Why do men have a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes than women?
BOSTON - Men are at higher risk of Type 2 diabetes, and a new study says it may boil down to hormonal differences.
In general, men tend to develop Type 2 diabetes at a lower BMI than women and at younger ages.
They also are more likely to develop complications from both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, such as heart disease, poor circulation in the legs, kidney failure, and vision impairment.
Scientists in Sweden have found that the sex differences may be due to different hormone profiles in men and women that affect the metabolism of fat.
They propose that treatments for diabetes may need to be tailored based on sex.
For example, drugs that target weight loss may benefit both men and women with Type 2 diabetes but tend to be especially helpful for women.