Men and women are biologically different from each other both externally and internally, and these differences affect the way we interact and respond to the environment, to our exercise, in our sleep, and dietary habits. These differences between the sexes are particularly evident in matters of health and nutrition, and among them there are even such as different floors reaction to short-term starvation.

What research shows

Fasting has various endocrine effects in male and female rats.

• Impact on males

Regardless of the length or extent of food stress, chemicals of the brain of male rats respond to the same changes. Night behavior and consciousness remains fairly stable, regardless of the intensity of fasting. If fasting will last long enough, the males will wander a bit and worry, but, in general, they will remain in fairly good condition. It seems that they have the capacity to cope with nutritional stress.

• Impact on females

Any degree of nutritional stress (starvation or simply restricting calories) causes increasing weakness (in the daytime, when they usually sleep), increased awareness (for foraging), increased alertness and increased energy. In brief, female rats are beginning to better find and search for food when hungry, as if their body is not so well adapted to cope with stress due to lack of food. They are less fertile, while males are actually more excited and fertile (likely due to falling fertility of females). The size of the ovaries decreases (which is bad for fertility), the size of the adrenal glands is increased (that rats indicate chronic stress), the menstrual cycle is disrupted in proportion to the degree of calorie restriction.

• As for the people, information on the effects of fasting on men and women is small, but you can still detect a significant difference

One study found that if a short-term fasting improves insulin sensitivity in men, in women such improvement was observed. In fact, glucose tolerance to have worsened.

Another study investigated the effect of fasting in a day, on blood lipids. Women indicators HDL (high density lipoproteins) have improved, and their triglycerides remain at the same level, HDL males remained at the same level, and triglyceride level increased.

And men and women suffering from obesity, decreased fat stores of the body weight, blood pressure, total cholesterol Cholesterin And triglycerides during fasting. However, these were people suffering from obesity, and this study did not take part in perimenopausal women age, so these results could not be confirmed in more slender men or women of reproductive age.

• Some more details regarding the reaction of women (mostly in the age of menopause) starvation

In one study, the effect of starvation on chemotherapy-seven women (including 44-year-old woman who, most likely, was in premenopause, taking into account age, which usually occurs menopause) and three men found that short-term starvation improved their tolerance and reconstitution after chemotherapy. Conclusion: The men and women (mostly middle age, although it is usually the population gets cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy), received the same benefits of fasting.

Although both men and women showed a strong increase in maximum oxygen consumption (VO2 max) and the concentration of glycogen in the blood in response to bicycle exercise during fasting, only men showed a better adaptation of the skeletal muscles during fasting. Women showed a better adaptation of the muscle when they took their food. Conclusion: endurance training during the fasting women can pass better than strength training during fasting.

It can be assumed that women in premenopause period (and possibly, in perimenopausal women) are likely to give a negative experience momentary starvation, at least as a means of slimming. At the same time, it can potentially be the same for both sexes therapeutic agent for chemotherapy, cancer, and age-related neurodegeneration.

As a result, men and women have a congenital metabolic and hormonal differences, and it is obvious that these differences are partly determined by how we respond to stressors, such as short-term starvation.

Who should and who should not, apply to starvation

If you have not tried the usual means, namely to use a little fat, get enough sleep, to minimize stress, have enough exercise (not to train too much and not too little), you should not go hungry. These preliminary steps are very important and are not negotiable, especially fat intake.

Those women, who are already slim and limit your calorie intake, you should be careful when deciding on starvation. It is understood that fasting certainly body sends a signal deficiency. This is a powerful signal, which can be a powerful response from the body. If you are already slim (which, depending on the degree of harmony, may send a signal about the deficit) and limiting the intake of calories (that definitely sends a signal about the deficit), the response to fasting can be too strong.

In fact, even a one-day starvation, for example, for 8 or 14 hours, can become chronic stressor and women need to use it with caution. The same applies to longer starvation, for example, for 36 and even 24 hours. Most of all, it is recommended for women who want to try fasting, be careful, be sure and do it only if it occurs naturally. This should not be a struggle. It should not stop your monthly cycle, or prevent pregnancy. This should improve your life, not make it worse. If you find that fasting has a negative impact, stop it. This should happen when hunger Psychology and physiology of hunger - the two sides of the same coin   It comes naturally, if any, should be done.

So, before you decide on a short-term starvation, consider different options, be honest about your priorities, and listen to your body. Actually, it should do everything, but when it comes to starvation Fasting - this is natural It seems the women have to do it more carefully.

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