CAREPLUS
A fresh, new perspective on the gender debate
By Angelo B. Palmones
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:03:00 07/05/2008
Filed Under: People, Lifestyle & Leisure, Health
MANILA, Philippines—Male or female—which is the stronger sex? This debate has been raging since a lady named Eve plucked the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, took a bite and offered it to a guy named Adam. At least that’s how the popular story goes, which some describe as fiction with a touch of chauvinism. After eons of human existence, the gender argument is as touchy and heated as ever.
To put the question in a scientific—and probably more objective—perspective, we asked a respected cardiologist about his professional opinion on the matter.
Physically stronger
“Generally, men are physically stronger than women,” says Dr. Antonio S. Sibulo Jr., director of the St. Luke’s Heart Institute, “but not necessarily stronger emotionally.”
The male skeleton is larger which gives men an inherent edge in strength whereas menopause contributes to an abrupt loss in bone density in women, explains Dr. Sibulo, who is also past president of the Philippine Heart Association and Asean Federation of Cardiology. Thanks to their higher testosterone level, men generally have bigger muscles than women. Women are three times more likely than men to develop thyroid disorders and rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammatory disease that attacks the lining of the joints.
Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease caused by the daily wear and tear of living, develops twice more frequently in women’s hands and four times more frequently in their knees. That’s because men have larger bones capable of withstanding physical stress better.
Longevity
While men can gloat over their superiority in physical strength, women can boast of having a huge—perhaps the ultimate—advantage. “Men are twice more likely to be dead by age 65 and three times more likely to die before that age,” Dr. Sibulo says. “On average, women outlive men by 7 years. During infancy and childhood, boys die more frequently than girls. Thirty percent more men than women die between the ages of 20 and 24. No thanks to testosterone, more men than women succumb to heart disease and cancer or die due to accidents, suicide and murder.”
According to Dr. Sibulo, the key to women’s edge in longevity appears to be their higher levels of estrogen. Research indicates that the hormone is behind the lower incidence of colorectal cancer and heart disease in women. “In most women, heart disease occurs after menopause when estrogen levels naturally decline,” the cardiologist explains. “As a result, women generally develop heart disease 10 years later than men do.”
Dr. Sibulo based his statement on data from the St. Luke’s Heart Institute Cardiovascular Disease Information System, a unique, comprehensive patient database aimed at improving cardiovascular care. The CVDIS revealed that the average age of male patients who suffered a heart attack and/or had heart surgery was 59 compared to 65 for female patients. While men suffered a heart attack three times more frequently, women tended to have more coexisting medical conditions presumably, Dr. Sibulo notes, because they suffered a heart attack at a later age.
Lifestyle changes
From a biological standpoint, it is clear which gender has the edge. Dr. Sibulo recommends the following lifestyle changes to help men compensate for their innate biologic disadvantage:
• Quit smoking and drink moderately.
• Check blood pressure regularly.
• Eat a healthy diet and maintain optimal weight.
• Exercise for at least 30 minutes most days of the week.
• For men 40 years old and above, undergo a prostate exam.
• Practice monogamy; otherwise, practice safe sex.
Dr. Sibulo also offered his personal opinion on the gender debate by sharing sage advice from a lady named Simone de Beauvoir. In 1952, the French author and philosopher wrote, “People have tirelessly sought to prove that woman is superior, inferior, or equal to man. If we are to gain understanding, we must…discard the vague notions of superiority, inferiority, equality which have hitherto corrupted every discussion of the subject and start afresh.”
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Angelo Palmones is a science and technology broadcaster. For feedback, please e-mail the Healthcare Technology and Outcomes Information Bureau at inquire@htoib.com.
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