How fit women burn fat differently to men, and what that means for exercise, diabetes and weight management
- Recent studies have found that women are more efficient than men at burning fat during exercise
- This is important for endurance sports, metabolic health and reducing the risk of diabetes
The two studies by the Centre for Nutrition, Exercise & Metabolism at the University of Bath analysed factors that influence individuals’ capacity to burn body fat when undertaking endurance sports.
The way the body burns fat is important for good metabolic health, insulin sensitivity and reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. For endurance sport competitions, such as running or cycling, the way the body burns fat can make the difference between success and failure.
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“Our study found that females typically have a greater reliance upon fat as a fuel source during exercise than males. Understanding the mechanisms behind these differences in fuel use may help explain why being female seems to have a metabolic advantage for insulin sensitivity,” said lead researcher Ollie Chrzanowski-Smith.
Participants took part in an incremental cycling test which increased in intensity over time. The cyclists rode until exhaustion point, which was between 20 to 30 minutes. The results found that females and those who were physically fitter, right across the age ranges, burnt fat more efficiently when exercising.
“The ability of females to tend to be more reliant upon fat as a fuel source during exercise compared to males is likely due to differences in oestrogen concentrations and its subsequent physiological effects,” explained Chrzanowski-Smith.