Why do women feel more short of breath than men during exercise?

Men and women show different exercise tolerance

Through experience, it has been recognized that females are more prone to feel tired or breathless than men of same age during exercises. However, scientists were not so clear about what made females feel greater breathlessness than men and many theories were formulated around this phenomenon. 

At times, it has been postulated that the smaller lung capacity per se may be the reason for this manifestation. However, a recent research study concluded that the difference observed between men and women was actually because of the electrical activities taking place within the respiratory muscles that were different between the two genders. 

According to the research team from the McGill University, Canada, the awareness of electrical activation within the respiratory muscles is a reflection of the effort needed to compensate the biological needs arising during exercise through ventilation. In women, the smaller airways and the lungs generate greater biological need in order to compensate for the ventilation requirements during exercise. Thus, there is greater electrical activity awareness within the respiratory muscles in females and this will lead to early exhaustion and tiredness. 

The main measure during this study was the electrical pattern generated in relation to the muscles of the diaphragm, which is an essential part of deep breathing during exercise. The study subjects were all healthy adults between the ages of 20 and 40. There were females and males in the mix study population. They were asked to exercise on a stationary bicycle and rate their opinion regarding the intensity of the workout at regular intervals. While they rate the intensity at regular intervals, the scientists were also measuring the electrical impulses generated in relation to the study subjects’ respiratory muscles using specialized electrodes. The electrical impulses were recorded and then analyzed for each and every study subject which enabled the researchers to draw their conclusion between men and women.

However, the researchers are of the opinion that they need more rigorous and detailed studies to understand more regarding these findings. They also mention that in future studies scientists should also look into the performance difference between different groups in the population such as obese individuals and individuals with various medical conditions.

The study was published in the Journal of Experimental Physiology and has been discussed widely in the academic domain as a new research initiative that could change the way we look at treatment and management strategies of women with reduced exercise tolerance.