Women Get More Breathless Than Men during Exercise Due To Their Need for Greater Electrification of the Respiratory Muscles

Whether young or old, healthy or ailing, women get more breathless during exercise, than men of the same age. A research by Dr Dennis Jensen of McGill University, Canada and his team mates proves that this is due to the smaller physical size of the respiratory organs like the lungs and the greater electrical activation needed by the respiratory muscles like the diaphragm to provide ventilation to the female body. The researchers used computerized monitors on 50 non smoking, men and women aged between 20 and 40 years while they completed a maximum exercise test on stationary bicycles. They recorded the cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic responses of the respondents and came to their conclusion. This study could be helpful in identifying new treatments for breathlessness and also improving exercise capacities of women with heart disease or age related disabilities.