Men vs. Women: Who Really Ages Faster?

Aging is a complex process, but have you ever wondered how it differs between men and women? In this week’s episode of the Everything Epigenetics podcast, Sara Hägg, an Associate Professor at Karolinska Institutet, and I discuss the fascinating differences in biological aging between sexes. We explore how genetics, hormones, and lifestyle choices contribute to aging disparities and what that means for longevity, disease risk, and overall health.

You'll learn about:
- How Sara Hägg became interested in aging research and what led her to study sex-specific differences
- The major ways men and women age differently at the genetic, molecular, and epigenetic levels
- The role of hormones like estrogen and testosterone in shaping the aging process
- Why women typically live longer than men and what factors influence this disparity
- How stress, diet, and environmental exposures impact aging uniquely for men and women
- The latest epigenetic research uncovering biological sex differences in aging
- How precision medicine may help tailor aging interventions based on sex-specific needs
- Biomarkers of aging and how they reveal crucial insights into longevity and healthspan

Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction to Everything Epigenetics Podcast
00:05 – Meet Sara Hägg: Her Background and Research Focus
02:30 – What Inspired Her to Study Aging and Sex Differences
06:30 – How Do Men and Women Age Differently?
10:00 – The Role of Hormones: Estrogen, Testosterone, and Aging
14:00 – Why Do Women Live Longer Than Men?
19:30 – Cellular and Epigenetic Differences in Male vs. Female Aging
24:00 – The Impact of Stress, Diet, and Environment on Aging
29:00 – Age-Related Diseases: Which Are More Common in Men vs. Women?
33:00 – How Biomarkers Help Predict Aging and Disease Risk
37:00 – The Future of Precision Medicine in Aging
40:00 – Surprising Findings from Sara Hägg’s Research & Closing Thoughts