Female vs Male Biology

Female vs Male Biology

When we talk about lifestyle and health, most advice, tips, and studies are presented as general and aimed at everyone, regardless of whether we have female or male biology. It often seems as though all findings have the same effects regardless of sex. We're so used to this being the case that we don't question it. We've learned that health and lifestyle advice is applicable to both with the same effect, regardless of symptoms or methods. But is it really true that everyone can live the same way and expect the same results? The answer is no. The female and male bodies simply don't always react the same way to the same input. Let us explain.

The fifth vital sign for women

What turned everything on its head for us, what made us start questioning the 'normal', was the realisation that the menstrual cycle is actually the fifth vital sign for women. This means that for women, the menstrual cycle is as important a health indicator as breathing, heart rate, body temperature, and blood pressure. We've been taught that 'periods' (we haven't even learned to look at the menstrual cycle as a whole) are separate from our overall health, only related to fertility. But the fact is, the menstrual cycle is a comprehensive health indicator for women.

So, what does this actually mean? Besides the fact that menstrual cycle-related symptoms should be taken as seriously as a fever or an irregular heartbeat, it means that a woman's hormones are different from a man's. A woman's sex hormones fluctuate throughout the month, which means that the input the body receives (such as nutrition, exercise, and even medications) can have different outcomes depending on where we are in the cycle. The body may also have different needs depending on the phase. The graphs below show how female and male sex hormones differ over a month.

Women's hormones over a monthly cycle

The hormones oestrogen and progesterone are central to female biology and the menstrual cycle. These hormones follow an approximate monthly rhythm, with levels rising and falling throughout the cycle.

Image: Womensync ©

Men's hormones over a monthly cycle

In male biology, the hormone testosterone is fundamental and prominent for men's fertility. Testosterone follows a 24-hour cycle, where it is high in the morning, decreases towards the evening, and rises again the next morning. It doesn't change much from day to day and does not fluctuate over the month.

Image: Womensync ©

What template are you trying to fit your body into?

As we can see in the graphs above, men's sex hormones follow a 24-hour cycle, while women's follow a monthly cycle. It is therefore more natural for men to eat, exercise, sleep, and feel similarly every day. For women, whose sex hormones fluctuate throughout the month, it's natural to eat, exercise, sleep, and feel differently depending on where they are in their menstrual cycle. It's not natural to adhere to a linear lifestyle with the expectation of having the same energy, stamina, and desire regardless of where we are in the cycle. We are simply different.

Unfortunately, research today is almost exclusively based on male biology as the 'standard'. This means there is no research data on what the results would look like if tests were conducted on female biology in different phases of the menstrual cycle. We women are simply living according to a template based on male biology, which can lead to different health outcomes than those men can expect.

What would it look like if the female body shaped the template for what is considered 'standard'? Imagine a world where your female biology, your body, as it's designed to function, was the starting point for how you shaped your lifestyle.

What health benefits can women experience by syncing with their biology?

• Help manage and reduce menstrual-related discomfort.

• Reduce critical or judgemental thoughts once you understand that there's nothing wrong with your body, but rather with the template you've been trying to fit it into.

• Gain a better understanding of what your body is signalling and what it needs in different phases, enabling you to give yourself what your body requires on a physical, emotional, and mental level.

• By getting to know your body, you can get the most out of yourself on a personal level, in relationships, at work, in training, and in life in general.

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