuts. In addition, you can also use oral tablets or vitamin E supplements.

Fortify foods rich in vitamin A 

Vitamin A is also an important functional component for the production of Melanin and UV protection. Many studies show that this vitamin is crucial in the production of melanin. Vitamin A can be obtained from foods consumed daily, especially vegetables containing beta carotenes, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, and peas.

Besides, vitamin A is also an antioxidant. Therefore, vitamin A supplementation can boost the production of melanin in the body and improve skin health. However, pregnant women should not exceed the daily dose of Vitamin A. This can be dangerous for the baby. 

Fortify foods rich in vitamin C 

Similar to vitamins A and E, vitamin C is an antioxidant. This compound is also needed for healthy mucous membranes and may have some impact on the production of skin-protective melanin. 

Adding foods rich in vitamin C like citrus, berries, and green leafy vegetables can boost melanin production. Besides, taking vitamin supplements can also be highly effective.

Final Thoughts 

What an eye-open fact of how treasurable Melanin can be. Melanin is found in every creature on Earth that has a color. Melanin is the pigment that gives shade to skin, hair, eyes, plants, soil, animals, and volcanoes, as well as anything else that is artistic and vibrant. 

Melanin has also been a proud statement in the black community in recent years, as you are now embracing culture, color, and hair more than ever. It is tremendous excitement to see black ladies embrace their blackness, natural hair, unique features, and their stunning chocolate skins!