Essay Example on Human skin pigmentation as an adaptation to UV Radiation

 Pregnant women who have folate deficiency are at a higher risk of having miscarriages and babies with defects in their neutral tube Because folate is essential for DNA replication in dividing cells its absence can have an effect on many body processes especially the production of sperm cells The ultimate reason behind the ability to produce melanin was selected for in our early human ancestors because it helped preserve the body's supply of folate in addition to reducing the chances of developing skin cancer Jablonski N 2009 To sum it up it's really essential to ensure that you get enough Vitamin D as it is important for healthy bones Especially if you live in the northern countries make sure to get the required amount of vitamin D through diets or supplements since UV is available only for a short period of time during a year Therefore Skin colour is a product of our evolutionary history related to UV radiation and the need for particular micronutrients folate and vitamin D that affect reproductive success from lecture slides