FOR effective weight loss, breakfasts should be high in carbohydrates for men and high in fat for women, according to researchers who developed mathematical models to study the differences between men’s and women’s metabolisms.
The study showed that men’s metabolic processes respond better to carbohydrate-rich meals such as oats and grains, while women’s metabolisms respond more favourably to high-fat meals like omelettes and avocados.
Men are typically known to derive energy from the metabolism of carbohydrates, while women rely more on fat metabolism, leading to notable sex-specific differences in metabolic states like fasting and feeding.
“Since women generally have more body fat than men, one might expect them to burn less fat for energy, but that’s not the case,” said Anita Layton, professor of applied mathematics at the University of Waterloo, Canada, and co-author of the study published in the journal Computers in Biology and Medicine.
“The model results suggest that women store more fat immediately after a meal but burn more fat during fasting,” Layton added.
The researchers used computational biology techniques, employing computers and statistical models to analyse biological systems. They created a model that simulates human food intake and includes different body parts, such as adipose tissue (fat-storing tissue) and organs like the liver, heart, and brain.
The model also examined the metabolic responses to meals containing carbohydrates and fat, both immediately after eating and during short-term fasting.
The model was tailored to reflect the metabolic states of healthy young adult men and women. The study found that sex-specific differences in metabolism were particularly pronounced during short-term fasting.
Moreover, the researchers noted that women’s increased reliance on burning fat is due to sex-specific differences in the liver and adipose tissue. They found that a woman’s liver diverts more glycerol (produced by fat breakdown) than a man’s liver towards gluconeogenesis—a metabolic process that generates glucose from non-carbohydrate sources like glycerol, essential for maintaining blood sugar levels.
“Whether you’re trying to lose weight, maintain your weight, or simply sustain your energy levels, understanding how your diet affects your metabolism is crucial,” Layton concluded.
(PTI)
