On average, the life expectancy is more than five years longer for women than for men in the United States. Is there a reason for this longevity gap?
Factors Behind Female Longevity
Why do women live longer than men? There are a variety of factors that add up to female longevity – everything from biological factors working in their favor to lifestyle choices and stress management all play a role in the steadfast life expectancy gap between the genders.
According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control, the average life expectancy for American women in 2023 was 81.1, while the number was 75.8 for American men. This approximate five-year difference has been a recurring trend in recent years, though the gap has shrunk and grown over the decades based on a number of factors.
The Role of Estrogen and Biological Differences
Biologically, women have an advantage over men because of their higher production of estrogen, an often-forgotten factor that has a protective effect on the heart and cardiovascular system. Alicia O’Connor, the director of post-rehab programs at the Medical University of South Carolina Wellness Center, emphasized how she sees the importance of estrogen in her female clients’ overall health.
“Estrogen plays a significant role in boosting women’s cardiovascular health,” she said. “Although post-menopause estrogen levels do drop, which can make women a bit more vulnerable to heart disease.”
Another biological factor involves menstrual cycles. Whenever a woman is on her cycle, she experiences a slightly elevated heart rate. This subtle change actually serves as a type of “training effect” on the female heart similar to light exercise that ultimately improves cardiovascular function as a whole. And during pregnancy, the additional strain on the body from carrying a child has another sort of training effect on a woman’s heart, making it more resilient.
O’Connor said the only issue with the protective effects of estrogen is that scientists often focus more on male-centric heart disease research than on female.
“Women can certainly get heart disease, too, so it’s important that researchers are currently focusing on women in their studies,” she said
Lifestyle Choices That Impact Longevity
Aside from the aspects of life that can’t be helped – biology, for instance – lifestyle choices are also a frequently cited reason that men die at an earlier age than women. The University of Florida published an article in 2024 that outlined how multiple studies have shown that men are generally more inclined to participate in risky behaviors and activities such as smoking and heavy drinking.
Smoking doesn’t always lead to a shorter life, however, as France can attest. Recent data shows that French males live to an average of 80 years, while that number for women sits at 85.6. This stands in stark contrast to what we know about the effects of tobacco use shortening a smoker’s lifespan. However, other factors, including being more physically active, having access to a different type of health care and diet may contribute to the French living slightly longer than their American counterparts.
Social Support and Occupational Risks
Social factors are another variant to consider in the gender lifespan gap. For example, men traditionally are drawn to more dangerous occupations such as construction, mining, logging and factory work. It’s becoming more common to see women taking on these sorts of roles, but overall occupational fatalities still remain lower for women than for men.
Another factor working in favor of women is their abundance of social support groups. Loneliness and isolation are detrimental to mental health, and studies have shown that women turn to friends and family during stressful times more often than men do.
“Your friends may be the ones to convince you to go to a doctor or to get a condition checked out,” O’Connor added. “Social connections are so important for maintaining a good quality of life.”
Muscle Mass, Exercise, and Biological Age
With more than 30 years of experience in exercise physiology, O’Connor often utilizes body composition testing to determine her clients’ “biological age,” which is based on muscle mass. Having less fat and more muscle mass can mean a smaller chance of having to deal with conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
O’Connor explained that strength training kick-starts hormone production in older adults, leading your body to continue producing helpful hormones well into your golden years.
“The act of strength training helps the release of human growth hormone from the pituitary gland, which benefits the muscle growth. That’s why it’s so important to continue with strength training later in life. Exercise is always a win/win. It truly keeps you young,” she said.
Nutrition Tips for Healthy Aging
O’Connor also suggested a few nutrition tips for anyone looking to live longer, which include following the Mediterranean diet, eating whole and natural foods, avoiding processed and boxed foods while also limiting alcohol intake.
Improving Longevity Through Smart Choices
Neither men nor women can avoid aging. However, your age doesn’t have to be defined by what’s on your birth certificate. Thanks to the advent of strength training, proper nutrition, social support and numerous other factors, your life expectancy isn’t set in stone.
By Colby Denton
