Why Women Outlive Men: Exploring the Longevity Gap

In the United States, a important difference exists in life expectancy between men and women. Women typically live longer, averaging about 80 years, while men average around 75 years. This five-year difference is a consistent global trend, regardless of socioeconomic status or location. Scientists have long been intrigued by the multifaceted reasons behind this longevity gap. This article explores the various factors contributing to women’s longer lifespans, including genetics, hormones, lifestyle choices, and external influences.

The Global Phenomenon of Female Longevity

The phenomenon of women living longer than men is not limited to specific regions or cultures. Dr.Dena Dubal, a professor of neurology at the University of California, San Francisco, emphasizes the universality of this trend.

It is indeed a phenomenon present throughout the world,even in case of disease,during hunger,during epidemics.
Dr. Dena Dubal, University of California, San Francisco

This suggests that fundamental biological and behavioral differences between men and women significantly influence lifespan.

Healthspan vs.Lifespan: A Nuanced Perspective

While women generally live longer, it’s crucial to consider “healthspan,” which refers to the number of healthy years a person lives. Bérénice Benayoun,an associate professor at the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology,points out that women often have a shorter healthspan than men. This means that while women may live longer, they may experience more years of physical fragility and age-related health issues.

Dr. Benayoun notes that women are more vulnerable, especially after menopause, to cardiovascular problems and Alzheimer’s disease, partly because age itself is a risk factor for these conditions.

Unraveling the Contributing Factors

Scientists are actively researching the underlying causes of the longevity gap, aiming to extend lifespan and improve healthspan for both sexes. Dr. Dubal believes that understanding the mechanisms that make one sex more resistant or vulnerable to age-related diseases could pave the way for new therapies that benefit everyone.

If we can understand what a sex is more resistant or more vulnerable, then we have new ways, a new molecular understanding, for new therapies that could help one or both sexes to be resistant,
Dr. Dena Dubal, University of California, San Francisco

The Role of genetics

Genetic factors, notably the XX set of female sex chromosomes, are increasingly recognized as potential contributors to longevity.A 2018 study involving genetically manipulated mice revealed that those wiht two X chromosomes and ovaries lived the longest, suggesting a protective affect associated with the second X chromosome.

It was something about the second X chromosome that protected the mice not to die earlier, even if they had testicles. If there was something on this second chromosome X which was somehow a splash of the youth fountain?
Dr. Dena Dubal, University of California, San Francisco

While this research has not yet been replicated in human studies, Dr. Dubal notes the similarities in sex hormones, chromosomes, and reproductive systems between mice and humans, suggesting that similar mechanisms might potentially be at play.

Montserrat Aguera, a professor at the faculty of Medicine Veterin, Pennsylvania, adds that epigenetic factors, such as environmental and lifestyle elements, also influence gene expression and can impact the longevity gap.

Hormonal Influences

Hormones,particularly estrogen,are another area of intense research.Dr. Benayoun notes that women tend to have a better, more active, and more capable immune system before menopause. Men, conversely,

tend to react much worse to infections

and are more prone to dying from sepsis, potentially shortening their lifespan.

A 2017 analysis indicated that women who experienced menopause later in life (after age 50) tended to live longer. However, as estrogen levels decline during menopause, women’s immune systems may weaken, increasing their susceptibility to diseases that were less common before menopause, according to Dr. Benayoun.

Lifestyle and Behavioral Patterns

Lifestyle choices and behavioral patterns also contribute substantially to the longevity gap. Kyle Bourasa, a psychologist at Duke University, points out that women are generally less likely to smoke or drink excessively, behaviors that increase mortality risk. Women also tend to engage in more “health promotion behaviors,” such as wearing seatbelts and seeking regular medical checkups.

moreover, women are more likely to socialize, which protects them from the negative effects of social isolation and loneliness. A 2023 analysis also revealed that women are less likely to die from drug overdose or suicide.

External Factors and Environmental Influences

External factors,such as exposure to disease and occupational hazards,also play a role. During the COVID-19 pandemic, men died in greater proportions than women, partly as they were more likely to hold jobs that exposed them to the virus or to be homeless or incarcerated.

Alan Cohen, an associate professor at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, emphasizes that longevity is determined by a complex interplay of numerous factors.

There are probably a thousand ways in which this happens,
Alan Cohen, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health

While individuals can control certain factors, such as alcohol consumption, smoking, and diet, it remains unclear how significantly changing these behaviors would affect longevity, according to dr. Bourasa.

We need randomized control studies to separate these things,
Kyle Bourasa,duke University

Conclusion: A Multifaceted Puzzle

The reasons why women live longer than men are complex and multifaceted,involving a combination of genetic,hormonal,lifestyle,and external factors.While research continues to unravel the underlying mechanisms, understanding these factors is crucial for developing strategies to promote both lifespan and healthspan for all individuals. Further research, including randomized control studies, is needed to fully understand the impact of modifiable lifestyle factors on longevity and to develop targeted interventions that can improve health outcomes for both men and women.