Eli5: Why do women live longer than men on average, even among the older population like supercentenarians?
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One major factor is likely metabolic rate. Across species, those with lower metabolisms live longer. Women have a lower nominal metabolic rate than men.
Other factors, such as engaging in dangerous or physically strenuous activities also play a role. However, metabolic rate is generally the base factor for lifespan among living things.
There is no consensus or definitive answer to this biochemistry/genetic question…
Yet.
There are also some sociological factors involved in the statistics, for sure, but even when you negate sociological factors, biochemistry-wise, women still live longer, on average.
We don’t know why.
As corrected by u/TheLandofConfusion:
The X chromosome contains more coding genes than the Y chromosome. Women have two X chromosomes. If one malfunctions/is damaged, there is another to compensate, unlike men who only have one X chromosome. Other theories is that the Y chromosome is actually harmful. And as other posters have stated, there may be cultural or environmental variables which skew data.
Source:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324033
One thing that may sound controversial to some(it’s not) is the amount of mental anguish and stress placed on men. Expected to provide, be tough, be smart, and never complain. If they do voice problems about their mental health many times they are shot down or ridiculed by both sides. This stress of being the provider/protector and everything that comes along with that on a societal level should not be underestimated. It goes hand in hand with higher suicide rates.
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I can’t say with regard to lifespan, but my field is neurodegenerative disease and I can say that primary female hormones (e.g. estrogen) are hypothesized to have a neuroprotective effect. Male brains age more aggressively than female brains.
Another interesting aspect: Men who are married/partnered live longer than those who are not whereas women who are married live less than those who are not.
I think it’s a mixture of biological and genetic factors amplified by societal factors.
1. Hormones: estrogen could be protective to some degree. Testosterone levels could play a role in heart disease. This is over simplifying. But could certainly be a factor.
2. Social connections: women tend to have better support systems and connections which may lead to better health.
3. Mental and lifestyle Health: Men tend to have higher substance abuse and suicide rates.
4. Women tend to have better preventative medical practices, such as seeing doctors.
5. Occupational risk: men tend to have jobs with higher risk. I include war into this, but coal mining, and beyond
6. The double X chromosome factor mentioned above as redundancy For certain genetic traits.
Men (I am a dude) are horrible at going to doctors on time. We will let shit get bad before we go get checked out. I’ve been guilty of this but luckily it wasn’t anything fatal or life altering.
There is research indicating that the sex that has the shorter chromosome has a shorter lifespan. For example in chickens the male lives longer because the female is the one with the short sex chromosome
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