Study Shows That Women Are Lesser At Risk And Experience Milder Symptoms of Covid-19 Than Men, And We Have Estrogen To Thank
The world has come under the grip of coronavirus and the interesting thing is that no one is spared by the life-threatening virus, no matter which race, region, age or background you belong to. What I am trying to say is that if this was affecting only say, the poor and the weaker sections of the society, the world wouldn’t have come to a standstill and no one would have really cared about this pandemic. Only because it wraps everyone in its loving arms, regardless of their stature and position, is why the whole world is fighting tooth and nail against it.
But apparently it does have its favourites. A study shows that Covid is hitting men harder while women are relatively lesser at risk. Men even experience more severe symptoms of the disease with riskier outcome while women may have milder and non-existence symptoms. The reason for this is the biological difference between and women, the sex hormones to be precise. You know, the same thing we’ve been reminded of almost every day and is used as a reason for gender disparity? However, turns out, when it comes to immunity, men are the weaker sex, not women.
The recent study on the severity of Covid-19 symptoms found in men and women states that estrogen, the sex hormone found in women could be the reason why women are less affected and show milder symptoms of the disease. The lead researcher and author of the review, Leanne Groban said, “We know that coronavirus affects the heart and we know that estrogen is protective against cardiovascular disease in women, so the most likely explanation seemed to be hormonal differences between the sexes.”
Women produce a more powerful immune response to the coronavirus than men do, a new study found https://t.co/FXapscjWvU
— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 26, 2020
The study was conducted on the sex-specific hormone activity between men and women and it indicated that the sex difference affects the immune systems in both genders and here’s how. Angiotensin-converting enzyme2 (ACE2) is a cellular receptor of coronavirus and helps the virus get into the cells of the organs like heart, arteries, kidneys and intestines, causing the infection. Female sex hormone estrogen lowers the level of ACE2 in heart which is attached to the cell membrane of the organ. This explains the lesser severity of Covid in women.
Men, on the other hand, have higher concentrations of ACE2 in their blood and their sex hormone testosterone is pretty useless in this area. Thus, the higher level of ACE2 in the tissue cause serious symptoms in men than women. So, basically, while they both are equally likely to contract the virus, estrogen helps women be resilient to the risks and symptoms of the disease.
It has been reported that men worldwide have been at a higher risk than women. The records also show that there has been a higher death rate among men than women. Men are almost twice as likely to die from the disease as compared to women in USA, China and almost every country in Europe. This epidemic has been especially harder on the male population.
#ICYMI: The #COVID19 pandemic has raised many questions around why the SARS-CoV-2 virus, COVID-19 infections, and the global job and economic crisis have impacted men and women differently.https://t.co/OMvGPs07HH
— Firstpost (@firstpost) August 29, 2020
Also Read: Study Says Women Likely To Drink More Alcohol During Coronavirus Lockdown Than Men. Why Are We Not Surprised?
There could be another reason why men are being hit harder by the virus. Apart from the obvious biological reasons, social behaviour and habits could also be at play here. You see, studies show that men tend to smoke and drink more and wash hands less often. Not my words, it’s a proven fact. Bad habits like these cause lung and cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and high blood pressure which makes the impact of coronavirus worse. Plus, they are reckless when it comes to healthcare and self-care. They take symptoms lightly and do not seek medical help at the earliest. Also, the social habits and regular exposure to the outside world and lack of social distancing could be making men more vulnerable to the infection.
Yes, women are less likely to be severely ill from the disease and die from the complications as compared to men but this doesn’t mean women are safer. Nothing is set in stone when it comes to this virus and we have seen this time and again. Plus, in India, it has been observed that women have been at equal risk as men since there are factors such as nutritional imbalance, anaemia and other medical conditions that a large share of Indian women suffer from. They also have a cavalier attitude when it comes to seeking medical help. So, while women may have a survival advantage over men in the form of estrogen, you can never be too sure. Better be safe than sorry.
Also Read: Studies Show That The Coronavirus Has Hit More Men Than Women And Their Lifestyle Might Be To Blame
