Why do sea lion babies have cheesy skin like human babies?
Sea Lions Develop Human-like Vernix Caseosa Delivering Branched Fats and Squalene to the GI Tract
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Sea lions produce vernix with 40% squalene in meconium—identical to humans—despite having no dietary link to it.
Scientists thought squalene in vernix was a human-only trait tied to our unique evolution. Finding it in sea lions—alongside identical BCFA patterns—suggests deep evolutionary convergence, not coincidence.
Practical Takeaways
Look for squalene-rich skincare or supplements—this study suggests it may support gut health, not just skin hydration.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Sea lions produce vernix with 40% squalene in meconium—identical to humans—despite having no dietary link to it.
Scientists thought squalene in vernix was a human-only trait tied to our unique evolution. Finding it in sea lions—alongside identical BCFA patterns—suggests deep evolutionary convergence, not coincidence.
Practical Takeaways
Look for squalene-rich skincare or supplements—this study suggests it may support gut health, not just skin hydration.
Publication
Journal
Scientific Reports
Year
2018
Authors
Dong Hao Wang, R. Ran-Ressler, J. St. Leger, E. Nilson, L. Palmer, R. Collins, J. Brenna
Related Content
Claims (7)
Human evolutionary adaptation is optimized for the consumption of animal-derived saturated and monounsaturated fats as primary dietary lipids.
Baby sea lions have a lot of a special oil called squalene in their first poop—way more than in their blood—which might help protect their guts from damage or help good bacteria grow.
Since sea lions and human babies both have the same waxy coating, maybe our ancient ancestors spent time in water—like sea lions—before evolving into modern humans.
Baby sea lions are born with a waxy coating on their skin that they swallow before birth, and this coating has special fats and oils that are also found in human babies—maybe to help their guts grow healthy bacteria.
The special fats in baby sea lion vernix come from their skin—not from their mom’s milk—just like in human babies, which means this isn’t something they eat, but something their body makes.