Do men need more calories than women? “In general, yes”, the scientists answer, but the difference in “gauge” is not the only explanation.
In addition, the rule is not even a universally valid one, explains Bethan Crouse, a nutritionist at Loughborough University, according to The Guardian.
The human body uses calories for all its functions, from movement to sleep. For the adult population between approximately 19 and 64 years of age, recommendations indicate an average daily requirement of approximately 2,000 calories for women and 2,500 for men.
For children and adolescents, the values are different, and with age the energy requirement decreases: between 65 and 74 years and then again after 75. But these averages hide significant variations.
A main reason why men typically need more calories is their higher basal metabolic rate, which is energy expended at rest. The explanation has a lot to do with body composition: on average, men have more lean muscle mass, while women have a higher percentage of fat tissue. Muscle burns more calories than fat, even at rest.
Such differences are not determined by diet or training, but mainly by hormones. Testosterone, present in higher concentrations in men, stimulates the development of muscle mass. Thus, even in the case of a man and a woman of the same height, age, weight and exercise routine, the caloric requirements may be different.
However, Crouse draws attention to individual variations. For example, a woman with well-developed muscle mass may have a higher caloric requirement than a man with an average body composition.
“That woman probably needs more calories than the man at rest, and if she’s also more physically active, this further increases her energy needs,” explains the specialist.
A complex combination of factors
Another complicating factor is a history of restrictive diets. Prolonged periods of severe caloric restriction can reduce the body’s basal energy requirements, essentially “metabolically down-regulating” the body. In other words, the metabolism adapts to the low energy intake, which can subsequently make weight management more difficult.
Average differences between men and women do exist, but caloric needs are influenced by a complex combination of factors such as body composition, activity level, age, dietary history, and individual characteristics. Therefore, the general recommendations should be interpreted as guidelines, not as rigid rules applicable to everyone, the specialist says.
