Sex differences in carbohydrate metabolism

During submaximal endurance exercise, women oxidize more lipid and less carbohydrate as metabolic substrates than men. This is reflected in a lower glycogen utilization in skeletal muscle and lower hepatic glucose production for women compared with men. These latter observations may explain the lower leucine oxidation observed during endurance exercise in women. Animal and preliminary human study evidence suggests that 17-beta-estradiol may be …