Do Women or Men Age Faster and Better?

Females, overall, live longer than males. But who ages faster? Who ages better? A lot of variables go into life expectancy and how you look, feel, and function as you age.

This article explores the differences in aging between the two most common sexes, considering life expectancy, appearance, healthcare use, hormones, sexual function, and brain aging.

Life Expectancy

It's a simple fact that, almost everywhere in the world, females live longer than males. Experts have different theories for this.

One theory is that males die younger because they often participate in more dangerous activities and tend to have more dangerous occupations, like being in the armed forces. Statistially, that explains some, but not all, of the differences.

Healthcare

Another theory is that females are more likely to go to healthcare providers for preventive care or when something might be wrong. That means their medical problems may be diagnosed earlier, giving them a better chance of recovering.

If this theory is accurate, seeing their healthcare providers more often may help males live longer.

Appearance

It's a stereotype that men age "better" than women. However, there is some science behind this.

It has to do with collagen, a protein found in skin and connective tissues. It's what makes your skin elastic, which is associated with how young you look. The human body loses collagen as it ages, which is why skin takes on a different appearance.

Males lose collagen earlier and more consistently throughout life. Females tend to keep more until menopause, when they lose it at a dramatic rate.

So while males slowly, gradually look older, females have a more marked change in how old they look.

Sex Hormones

Sex hormones affect how you age. Both male and female hormones decline as you get older.

It's a bit misleading to label hormones as male or female, as everyone has some of each type, but at varying levels determined by biological sex.

Androgens

Male hormones are called androgens. The primary androgen—testosterone—helps regulate muscle mass, bone mass, and overall physical function. As it drops off, you naturally become weaker and less able to perform physical feats. It's also tied to:

• Increased belly fat
• Balance problems
• Higher fall risk
• More frequent injuries

Additionally, it can contribute to chronic conditions such as:

• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Depression
• Obesity
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Type 2 diabetes
• Kidney and liver disease
  

The more testosterone levels drop in males, the shorter the lifespan.

In females, androgens play a role in the production of estrogens, which are the primary female hormones. So declining androgen levels lead to declining estrogen levels. They're also linked to:

• Impaired sexual function
• Lessened physical performance
• Weight gain
• Cognitive declines
• Emotional changes
• Bone loss

Researchers still have much to learn about the role of testosterone on female health.

Estrogens

For most of their lives, females have about four times more estrogens than males.

In females, estrogens are responsible for:

• Development of reproductive organs
• Growth of the uterine lining (endometrium)
• Sexual and reproductive function
• How your body uses carbohydrates and other fats

In males and females, estrogens:

• Lower the inflammatory response to injuries
• May protect against oxidative stress, which is believed to contribute to many chronic illnesses
• Protect against muscle damage and promote muscle repair
• Enhance growth and recovery of cells
• Play a role in muscle strength and nervous system health
• Maintain bone health

All of these functions decline as estrogen production drops. In males, that happens gradually. Meanwhile, during the first year of menopause, females lose about 80% of their estrogen production.

Once again, males make slow progress toward the problems of advancing age while post-menopausal females take a dramatic step.

Sexual Function

Given the close ties between sex hormones and sexual function, it should come as no surprise that male sexuality changes slowly while female sexuality changes significantly after menopause.

The common belief that male sexuality peaks at 18 and female sexuality peaks much later is true. Male testosterone levels are highest at 18 and then steadily drop for the next several decades.

For females, sexual desire increases just before estrogen levels (and fertility) begin to drop. This generally starts in the late 20s and continues until perimenopause (the hormonal shift that happens before menstrual cycles stop), which is generally in the 30s or 40s.

Males and females both see drops in sexual interest in their 50s because of physical changes due largely to hormones. That can lead to:

• Erectile dysfunction
• Less male ejaculate
• Vaginal dryness
• Less orgasmic pleasure
• Lower overall sexual function

Even so, sex drive and sexual function generally remain strong through the 50s. For many people, serious declines in sexual desire and performance come in their 60s or later.

Brain Aging

Brain aging is also different for males and females. Everyone's brain shrinks with age, and the brain's metabolism slows down, as well.

In both cases, changes appear to happen faster to the male brain. According to a 2019 study, the average male brain is about three years older than the average female brain.

Cognitive impairment appears to have different causal factors for males and females, as well. It's more common in men who:

• Are overweight
• Have diabetes
• Have had a stroke

It's more common in females who:

• Are dependent on others for daily tasks
• Lack a strong social network

While researchers can make these generalities, they note that the course of natural brain aging varies significantly from one person to the next.

Other Factors

Many other factors affect your lifespan plus how you look, feel, and function as you age. They include:

• Genetics
• Nutrition
• Lifestyle (socioeconomic status, sleep quality, physical activity levels, etc.)
• Environment (where you work, where you live, the amount of pollution you're exposed to, etc.)

Of those, genetics is the only one you can't change. To improve the others, start by talking to your healthcare provider about what healthy changes you can make.

Centenarians and Aging

People who live to the age of 100 or beyond are called centenarians. Studies suggest females are more likely than males to live that long.

Among centenarians, research has found some sex-based differences:

• 24% of male centenarians and 43% of female centenarians are “survivors.” (They survived at least one age-related illness before age 80.)
• 32% of males and 15% of females are "escapers." (They haven't had any major health conditions.)
• 44% of males and 42% of females are "delayers." (They didn't have any major diagnoses until after age 80.)

Summary

When it comes to different aspects of aging, males fare better in some regards and females do better in others.

Females tend to have longer lives (even making it to 100 more often), a "younger" brain age, and more frequent visits to healthcare providers, which may mean diagnosing illnesses earlier.

In appearance and sexual function, males tend to have slow, gradual declines. Females tend to have rapid declines after menopause.

Many factors influence how you age. Some of them are out of your control, such as genetics and declining hormone levels. Others—including nutrition, lifestyle, and environment—you may be able to change.