Zagron_killahbee
Iron
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- Dec 31, 2024
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This is a complete guide on how to lighten various parts of the body including:
Skin
Hair
Eyes
Index:
Pheomelanin and Eumelanin
Pheomelanin purpose
Role of genetics
Abstract
Textbook explanation of MC1R:
The young child paradigm
Detoxification
The lymphatic system
Anatomy of the lymphatic system
Body warmth
Heavy Metals
Kayser-Fleischer rings
Iron overload.
Pheomelanin and Eumelanin
Skin color is not solely determined by the amount of Melanin that is present within the skin, but also by the ratios of the different types of Melanin, yes there are different types of Melanin:
Eumelanin (darkbrown type of Melanin)
Pheomelanin (yellow/orange/red type of Melanin)
So, for example; Sub-Saharan Africans don't just have more Melanin than the average Irishman but also a completely different ratio of Eumelanin to Pheomelanin.
With the African having a more Eumelanin (dark pigment) dominant ration, whereas the Irishman will be higher in Pheomelanin (yellow/orange pigment) and lower in Eumelanin.
To make it very simple for you, these two forms of Melanin are completely different from each other in looks and it is caused by one simple thing: Sulfur content.
Sulfur is what causes the yellowish tint, the way Sulfur is bound into the Melanin in this way is by the binding of a Cysteine or a Glutathione molecule inside the Melanin.
From there it gets really simple but also really complicated.
It gets simple because a high amount of Glutathione or Cysteine can and probably will increase Pheomelanin because Sulfur has to be detoxed from the body and since Melanin is one of the main ways heavy metals get eliminated from the body Pheomelanin may be one of the ways Sulfur gets eliminated from the body.
Cysteine has been known as an inflammatory amino acid for a long time, it all clicked when I read some articles from Ray Peat talking about how a lower Cysteine intake makes you healthier, may Pheomelanin just indicate to others that your body knows how to detox it properly?
At the same time the only way Pheomelanin (light pigment) can be created is by the presence of either Cysteine or Glutathione and I think Glutathione is the key for it all.
Pheomelanin purpose
Eumelanin is said to be more protective against UV light coming from the sun and is said to protect the skin more. So what's the purpose of Pheomelanin if it doesn't protect you against the sun as well as Eumelanin does, like isn't the entire purpose of Melanin to protect your skin against the sun?
That's a fallacy, Melanin has many more functions than just protecting your skin against sunlight, it's one of the most misunderstood compounds and has an extremely wide range of usages, to understand the differences between Eu- and Pheomelanin.
One of the biggest functions of Melanin in general is the detoxification and chelation of heavy metals but how does Melanin even chelate/detoxify heavy metals?
Melanin has been found to bind to a variation of heavy metals including:
Arsenic
Lead
Mercury
Cadmium
And many other heavy metals.
Melanin binds to these toxins very well, but since there are different forms of Melanin each one of them binds differently to toxins, for reference, Pheomelanin contains a Sulfur group which makes its affinity to heavy metals lower. People with more heavy metals that need to be detoxified are in need of more Eumelanin (see where I am going?).
On the other side people with more Pheomelanin and a light skin, hair and eyecolor tend to have a surplus of antioxidants (including Glutathione which contains Sulfur) this way they actually need to detoxify more Sulfur than Heavy metals which signals perfect health/homeostasis and is why blonde, blue eyed people tend to be perceived as more attractive.
Role of genetics
How big is the role that genetics play in the pigment of your body?
The role that genetics play on the coloring of your body is heavily exaggerated. Yes, your DNA is one of the deciding factors behind the colors of your body, but DNA is not as genetic as you may believe.
One of the limiting factors of Pheomelanin production is the MC1R gene also known as the Melanocortin 1 receptor, it is the receptor to which MSH binds (Melanocyte stimulating hormone). When MSH binds to the MC1R receptor/gene the process of the synthesis of Pheomelanin or Eumelanin starts.
Research has shown that the 'strength' of the MC1R gene and circulating levels of Cysteine are the determining factors in the synthesis of Pheomelanin.
Here is a small snippet from a Pubmed study I found on how the body decides between Pheomelanin and Eumelanin production.
Abstract
The significance of our understanding of the chemistry of melanin and melanogenesis is reviewed. Melanogenesis begins with the production of dopaquinone, a highly reactive o-quinone. Pulse radiolysis is a powerful tool to study the fates of such highly reactive melanin precursors. Based on pulse radiolysis data reported by Land et al. (J Photochem Photobiol B: Biol 2001;64:123) and our biochemical studies, a pathway for mixed melanogenesis is proposed. Melanogenesis proceeds in three distinctive steps. The initial step is the production of cysteinyldopas by the rapid addition of cysteine to dopaquinone, which continues as long as cysteine is present (1 microM). The second step is the oxidation of cysteinyldopas to give pheomelanin, which continues as long as cysteinyldopas are present (10 microM). The last step is the production of eumelanin, which begins only after most cysteinyldopas are depleted. It thus appears that eumelanin is deposited on the preformed pheomelanin and that the ratio of eu-to pheomelanin is determined by the tyrosinase activity and cysteine concentration. In eumelanogenesis, dopachrome is a rather stable molecule and spontaneously decomposes to give mostly 5,6-dihydroxyindole. Dopachrome tautomerase (Dct) catalyses the tautomerization of dopachrome to give mostly 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHICA). Our study confirmed that the role of Dct is to increase the ratio of DHICA in eumelanin and to increase the production of eumelanin. In addition, the cytotoxicity of o-quinone melanin precursors was found to correlate with binding to proteins through the cysteine residues. Finally, it is still unknown how the availability of cysteine is controlled within the melanosome.
This study summarizes the clue very well, whether Pheomelanin or Eumelanin is produced relies on circulating levels of Cysteine and the activity of Tyrosinase (a new topic I haven't mentioned yet.
Circulating levels of Cysteine purely rely on lifestyle, diet or other environmental factors while Tyrosinase is influenced by MC1R.
Textbook explanation of MC1R:
The MC1R gene provides instructions for making a protein called the melanocortin 1 receptor. This receptor plays an important role in normal pigmentation. The receptor is primarily located on the surface of melanocytes, which are specialized cells that produce a pigment called melanin. Melanin is the substance that gives skin, hair, and eyes their color. Melanin is also found in the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye (the retina), where it plays a role in normal vision.
Melanocytes make two forms of melanin, eumelanin and pheomelanin. The relative amounts of these two pigments help determine the color of a person's hair and skin. People who produce mostly eumelanin tend to have brown or black hair and dark skin that tans easily. Eumelanin also protects skin from damage caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation in sunlight. People who produce mostly pheomelanin tend to have red or blond hair, freckles, and light-colored skin that tans poorly. Because pheomelanin does not protect skin from UV radiation, people with more pheomelanin have an increased risk of skin damage caused by sun exposure.
The melanocortin 1 receptor (This stands for the MC1R) controls which type of melanin is produced by melanocytes. When the receptor is activated, it triggers a series of chemical reactions inside melanocytes that stimulate these cells to make eumelanin. If the receptor is not activated or is blocked, melanocytes make pheomelanin instead of eumelanin.
Common variations (polymorphisms) in the MC1R gene are associated with normal differences in skin and hair color. Certain genetic variations are most common in people with red hair, fair skin, freckles, and an increased sensitivity to sun exposure. These MC1R polymorphisms reduce the ability of the melanocortin 1 receptor to stimulate eumelanin production, causing melanocytes to make mostly pheomelanin. Although MC1R is a key gene in normal human pigmentation, researchers believe that the effects of other genes also contribute to a person's hair and skin coloring.
The melanocortin 1 receptor is also active in cells other than melanocytes, including cells involved in the body's immune and inflammatory responses. The receptor's function in these cells is unknown.
The young child paradigm
Between the ages of birth until it's puberty most children tend to have a much lighter hair color.
You see it so often, people can have brown hair and look like completely natural brunettes, but in their younger years from 1 to 12 years old they had blonde hair and maybe even set of blue eyes. This is much more common than people think it is and you will see the pattem repeatedly, just ask anyone for pictures when they were younger, you will see they were much blonder than they are now 99% of the time.
But why does this occur?
Like I said earlier, a lighter hair color means that Pheomelanin is present in a higher ratio to Eumelanin as opposed to a darker hair color where the ratio is more into the favour of Eumelanin.
Young children have more Pheomelanin and less Eumelanin, but why is that?
Simply because when people are young their levels of Glutathione (the rate limiting factor in synthesis of Pheomelanin) tend to be much much higher. It's a compound that tends to decrease in the human body as the years pass by.
The older we get, the less Glutathione we have in our body, the darker our hair will become.
Detoxification
Liver is the primary organ of detoxification with the skin being the secondary one.
When there are toxins in your body the best would be for it to be eliminated by the liver and not the skin since the liver is much more efficient at it, when toxins are detoxed through the toxins they will clog the pores and you will get things like acne which are essentially just toxins build up in the skin.
The liver is literally designed to lose toxins and is a big part of the lymphatic system.
The lymphatic system
The lymphatic system also known as the lymphoid system is an organ system that u should be absolutely familiar with if you care about the detoxification of toxins that are currently in your body.
The lymphatic system is made out of vessels, nodes, appendix, bone marrow, tonsils/adenoids, thymus, spleen and the lymph itself. Lymph is the fluid that is transported by the lymphatic system.
The lymph has many functions such as transporting white blood cells, balancing fluids throughout the body, absorption of fatty acids and nutrients, transportation of proteins and finally the elimination of waste and toxins which we'll get to later.
Anatomy of the lymphatic system
Before you are taught how you can help the lymphatic system to drain these toxins you need to know all the ins and outs; I am going to show you what it actually looks like and what the exact anatomy of this system is.
Personally I don't like this picture too much but it still illustrates very well where the nodes and veins are which is important to know.
How waste is transported through the lymph
How does the lymph transport all the toxins though?
It all starts with the accumulation of these toxins in the interstitial fluid which is fluid that exists between the cells in various tissues with a lot coming from the liver. This fluid basically becomes the lymph.
After this fluid and waste is collected it gets transported through the lymphatic veins where it is transported towards the thoracic area of the body (chest area) while it gets filtered in the nodes in the meanwhile.
Cisterna chyli
This is the central lymph node of the body. When this node is clogged the lymph is pretty much unable to move through the body since this node connects the upper and lower body, more importantly this is the node that is directly connected to the liver which is the primary detoxification organ.
What can cause the lymph to become stagnant
One of the biggest enemies to lymph flow is a lack of hydration and/or movement.
How to increase lymphatic flow
Body warmth
40 degrees Celsius or 104 degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature at which the lymphatic system flows best: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3430062/
"Thermotherapy has been indicated by some researchers as a treatment for lymphedema. A study comparing temperatures demonstrated that a temperature of 40°C significantly increased the transportation of lymph compared to other temperatures assessed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible benefits of mechanical lymph drainage accompanied with heat in the treatment of lymphedema of the lower limbs."
Heavy Metals
Kayser-Fleischer rings
Kayser-Fleischer rings are a phenomenon that can be seen in the eyes of individuals with certain ailments, of which Wilson's disease is the most common one. They are caused by the deposition of copper in the Descemet's membrane of the cornea.
These rings appear as a golden to greenish-brown discoloration in the periphery of the cornea, typically visible around the outer rim. They can be best observed through a slit lamp examination by an ophthalmologist. However, in some cases, they may be visible to the naked eye in good lighting conditions.
The discoloring in the cornea of the eyes is purely caused by copper that is being deposited there, the brown/green tint you can see is literally copper. This is the beauty of Iridology since these 'Kayser-Fleischer rings' are often one of the key indicators of Wilson's disease, a rare genetic disorder that causes excessive accumulation of copper in the liver, brain, and other vital organs.
But you can also have these Kayser-Fleischer rings even when you don't have Wilson's disease. These rings are an indicative of copper overload and prove to everyone that your mineral balance or heavy metal exposure can change your eyecolor.
However, it's important to note that while these rings are strongly associated with Wilson's disease, they may also occur in other conditions associated with copper overload.
One lesser known enemy or more hidden enemy is 'iron overload", which is way more common than copper overload.
Iron overload
This is one super common condition amongst tons of groups in the health community, vegans and vegetarians likely don't suffer from it (unless they take iron supplements) but 90% of primal dieters, animal based people or other people that consume tons of meat do suffer from this.
We all know heavy metals are terrible for our health and that we should minimize them en detoxify them, but many don't know what the difference between a heavy metal and a mineral is.
There are no strict rules that decide if something is a heavy metal or not but we generally consider an element an heavy metal when it has a density higher than 5g/cm³. Mercury, aluminum, lead, arsenic etc. all fall under this. Butsome minerals also fall under this criteria and that is why these minerals should never be supplemented or become too prevalent in the body.
Minerals that are also heavy metals and can be toxic in excess include:
Iron
Copper
Zinc
Cobalt
Manganese
Chromium
Nickel
Selenium
Molybdenum
Iron overload is a huge danger because in excess it can function as a toxic heavy metal and aggravate aging, cancer, mineral balance and even heart disease.
Iron overload on itself can actually also cause copper overload since excess iron is bound to thiol groups (sulfur containing compounds like Glutathione) and when all the thiol groups are occupied by Iron there won't be any place for excess Copper or other heavy metals to be bound.
Skin
Hair
Eyes
Index:
Pheomelanin and Eumelanin
Pheomelanin purpose
Role of genetics
Abstract
Textbook explanation of MC1R:
The young child paradigm
Detoxification
The lymphatic system
Anatomy of the lymphatic system
Body warmth
Heavy Metals
Kayser-Fleischer rings
Iron overload.
Pheomelanin and Eumelanin
Skin color is not solely determined by the amount of Melanin that is present within the skin, but also by the ratios of the different types of Melanin, yes there are different types of Melanin:
Eumelanin (darkbrown type of Melanin)
Pheomelanin (yellow/orange/red type of Melanin)
So, for example; Sub-Saharan Africans don't just have more Melanin than the average Irishman but also a completely different ratio of Eumelanin to Pheomelanin.
With the African having a more Eumelanin (dark pigment) dominant ration, whereas the Irishman will be higher in Pheomelanin (yellow/orange pigment) and lower in Eumelanin.
To make it very simple for you, these two forms of Melanin are completely different from each other in looks and it is caused by one simple thing: Sulfur content.
Sulfur is what causes the yellowish tint, the way Sulfur is bound into the Melanin in this way is by the binding of a Cysteine or a Glutathione molecule inside the Melanin.
From there it gets really simple but also really complicated.
It gets simple because a high amount of Glutathione or Cysteine can and probably will increase Pheomelanin because Sulfur has to be detoxed from the body and since Melanin is one of the main ways heavy metals get eliminated from the body Pheomelanin may be one of the ways Sulfur gets eliminated from the body.
Cysteine has been known as an inflammatory amino acid for a long time, it all clicked when I read some articles from Ray Peat talking about how a lower Cysteine intake makes you healthier, may Pheomelanin just indicate to others that your body knows how to detox it properly?
At the same time the only way Pheomelanin (light pigment) can be created is by the presence of either Cysteine or Glutathione and I think Glutathione is the key for it all.
Pheomelanin purpose
Eumelanin is said to be more protective against UV light coming from the sun and is said to protect the skin more. So what's the purpose of Pheomelanin if it doesn't protect you against the sun as well as Eumelanin does, like isn't the entire purpose of Melanin to protect your skin against the sun?
That's a fallacy, Melanin has many more functions than just protecting your skin against sunlight, it's one of the most misunderstood compounds and has an extremely wide range of usages, to understand the differences between Eu- and Pheomelanin.
One of the biggest functions of Melanin in general is the detoxification and chelation of heavy metals but how does Melanin even chelate/detoxify heavy metals?
Melanin has been found to bind to a variation of heavy metals including:
Arsenic
Lead
Mercury
Cadmium
And many other heavy metals.
Melanin binds to these toxins very well, but since there are different forms of Melanin each one of them binds differently to toxins, for reference, Pheomelanin contains a Sulfur group which makes its affinity to heavy metals lower. People with more heavy metals that need to be detoxified are in need of more Eumelanin (see where I am going?).
On the other side people with more Pheomelanin and a light skin, hair and eyecolor tend to have a surplus of antioxidants (including Glutathione which contains Sulfur) this way they actually need to detoxify more Sulfur than Heavy metals which signals perfect health/homeostasis and is why blonde, blue eyed people tend to be perceived as more attractive.
Role of genetics
How big is the role that genetics play in the pigment of your body?
The role that genetics play on the coloring of your body is heavily exaggerated. Yes, your DNA is one of the deciding factors behind the colors of your body, but DNA is not as genetic as you may believe.
One of the limiting factors of Pheomelanin production is the MC1R gene also known as the Melanocortin 1 receptor, it is the receptor to which MSH binds (Melanocyte stimulating hormone). When MSH binds to the MC1R receptor/gene the process of the synthesis of Pheomelanin or Eumelanin starts.
Research has shown that the 'strength' of the MC1R gene and circulating levels of Cysteine are the determining factors in the synthesis of Pheomelanin.
Here is a small snippet from a Pubmed study I found on how the body decides between Pheomelanin and Eumelanin production.
Abstract
The significance of our understanding of the chemistry of melanin and melanogenesis is reviewed. Melanogenesis begins with the production of dopaquinone, a highly reactive o-quinone. Pulse radiolysis is a powerful tool to study the fates of such highly reactive melanin precursors. Based on pulse radiolysis data reported by Land et al. (J Photochem Photobiol B: Biol 2001;64:123) and our biochemical studies, a pathway for mixed melanogenesis is proposed. Melanogenesis proceeds in three distinctive steps. The initial step is the production of cysteinyldopas by the rapid addition of cysteine to dopaquinone, which continues as long as cysteine is present (1 microM). The second step is the oxidation of cysteinyldopas to give pheomelanin, which continues as long as cysteinyldopas are present (10 microM). The last step is the production of eumelanin, which begins only after most cysteinyldopas are depleted. It thus appears that eumelanin is deposited on the preformed pheomelanin and that the ratio of eu-to pheomelanin is determined by the tyrosinase activity and cysteine concentration. In eumelanogenesis, dopachrome is a rather stable molecule and spontaneously decomposes to give mostly 5,6-dihydroxyindole. Dopachrome tautomerase (Dct) catalyses the tautomerization of dopachrome to give mostly 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHICA). Our study confirmed that the role of Dct is to increase the ratio of DHICA in eumelanin and to increase the production of eumelanin. In addition, the cytotoxicity of o-quinone melanin precursors was found to correlate with binding to proteins through the cysteine residues. Finally, it is still unknown how the availability of cysteine is controlled within the melanosome.
This study summarizes the clue very well, whether Pheomelanin or Eumelanin is produced relies on circulating levels of Cysteine and the activity of Tyrosinase (a new topic I haven't mentioned yet.
Circulating levels of Cysteine purely rely on lifestyle, diet or other environmental factors while Tyrosinase is influenced by MC1R.
Textbook explanation of MC1R:
The MC1R gene provides instructions for making a protein called the melanocortin 1 receptor. This receptor plays an important role in normal pigmentation. The receptor is primarily located on the surface of melanocytes, which are specialized cells that produce a pigment called melanin. Melanin is the substance that gives skin, hair, and eyes their color. Melanin is also found in the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye (the retina), where it plays a role in normal vision.
Melanocytes make two forms of melanin, eumelanin and pheomelanin. The relative amounts of these two pigments help determine the color of a person's hair and skin. People who produce mostly eumelanin tend to have brown or black hair and dark skin that tans easily. Eumelanin also protects skin from damage caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation in sunlight. People who produce mostly pheomelanin tend to have red or blond hair, freckles, and light-colored skin that tans poorly. Because pheomelanin does not protect skin from UV radiation, people with more pheomelanin have an increased risk of skin damage caused by sun exposure.
The melanocortin 1 receptor (This stands for the MC1R) controls which type of melanin is produced by melanocytes. When the receptor is activated, it triggers a series of chemical reactions inside melanocytes that stimulate these cells to make eumelanin. If the receptor is not activated or is blocked, melanocytes make pheomelanin instead of eumelanin.
Common variations (polymorphisms) in the MC1R gene are associated with normal differences in skin and hair color. Certain genetic variations are most common in people with red hair, fair skin, freckles, and an increased sensitivity to sun exposure. These MC1R polymorphisms reduce the ability of the melanocortin 1 receptor to stimulate eumelanin production, causing melanocytes to make mostly pheomelanin. Although MC1R is a key gene in normal human pigmentation, researchers believe that the effects of other genes also contribute to a person's hair and skin coloring.
The melanocortin 1 receptor is also active in cells other than melanocytes, including cells involved in the body's immune and inflammatory responses. The receptor's function in these cells is unknown.
The young child paradigm
Between the ages of birth until it's puberty most children tend to have a much lighter hair color.
You see it so often, people can have brown hair and look like completely natural brunettes, but in their younger years from 1 to 12 years old they had blonde hair and maybe even set of blue eyes. This is much more common than people think it is and you will see the pattem repeatedly, just ask anyone for pictures when they were younger, you will see they were much blonder than they are now 99% of the time.
But why does this occur?
Like I said earlier, a lighter hair color means that Pheomelanin is present in a higher ratio to Eumelanin as opposed to a darker hair color where the ratio is more into the favour of Eumelanin.
Young children have more Pheomelanin and less Eumelanin, but why is that?
Simply because when people are young their levels of Glutathione (the rate limiting factor in synthesis of Pheomelanin) tend to be much much higher. It's a compound that tends to decrease in the human body as the years pass by.
The older we get, the less Glutathione we have in our body, the darker our hair will become.
Detoxification
Liver is the primary organ of detoxification with the skin being the secondary one.
When there are toxins in your body the best would be for it to be eliminated by the liver and not the skin since the liver is much more efficient at it, when toxins are detoxed through the toxins they will clog the pores and you will get things like acne which are essentially just toxins build up in the skin.
The liver is literally designed to lose toxins and is a big part of the lymphatic system.
The lymphatic system
The lymphatic system also known as the lymphoid system is an organ system that u should be absolutely familiar with if you care about the detoxification of toxins that are currently in your body.
The lymphatic system is made out of vessels, nodes, appendix, bone marrow, tonsils/adenoids, thymus, spleen and the lymph itself. Lymph is the fluid that is transported by the lymphatic system.
The lymph has many functions such as transporting white blood cells, balancing fluids throughout the body, absorption of fatty acids and nutrients, transportation of proteins and finally the elimination of waste and toxins which we'll get to later.
Anatomy of the lymphatic system
Before you are taught how you can help the lymphatic system to drain these toxins you need to know all the ins and outs; I am going to show you what it actually looks like and what the exact anatomy of this system is.
Personally I don't like this picture too much but it still illustrates very well where the nodes and veins are which is important to know.
How waste is transported through the lymph
How does the lymph transport all the toxins though?
It all starts with the accumulation of these toxins in the interstitial fluid which is fluid that exists between the cells in various tissues with a lot coming from the liver. This fluid basically becomes the lymph.
After this fluid and waste is collected it gets transported through the lymphatic veins where it is transported towards the thoracic area of the body (chest area) while it gets filtered in the nodes in the meanwhile.
Cisterna chyli
This is the central lymph node of the body. When this node is clogged the lymph is pretty much unable to move through the body since this node connects the upper and lower body, more importantly this is the node that is directly connected to the liver which is the primary detoxification organ.
What can cause the lymph to become stagnant
One of the biggest enemies to lymph flow is a lack of hydration and/or movement.
How to increase lymphatic flow
Body warmth
40 degrees Celsius or 104 degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature at which the lymphatic system flows best: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3430062/
"Thermotherapy has been indicated by some researchers as a treatment for lymphedema. A study comparing temperatures demonstrated that a temperature of 40°C significantly increased the transportation of lymph compared to other temperatures assessed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible benefits of mechanical lymph drainage accompanied with heat in the treatment of lymphedema of the lower limbs."
Heavy Metals
Kayser-Fleischer rings
Kayser-Fleischer rings are a phenomenon that can be seen in the eyes of individuals with certain ailments, of which Wilson's disease is the most common one. They are caused by the deposition of copper in the Descemet's membrane of the cornea.
These rings appear as a golden to greenish-brown discoloration in the periphery of the cornea, typically visible around the outer rim. They can be best observed through a slit lamp examination by an ophthalmologist. However, in some cases, they may be visible to the naked eye in good lighting conditions.
The discoloring in the cornea of the eyes is purely caused by copper that is being deposited there, the brown/green tint you can see is literally copper. This is the beauty of Iridology since these 'Kayser-Fleischer rings' are often one of the key indicators of Wilson's disease, a rare genetic disorder that causes excessive accumulation of copper in the liver, brain, and other vital organs.
But you can also have these Kayser-Fleischer rings even when you don't have Wilson's disease. These rings are an indicative of copper overload and prove to everyone that your mineral balance or heavy metal exposure can change your eyecolor.
However, it's important to note that while these rings are strongly associated with Wilson's disease, they may also occur in other conditions associated with copper overload.
One lesser known enemy or more hidden enemy is 'iron overload", which is way more common than copper overload.
Iron overload
This is one super common condition amongst tons of groups in the health community, vegans and vegetarians likely don't suffer from it (unless they take iron supplements) but 90% of primal dieters, animal based people or other people that consume tons of meat do suffer from this.
We all know heavy metals are terrible for our health and that we should minimize them en detoxify them, but many don't know what the difference between a heavy metal and a mineral is.
There are no strict rules that decide if something is a heavy metal or not but we generally consider an element an heavy metal when it has a density higher than 5g/cm³. Mercury, aluminum, lead, arsenic etc. all fall under this. Butsome minerals also fall under this criteria and that is why these minerals should never be supplemented or become too prevalent in the body.
Minerals that are also heavy metals and can be toxic in excess include:
Iron
Copper
Zinc
Cobalt
Manganese
Chromium
Nickel
Selenium
Molybdenum
Iron overload is a huge danger because in excess it can function as a toxic heavy metal and aggravate aging, cancer, mineral balance and even heart disease.
Iron overload on itself can actually also cause copper overload since excess iron is bound to thiol groups (sulfur containing compounds like Glutathione) and when all the thiol groups are occupied by Iron there won't be any place for excess Copper or other heavy metals to be bound.