title: Sex hormones and macronutrient metabolism.
abstract: The biological differences between males and females are determined by a different set of genes and by a different reactivity to environmental stimuli, including the diet, in general. These differences are further emphasized and driven by the exposure to a different hormone flux throughout the life. These differences have not been taken into appropriate consideration by the scientific community. Nutritional sciences are not immune from this "bias" and when nutritional needs are concerned, females are considered only when pregnant, lactating or when their hormonal profile is returning back to "normal," i.e., to the male-like profile. The authors highlight some of the most evident differences in aspects of biology that are associated with nutrition. This review presents and describes available data addressing differences and similarities of the "reference man" vs. the "reference woman" in term of metabolic activity and nutritional needs. According to this assumption, available evidences of sex-associated differences of specific biochemical pathways involved in substrate metabolism are reported and discussed. The modulation by sexual hormones affecting glucose, amino acid and protein metabolism and the metabolization of nutritional fats and the distribution of fat depots, is considered targeting a tentative starting up background for a gender concerned nutritional science.
authors.affiliation: a National Research Institute for Food and Nutrition (INRAN) , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Comitato
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saba
authors.forename: Aida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turrini
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arganini
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Virgili
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D001823:Body Composition; D004032:Diet; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000378:metabolism; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation; D008297:Male; D008660:Metabolism / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011247:Pregnancy; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D005227:Fatty Acids; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones
keywords: Gender; amino acids; fat; polymorphism