2 ms·

I'm ignorant on the matter, but "vastly" seems a bit too much, given that a good chunk of medicine applies to both. They are different, no doubt, but not the di

I'm ignorant on the matter, but "vastly" seems a bit too much, given that a good chunk of medicine applies to both. They are different, no doubt, but not the difference between a human and a crab. 5 years life expectancy difference is a lot. As a man, it is frustrating and I want to make sure I get the most out of my life (which I enjoy)

lotsofpulp 9mo ago
"A lot" is arbitrary, as would be the expectation that men and women would have the same longevity (absent medical intervention). It seems evident that the taller you are, the less life expectancy you have from the simple fact that the heart has to work harder. Hence, since men are usually taller than women, it might also be expected for men to die younger. I am making the following scenario up, but what if a difference in men and women's bodies causes men to process cholesterol differently, and increases the probability of atherosclerosis and/or arteriosclerosis. Perhaps it happens simply because men eat more than women, and this compounds over decades of life, eventually resulting in the difference in average age at death.
- Rury 9mo ago
  Yeah, I personally believe women's longer lifespan mostly stems from a lower caloric intake. Studies have long suggested that reducing caloric intake can be one of the best things you can do for health and extending lifespan. And this has been shown true across many species including: yeast, worms, flies, mice, monkeys, fish, and others. We also observe that larger animals tend to live longer than smaller animals, but intra-species it tends to be the opposite (e.g. small dogs tend to live slightly longer than large dogs). It also makes some sense biologically speaking, as we now know that most genetic mutations and errors happen during cellular reproduction when DNA is copied, and cellular reproduction rates correlate with nutrient uptake, alongside mutations with age. Of course too much caloric restriction can be detrimental, but seems to me this could explain much of the difference in life expectancy between men and women. That and perhaps the genetic advantages from having two X chromosomes.
- Fire-Dragon-DoL 9mo ago
  The fact that we don't know what causes this is more concerning. We accepted it as a fact, but that's not scientific at all
  - deleted 9mo ago
    [deleted]

lotsofpulp 9mo ago

"A lot" is arbitrary, as would be the expectation that men and women would have the same longevity (absent medical intervention). It seems evident that the taller you are, the less life expectancy you have from the simple fact that the heart has to work harder. Hence, since men are usually taller than women, it might also be expected for men to die younger. I am making the following scenario up, but what if a difference in men and women's bodies causes men to process cholesterol differently, and increases the probability of atherosclerosis and/or arteriosclerosis. Perhaps it happens simply because men eat more than women, and this compounds over decades of life, eventually resulting in the difference in average age at death.

Rury 9mo ago
Yeah, I personally believe women's longer lifespan mostly stems from a lower caloric intake. Studies have long suggested that reducing caloric intake can be one of the best things you can do for health and extending lifespan. And this has been shown true across many species including: yeast, worms, flies, mice, monkeys, fish, and others. We also observe that larger animals tend to live longer than smaller animals, but intra-species it tends to be the opposite (e.g. small dogs tend to live slightly longer than large dogs). It also makes some sense biologically speaking, as we now know that most genetic mutations and errors happen during cellular reproduction when DNA is copied, and cellular reproduction rates correlate with nutrient uptake, alongside mutations with age. Of course too much caloric restriction can be detrimental, but seems to me this could explain much of the difference in life expectancy between men and women. That and perhaps the genetic advantages from having two X chromosomes.
Fire-Dragon-DoL 9mo ago
The fact that we don't know what causes this is more concerning. We accepted it as a fact, but that's not scientific at all
- deleted 9mo ago
  [deleted]