By Julie E 
Photo Credit (Pixeles)
In general, females outlive men. However, who ages more quickly? Is there anyone who ages better? Life expectancy and how you appear, feel, and perform as you age are influenced by several factors.
This article examines how the two most prevalent sexes age differently, taking into account factors including life expectancy, looks, healthcare use, hormones, sexual function, and brain aging.
Beyond the Male and Female
Gender and sex are on the spectrum. However, only cisgender (cis) males and cis females have been the subjects of the studies referenced in this article. Whether or not being transgender or somewhere else on the sex/gender spectrum might impact your life expectancy, general health, and aging experience is hard to infer from them, particularly if you’ve undergone hormone therapy and/or fully transitioned.
Expectancy of Life
It’s a basic fact that women outlive men practically everywhere in the world. This is the subject of varying theories among experts.One
According to one argument, men tend to die younger because they engage in riskier activities and work in riskier professions, such as the military. In terms of statistics, that accounts for a portion of the discrepancies, but not all of them.
Another idea is that women are more likely than men to seek medical attention when something may be amiss or for preventive care. They have a better chance of recovering if their medical issues are identified early.
Males may live longer if they see their doctors more frequently, if this notion is correct.
Screenings for Cancer
You should be screened for reproductive organ malignancies regardless of your biological sex. Your recommended tests are displayed by the Healthfinder.gov program.
Look
The idea that men age “better” than women is a stereotype. But this is supported by some science.
Collagen is a protein that is present in connective tissues and skin. It is the cause of your skin’s elasticity, which is linked to your youthful appearance. As we age, our bodies lose collagen, which is why our skin changes in appearance.
Throughout their lives, men lose collagen more frequently and early. Until menopause, when they drastically lose it, women often preserve more.
Therefore, girls undergo a more abrupt and noticeable change in their appearance, whereas males age slowly and gradually.
Androgens
Androgens are hormones that are specific to men. Testosterone, the main androgen, aids in controlling bone mass, muscular mass, and other bodily functions. You naturally get weaker and lose your ability to do physical feats as it falls off. Additionally, lower testosterone is linked to:
Estrogens are the main female hormones, while androgens contribute to their synthesis in females. Therefore, a decrease in androgen causes a decrease in estrogen. They are connected to:
The effects of testosterone on female health are still mostly unknown to researchers.
Females have almost four times as much estrogen as males over the majority of their lives.
Reduce the inflammatory reaction to wounds
may offer protection from oxidative stress, which is thought to be a factor in a number of chronic diseases.
Prevent muscular injury and encourage muscle healing
Boost cell growth and recovery
contribute to the health of the neurological system and muscle strength.
Keep your bones healthy.
As estrogen synthesis decreases, all of these activities deteriorate. That occurs gradually in men. In the meantime, women lose over 80% of their estrogen production during the first year of menopause.
Once more, men gradually suffer from the ravages of aging, whereas postmenopausal women experience a significant shift.
It should not be surprising that female sexuality changes considerably after menopause, while male sexuality changes slowly, given the intimate relationship between sex hormones and sexual function.
It’s true what they say about male sexuality peaking at age 18 and female sexuality peaking considerably later. After reaching their peak at age 18, male testosterone levels gradually decline over the following few decades.2.
Just before estrogen levels (and fertility) start to decline, females experience an upsurge in sexual desire. This typically begins in the late 20s and lasts until the 30s or 40s, when perimenopause (the hormonal change that occurs prior to the cessation of menstrual cycles) occurs.3.
Due to bodily changes brought on mostly by hormones, both men and women experience declines in sexual attraction in their 50s. That may result in: 4.
Nevertheless, sexual function and sex drive typically hold up well into the 50s.4. In their 60s or beyond, many persons experience significant decreases in their sexual desire and performance.5.
40% of women over 60 who participated in one study reported that sex was an important part of their life despite having low sex drive.6.
Male and female brain aging differs as well. As people age, their brains get smaller and their metabolism slows down.
The male brain seems to undergo changes more quickly in both situations. A 2019 study found that, in terms of functionality, the typical male brain is roughly three years older than the average female brain.7.
Additionally, it seems that the causes of cognitive impairment differ for men and women. Men are more likely to have it.
rely on others to complete everyday chores
Not having a robust social network
Although these generalizations are possible, experts point out that each person’s natural brain aging process is very different.7.
The only one of those that you cannot alter is genetics. Start by discussing healthy modifications you can make with your healthcare practitioner in order to enhance the others.
Aging and Centenarians
Centenarians are people who live to be 100 years of age or older. According to studies, women have a higher chance of living that long than men.
Among those who have survived at least one age-related illness before the age of 80, 43% of women and 24% of men are “survivors.”
15% of females and 32% of males are “escapers”—that is, they haven’t experienced any significant medical issues.
Of the population, 42% of women and 44% of men are “delayers”—that is, they did not receive any significant diagnoses until they were over 80.
While female centenarians seem better equipped to withstand chronic sickness, male centenarians are far more likely to have avoided age-related health problems.
Males perform better than females in certain areas of aging, whereas females perform better in other areas.
Women typically live longer (sometimes even reaching 100 years old), have “younger” brain ages, and visit doctors more frequently, which may lead to earlier sickness diagnoses.
Males typically experience modest, progressive reductions in both looks and sexual function. After menopause, females typically see substantial decreases.
How you age is influenced by numerous things. Some of them, including genetics and dwindling hormone levels, are beyond your control. You may be able to alter others, such as environment, lifestyle, and nutrition.