L16: Sex-based Physiological Differences Flashcards
Why were females often excluded from studies in exercise science?
Because of ignorance on physiological differences and the complexity associated with hormone fluctuations
What are chromosomes and why is the 23rd pair of chromosomes important?
Chromosomes are bundles of DNA holding the code required to make every protein in the human body.
The 23rd pair of chromosomes determine a person’s sex (male, female, or intersex)
What proportion of the population is intersex?
3%
Besides sex, what is the 23rd pair of chromosomes responsible for?
Hormone and organ development
What are the sex hormones in males and females, and what hormones do they produce?
Males: testes (testosterone)
Females: ova (estrogen)
Both males and females produce testosterone and estrogen. The only difference is the production site and interaction with the body
What are 3 characteristics of the male heart that differ from the female heart?
- Larger
- Thicker walls
- Higher resting stroke volume
Why do females tend to have a higher resting heart rate?
Female hearts tend to be smaller and weaker than male hearts, so they have to work harder to pump blood throughout the body
What are 3 characteristics of the male vascualr system that differ from the female vascular system?
- Larger lipid core
- Greater plaque development
- Higher risk of CVD
How does atherosclerosis differ between males and females?
In females, atherosclerosis tends to form smaller plauques. However, since females tend to have smaller blood vessels, these plaques are still a health risk
At what ages does CVD significantly increase for males and females respectively?
Males: 50
Females: 60
What are 2 characteristics of the male vascular system that differ from the female vascular system?
- Larger airways (trachea, bronchi, lungs, etc)
- More alveoli (more space for gas exchange)
What is the difference between a pyramidal and prismatic ribcage?
Males have a pyramidal ribcage that is wider and forms more of a pyramid shape
Females have a prismatic ribcage that is narrower and forms more of a barrel shape
On average, how much larger is the male brain than the female brain (evan after adjusting for height)?
10 - 15%
In what 3 parts of the brain do males tend to have more grey matter than females?
- Hippocampus
- Amygdala
- Motor areas
In what part of the brain do females tend to have more grey matter than males?
Mostly in the pre-frontal cortex.
They also tend to have mroe complex white matter connections
What proportion of testosterone do females produce compared to males?
7 - 10% of testosterone as males
How does body composition differ between males and females?
Males: more muscle mass and visceral fat (but lower body fat percentage)
Females: More adipose tissue and subcutaneous fat
How does fat distribution differ between males and females?
Males: stored in the upper body (apple shape)
Females: Stored in the lower body (pear shape)
During pregnancy, how does the females body alter energy use?
Fat oxidation increases to spare bloodd glucose for the foetal brain
How does energy use differ between males and female during exercise?
Males: tend to prefer carbohydrates
Females: tend to prefer fats
If males are more predisposed to Type 2 diabetes than females, why do females have a higher rate of obesity?
Males are more likely to have insulin insensetivity but females are more likely to store fat
What happens to insulin sensetivity with age?
It increases, espically after puberty
Why does a decline in estrogen production cause an imbalance in osteoclasts and osteoblasts?
Estrogen promotes osteoblast apoptosis (cell death)
