Why do women have worse health in old age than men?

What effects do genes have on later health??

Why do older women often have poorer health compared to men of a similar age? Researchers now found that genes account for a significant proportion of the increased health problems in women of old age.

Researchers at the University of Exeter found in their recent research that genes are responsible for the fact that women in old age are often in poorer health than men of similar age. The physicians published the results of their study in the English-language journal "Nature Communications".

Men die earlier

At an older age, women are more likely to suffer from illness and poorer health. The physicians were now looking for possible causes for these increased health impairments, because it has long been the question of why older women are usually less healthy than older men, although men overall have a lower life expectancy and die earlier than women.

Not all genes are equally good for women and men

According to the University of Exeter scientists, the answer to the question of why women in old age are in worse health than men in the genes of women and men. Some genes use one sex, but harm the opposite sex, the experts say. The researchers used mathematical models and experimental data from flies to show that such genes can easily spread if they become effective after a female reproductive stop. Divided genes connect the sexes in an evolutionary tug-of-war, says study author Professor David Hosken of the University of Exeter. Women and men develop in different directions, but the common genome means that each sex prevents the other from achieving its optimum, the experts say. In principle, certain genes have a positive effect in a man, so to say, while the same genes have a bad effect on a woman and vice versa.

Reproduction has a great influence on the accumulation of genes

When women enter the menopause, they do not multiply and therefore can no longer pass on their genes. This means that the so-called selection in women is greatly weakened, explain the doctors. From this point on, more and more genes are needed, which use the men, which affects the health of women. However, it is important to mention that survival and health are not the same, says Professor Hosken. The dominance of genes with benefits for men over a certain age is linked to the fact that men can still reproduce after the age of female menopause, adds the expert. The experimental data of flies of the genus Drosophila from the current study supported the findings of mathematical models in humans, since the genes, which were better for the older age of male animals, for women tend to be worse, explain the scientists. (As)