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To be interested in why women generally live longer than men?

183 replies

JFDIYOLO · 04/10/2025 15:38

Quite a few articles doing the rounds this week.

The XX chromosome combo seems more robust - if there's something wrong with one X, a woman's other X will compensate (eg I probably carry my father's colour blindness but my mother's healthy X patched that). But male embryos/men, with only the one X, may be more vulnerable.

Female embryos are more engaged with building the immune system very early on than male.

Men are more likely to do risky behaviour like motorbikes, driving dangerous, drinking, fighting - testosterone is a dangerous drug?

Men are more likely to be doing dangerous professions - building sites, deep sea diving, the military etc, and to die at work.

Men are more likely to murder and be murdered.

Men are less likely to consult a doctor for health issues - I once came home to find my partner googling 'What should I do about this pain in my chest' (yes, heart attack) whereas I'm on the phone if it doesn't look right, feel right, act right and to take every routine test on offer - because I've been socialised to know my entire female anatomy is trying to kill me.

Men are less likely to talk about and ask for help with mental and emotional issues which can descend into depression, and higher male suicides.

Even though women still die in childbirth, suffer PND, are way more likely to be murdered by their intimate partners and are prescribed drugs that were habitually not developed using female test cohorts.

www.sciencenewstoday.org/why-do-women-live-longer-than-men-scientists-say-the-answer-lies-in-evolution

OP posts:
LoftyRobin · 04/10/2025 16:11

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 04/10/2025 16:09

Why wouldn’t men be more useful in old age though? It’s not as if women can breastfeed in old age. We aren’t physically useful, so why can’t men make themselves useful too?

Because it will be another mouth to feed.

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 04/10/2025 16:09

Why wouldn’t men be more useful in old age though? It’s not as if women can breastfeed in old age. We aren’t physically useful, so why can’t men make themselves useful too?

dudsville · 04/10/2025 16:02

MrsTerryPratchett · 04/10/2025 15:39

Women are useful in old age, evolutionarily. Men aren’t. Everything else comes from that.

Neil DeGrasse says this is the reason, he's a scientist, and fab, but tis isn't his specialism so it may not be accurate.

RedRedCapris · 04/10/2025 15:58

Men do more manual, dirty jobs with risk of disease from dust or injury from machinery.
Or highr risk locations where there are rats or drug paraphernalia.

Asbestos clearance
Coal miner
Farmer
Construction
Industry worker
Factory worker
Firefighter
Warehouse worker
Field Engineers
Space Engineers
Fishermen

Those that do more office based jobs have high risk hobbies

I agree less visits to doctors for health MOTs & poor communication

Poverty & unemployment in some areas

Loss of community, family & social networks

NoMoreHotHols · 04/10/2025 15:52

I think the gap is closing now. Don’t know the reasons.

Thedevilhasfinallycaughtupwithhim · 04/10/2025 15:49

Women need more sleep.
I’ve always wondered if the two are connected.

DoYouReally · 04/10/2025 15:48

No idea of the scientifics of it but

  1. We tend to be less risk adverse so less likely to take stupid chances or do stupid things.
  2. Also, we are far better at managing our mental health - we tend to discuss our emotions, talk to friends, family or professionals rather than bottling things up
  3. We also look after our health better. We will go to the doctor if we are sick whereas men will only go if they think they are seriously injured or dying

Sweeping generalisations but just my experience.

MrsTerryPratchett · 04/10/2025 15:39

Women are useful in old age, evolutionarily. Men aren’t. Everything else comes from that.