Redheads! They’re so different! So special, so rare! And the same recessive genes that give them their ginger locks also cause them to feel pain in a different way than the rest of us. A study done at Aalborg University in Denmark found that while redheads are better able to handle spicier foods, their bodies are less adept at handling a variety of other sensory experiences, such as extreme cold and dental pain. Annnnnnd gingers are also more inclined to have problems such as endometriosis and sclerosis.
Source: The Irish Times
But the good news?
They can handle stinging feelings on the skin better than anyone, says Professor Lars Arendt-Nielsen, of the Aalborg University Center for Sensory-Motor Interaction. “Our tests showed that redheads are less sensitive to this particular type of pain. They react less to pressure close to the injected area, or to a pinprick. They seem to be a bit better protected, and that is a really interesting finding,” he said.
Source: peter de jong fotografie
One possible reason for the variety of health-related sensitivities redheads suffer: There’s a specific redhead gene related to pain. Another potential cause: Redheads tend to stay out of the sun, which means they get less Vitamin D.
So, got that redheads? Spicy foods are a yes, cold weather is a no. [Science Nordic]
Original by: Julie Gerstein
