Why do women live longer than men?

Mar 01, 2017

Women on average live 5 years longer than men

There have been various studies done on the average lifespan of human beings based on their gender. Every study indicates that on an average, women live 5 years longer than men.

Various reasons like psychology, health conditions, genetics, and hormones account to this difference in the life expectancy, mentioned below are the same.

Decreased lifestyle and occupational risk

Research indicates that men are more prone to drinking alcohol and smoking compared to women.

This could lead to various other disorders which affect their life span. Due to their muscular strength, men are in occupations which could put their lives at risk. Some of these occupations are working in mines, being in military services, and driving.

With diminishing examples of gender stereotyping, women are being a part of every industry, yet, some professions still have a male majority, increasing their mortality rate.

Decreased risk of cardiovascular diseases

Smoking and alcohol put men at an increased risk of getting cardiovascular diseases. The mortality rate of men increases by 40% with increased chances of getting arteriosclerosis due to smoking.

This also elevates their risk of having a stroke. Studies also show that women have better stress handling capabilities compared to men, which is yet another reason of decreased risk in women.

Women tend to face these problems between age 70 and 80, while men become a victim of these between age 50 and 60.

Presence of two x chromosomes

Chromosomes come in pairs and it is a known fact that females have two X chromosomes, while men have X and Y chromosomes. The presence of two X chromosomes in women lets them have two copies of each gene.

And, as cells age, if one of the genes gets damaged, the other could back-up for its normal functioning. The absence of another X chromosomes in men negates the chance of having a backup, leading to continuous aging of cells, making them more susceptible to diseases.

Presence of oestrogen

Oestrogen is a female hormone that regulates various body activities. It contains antioxidants which act as scavengers, removing the poisonous chemicals and stress caused by cell aging. The experiments conducted on animals showed that female animals who were deprived of oestrogen healed slowly when diseased, as the cell repair process was affected.

Oestrogen also eliminates the bad cholesterol and plays an important role in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Recent studies show that oestrogen may play a vital role in the liver mechanism, which is responsible for cholesterol digestion.

Some cases have shown a delayed onset of Alzheimer's disease in women, due to the presence of oestrogen.

Lower amounts of testosterone

Testosterone is a hormone found in both men and women. It is responsible for the mental and physical health of men accounting for muscle and bone mass and impacts their sex drive. It is present in very minimal amounts in women.

During late teenage and the 20s, men undergo a process called "testosterone storm" which could lead to aggressive behaviours and actions. They tend to have increased risk-taking ability during this phase, making themselves a prey to accidents, depression, or suicide.

Such behaviour-related fatalities prevail in men even at older age. Studies show that this could double their risk of dying in an accident or quadruple the risk of taking their own life. Some researchers define this hormone-related mortality as "testosterone toxicity", which increases the levels of bad cholesterol and decreases the levels of good cholesterol.

This makes men more prone to heart disease and stroke.

Survival of the fittest

Some studies provide the backing of Darwin's theory of evolution- "the survival of the fittest" to prove that nature favours the longevity of women. Since bringing up the young one requires a persistent investment of energy, nature supports the long lifespan of females in all species. Not just human beings, research shows that female sperm whales outlive their male counterparts by an average of 30 years.

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Each of us has an option of making lifestyle choices that are healthier and keep us happy. Irrespective of the gender, following an active and healthy lifestyle, which includes a balanced diet, regular exercise, giving up on alcohol or smoking could increase your lifespan!

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