Are sexual/dating dynamics a reason for gender discrepancies in lifespan?

[THE Bigzoman]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...1201125154.htm

A interesting article in my feed about a study that links sex dynamics with the well known gender discrepancies in life span:Women usually live longer than men,

The research, published in the journal Functional Ecology, used populations of the fly Drosophila simulans that had evolved under different selection regimes. The study shows that mate competition (sexual selection), along with survival (natural selection), is tougher on male aging than it is on females reducing their lifespan by about a third.

Some species, like the flies in this study, age quickly over a number of days while others -- including some trees and whales -- age slowly across centuries.

This isn't particularly groundbreaking. Females among several species live longer than males as well. I'm leaning towards this having a miniscule effect.

Sure, males have to compete to mate with females most times. But females probably stress in picking potential mates in the wild. Translating these findings into human interactions seems like a stretch.

[igualitarist]

Yeah, it's the reason for gender pay gap as well (or one of the reasons).

[Independent voter]

No, they did studies on primitive humans in the wild, women who had mothers? Her children had a whopping 60% chance increased survival rate. Turns out a grandma in the picture with their child rearing skills are extremely important. And the longer grandma lives the longer she can help out with the kids. It's why women shut reproductively with menopause too.

[starlord]

basically its saying men are more inclined to get in dangerous situations (thus the "competition") than women, which is something we've known for a while.

[ellieg]

Yea but men also have to deal with the nagging from women... Thats gotta take some years off your life. Increased cortisol level and all that

[THE Bigzoman]

basically its saying men are more inclined to get in dangerous situations (thus the "competition") than women, which is something we've known for a while.

Yes, but wouldn't this translate into dangerous situations for women?

Male Lions, tigers, and bears, are more than willing to kill a female's offspring in order to get the female to put out. That put's a strain on the mothers who could put out.

[Deleted]

I do recall reading a theory that was based on the higher testosterone production levels in male humans (compared to female), essentially put a bigger strain on the body in long term perspective and could be part of the reason for the lower lifespan. Will see if I can find it, because it sounded like quite a feasible theory, not sure if it was validated since then.

[Vea Lea]

Yes, but wouldn't this translate into dangerous situations for women?

Male Lions, tigers, and bears, are more than willing to kill a female's offspring in order to get the female to put out. That put's a strain on the mothers who could put out.

would a man be able to trust to sleep near a woman if you kill her kids?

[Deleted]

I do recall reading a theory that was based on the higher testosterone production levels in male humans (compared to female), essentially put a bigger strain on the body in long term perspective and could be part of the reason for the lower lifespan. Will see if I can find it, because it sounded like quite a feasible theory, not sure if it was validated since then.

Lifespans are almost equal for nuns and monks.

[Rhine101]

would a man be able to trust to sleep near a woman if you kill her kids?

...I want to say no. However, I know of a few women who know deep down their kid is getting abused and they remain with the man they love. So I don't know.

[Deleted]

Lifespans are almost equal for nuns and monks.

Yeah looked that up, seems to be a very narrow difference between those two. Granted that could be for a myriad of different reasons, though still an interesting observation.

[Deleted]

I do recall reading a theory that was based on the higher testosterone production levels in male humans (compared to female), essentially put a bigger strain on the body in long term perspective and could be part of the reason for the lower lifespan. Will see if I can find it, because it sounded like quite a feasible theory, not sure if it was validated since then.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the western world and there is a theory that estrogen works as protection against these diseases. This means that women live a little longer before they get afflicted.

[Emageht Tsoluoy]

Men live shorter lives because:masturbation

[Raxis]

Lifespans are almost equal for nuns and monks.

This is an interesting tidbit actually.

Does the completion for mates in a social environment place too much stress on males? Or is that that a simple life of restraint and introspection, lacking such stress, allow for an extended male lifespan.

Pretty interesting to think about. Maybe the stress off being a provider does run the male down in the long run, coupled with thier competivr natures it may just wear men out over the years. There is a well known link between stress levels and general health.