Why women live longer than men
source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/6700761/Men-have-a-detrimental-effect-on-lifesp...
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The disparity has long been thought to be because of lower rates of cancer in women, their healthier lifestyles, safer jobs and the fact that they are more likely to go to their GP with problems.
However, new research has suggested part of the reason for the difference may be more fundamental than lifestyle and general health - and may in fact be rooted in our genes.
While men have evolved to be bigger in order to fight for females and the right to reproduce, this has shortened their lifespan because they expend more energy and place themselves under more stress and in dangerous situations, the resesearchers said.
Women, by contrast, are smaller and lighter and put more energy into conceiving and nurturing their off-spring which means they do not have to sacrifice a long life.
Prof Kono said: “We have known for some time that women tend to live longer than men in almost all countries worldwide, and that these sex-related differences in longevity also occur in many other mammalian species.
The team believe that the reason for the difference in longevity relates to a gene associated with growth.
Prof Kono said: "Our results further suggested sex differences in longevity originating at the genome level, implying that the sperm genome has a detrimental effect on longevity in mammals.
“The study may give an answer to the fundamental questions: that is, whether longevity in mammals is controlled by the genome composition of only one or both parents, and just maybe, why women are at an advantage over men with regard to the lifespan.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/6700761/Men-have-a-detrimental-effe...
However, new research has suggested part of the reason for the difference may be more fundamental than lifestyle and general health - and may in fact be rooted in our genes.
While men have evolved to be bigger in order to fight for females and the right to reproduce, this has shortened their lifespan because they expend more energy and place themselves under more stress and in dangerous situations, the resesearchers said.
Women, by contrast, are smaller and lighter and put more energy into conceiving and nurturing their off-spring which means they do not have to sacrifice a long life.
Prof Kono said: “We have known for some time that women tend to live longer than men in almost all countries worldwide, and that these sex-related differences in longevity also occur in many other mammalian species.
The team believe that the reason for the difference in longevity relates to a gene associated with growth.
Prof Kono said: "Our results further suggested sex differences in longevity originating at the genome level, implying that the sperm genome has a detrimental effect on longevity in mammals.
“The study may give an answer to the fundamental questions: that is, whether longevity in mammals is controlled by the genome composition of only one or both parents, and just maybe, why women are at an advantage over men with regard to the lifespan.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/6700761/Men-have-a-detrimental-effe...
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