MEN'S HEALTH
GENDER &
AGING
Growing Old Together?
Learn the Differences
& What to Expect.
We all know that men and
women age differently.
Certain factors such
as genetics, lifestyle,
nutrition, and environment affect
how people of either gender age,
but the rate and way that men and
women age is completely different.
Not only do the male and female body
respond differently to aging, the male
and female psychology differ greatly
as well.
LIFE EXPECTANCY
Almost everywhere in the world,
women live longer than men. Some
believe that the reason for a longer
life expectancy for women is that men
often participate in more dangerous
activities and tend to have more
dangerous occupations. That explains
some, but not all, of the differences.
Other explanations include the fact
that women are more likely to see
a doctor and possibly be diagnosed
earlier with health problems. Whatever
the cause may be, the bottom line
is that women live years longer than
men worldwide. In the United States,
the average life expectancy is 78.6
years—that's 81.1 years for women
and 76.1 years for men.
HORMONES
Different hormones are affected by
aging for men and women as they
age. For women, estrogen and aging
are a major concern, especially during
menopause and after. For men, testosterone
and aging are the dominant
hormonal component of aging.
BRAIN AGING
Brain aging is also different for men
and women. Men who are overweight,
diagnosed with diabetes, or have had
a stroke are more likely to suffer from
cognitive impairment. Women, however,
are more likely to suffer from
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