Immune Response
In general, women have a stronger immune response than men. This has appeared to be the case in few studies done on sex differences for HIV and hepatitis C.
Researchers suggest that this difference could be due to the two X chromosomes that women have. Although the second X chromosome is usually silenced, around 10 percent of the genes can be activated — and many are for immune response.
This same strong immune response may backfire in some women, though. It could well be the reason why women are more susceptible to some autoimmune diseases.
Hormone Differences
Another biological factor could be hormones. Studies of other viruses in mice showed that estrogen can increase immune response. When the mice received an estrogen supplement, they were able to better fight viruses. However, when estrogen hormones were blocked, the mice became sick more easily.
Behavioral Factors
Another possibility is that the higher rate of coronavirus in men is due to lifestyle. For instance, men are both less likely to wash their hands frequently and to seek health care than women.
Then there are behavioral factors that can lead to conditions like lung disease, high blood pressure, and heart disease — all of which put people at a higher risk of complications and death from the coronavirus. Drinking alcohol, for instance, is a major factor: on average, men drink about five times as much as women.
We may not know yet the real reason why men are suffering from the coronavirus at higher rates than women, but one thing is sure: men who start exhibiting symptoms need to get tested. No matter your age or whether you have an underlying health condition, just being male could put you at higher risk.
