You must have been arguing one day with your co-worker about the degree of air conditioning in the office. A fairly common situation where everyone seeks the comfort of its coast but it seems that women are often colder than men. Do you think it's pure chance? Of course not, scientists have set to work and proved the reason why women are more cautious than men.
A study published in the BBC magazine, was conducted by two Dutch scientists and provided an answer to a long-standing question. Why, when men in the office are trying to get the air conditioning on, do some women slip into their cardigans and end up following them to turn it off?
Real reasons!
Men naturally have higher metabolic rates than women, a fact that has annoyed women for ages. But that does not just mean they have more control over their waistlines. The fact that the metabolism of most men is about 23% higher than that of women also means that women tend to be much more cautious than men.
According to an article on energy consumption in buildings as well as the thermal demand of women, women feel the cold more easily. A test on a sample made by the researchers suggests that women are comfortable at a temperature above 2.5 ° C compared to men in particular between 24 and 25 ° C.
According to Professor Paul Thornalley of the Warwick School of Medicine, the variation in average metabolic rate and body heat production between men and women could explain the difference in room temperature required for men's and women's comfort.
The body's metabolism is responsible for the growth and production of energy, including heat. The resting metabolic rate is the minimum rate of energy expenditure per unit of time when we are at rest, calculated using a standard set of equations. On average, women have a lower metabolic rate than men.
Thornalley explains that fat-free body mass in people's bodies is a determinant of resting metabolic rates, accounting for about 60% of the individual difference in resting metabolic rates between men and women. Because men have more fat-free body mass than women, they have a higher resting metabolic rate.
Another reason is what is called brown fat, which is where the body produces heat involuntarily, a process called thermogenesis. It is regulated by thyroid hormones and the nervous system and may explain another variation in resting metabolic rate, especially in men.
Humans have two types of fat: white fat, an excess of calories and brown fat that generates heat. Brown fat is often found in the neck and shoulders, but it can vary from one person to another.
The way our bodies are composed also has a lot to do with the warmth we feel. In general, men have more muscle and less fat than women, so they do not feel cold as easily as women do.
But, as Professor Paul Thornalley points out, not all people are the same because some men may have lower metabolic rates than some women.
Tell us what you think in the comments!
