Women burn more fat, less carbohydrate and less protein than men at the same exercise intensity. Since they rely less on carbohydrate as fuel, they also don’t store as much glycogen during carb refeeds.
Both differences in the nervous system and the hormonal system, including estrogen, are responsible for women’s lesser reliance on glycogen. For example, the fight-or-flight hormone adrenalin burns more fat in women than men. A more obvious explanation is that women normally have a considerably higher fat percentage than men of the same weight, not only on their body but also within their muscles, so it makes sense to use this as the primary energy source.
Basically, women have a glycogen and protein sparing metabolism. This means women don’t need as much carbohydrate or protein in their diet as men to fuel their exercise sessions.
The lesser need for carbohydrates frees up calories to consume as fat. Fats have very positive effects on the hormonal and cardiovascular health of women. In general, the more fat women eat, the more estrogen and testosterone they produce. Testosterone and estrogen are both anabolic hormones, in spite of the broscience you often hear about estrogen.
Low fat diets may even reduce breast size, in part likely due to the low sex hormone production, since estradiol and IGF-1 levels are significantly correlated with breast size in women that aren’t on the pill for birth control.
A high fat diet may also be easier to adhere to for women than men. Dietary fat is 15% more satiating in women than in men.
Autor: Menno Henselmans
Formerly a business consultant, I've traded my company car to follow my passion in strength training. I'm now an online physique coach, scientist and international public speaker with the mission to help serious trainees master their physique.
Zmieniony przez - Paatik w dniu 2018-09-26 20:43:40