Leaves Turn Beautiful Colors Each Autumn As They [Derived Headline]

Summary

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Leaves turn beautiful colors each autumn as they lose their pigment and die. As we age, our "leaves" turn gray or white as the hair's pigment cells -- which give hair its color -- die. This loss of pigment, called melanin, is due mainly to the natural aging process and genetics, but also to things we do. For example, some longtime smokers look older than they should for their age. A 1996 study published in the British Medical Journal looked at 152 men and 152 women. Fourteen men and 67 women developed gray hair before turning 50, compared with just 7 men and 27 women of the same ages who were nonsmokers. Researchers speculated that smoking may accelerate the biological clock. Alcoholism and poor nutrition are also factors. The biological clock is rooted in our genes. Wrinkles (sun damage excluded), gray or white hair and hair loss are just a few of the age-related changes programmed into each of us. As we unravel the mysteries of DNA we may one day have the ability to repair defective or damaged genetic information. While reversing gray hair seems trivial compared with other health concerns, the aging process is linked to serious diseases, too. like Alzheimer's.

The time in life when gray or white hair will appear is largely inherited.

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Leaves Turn Beautiful Colors Each Autumn As They [Derived Headline]

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