Gender and fat metabolism during exercise: a review

We examined the evidence for greater fat utilization by women during exercise and the potential gender differences in specific cellular processes. Results from well-controlled studies show that, compared to men, women oxidize more fat during submaximal exercise, resulting in the relative sparing of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inCanadian journal of applied physiology Vol. 23; no. 6; p. 570
Main Authors Tate, C A, Holtz, R W
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.12.1998
Subjects
Exercise - physiology
Fatty Acids - metabolism
Female
Glycogen - metabolism
Humans
Male
Menstrual Cycle - physiology
Mitochondria - metabolism
Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism
Respiration
Sex Characteristics
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Summary:We examined the evidence for greater fat utilization by women during exercise and the potential gender differences in specific cellular processes. Results from well-controlled studies show that, compared to men, women oxidize more fat during submaximal exercise, resulting in the relative sparing of muscle glycogen. Mature female rats use less muscle glycogen during running and can run longer than male counterparts. Circulating estrogen is critical to these observations, as shown by studies where male rats were treated with estrogen. Estrogen-treated male rats use less muscle glycogen during exercise and can run longer than untreated males. The cellular mechanisms and factors underlying these findings are unknown and certainly multifactorial. We offer some information that, unfortunately, does not lead to any natural conclusion. However, this area is certainly ripe for research.
ISSN:1066-7814
DOI:10.1139/h98-032