Gender roles are out, but gender and sex-specific medical interventions are in.
As science expands and accelerates a broader understanding of individualized treatments, it is essential to pay attention to the role that sex and gender play in health and wellness.
Who loses in a one size fits all model of medicine? Women. The majority of medical research- some estimate 75%- is conducted on men. In 1989, the NIH recommended that women be included in studies, yet investigators failed to investigate compliance or ensure that the data was analyzed by sex or gender. It was not until 1993 that the NIH mandated the inclusion of women in research, but women are still dealing with the repercussions that the lack of research created. The medical system takes a long time to move and there is still a lot of work to be done. The role of gender and sex in research and medicine is a conversation that we atDigestLIVE™ by Organza, Inc.are passionate about in order to promote better health for all.
One place to start when discussing sex differences is in the digestive tract. Digestion in men moves more quickly than in women. Men experience less constipation due, in part, to fewer hormone fluctuations. The progesterone and estrogen changes that a woman goes through regularly, or in peri or post menopause, will play a direct role in her digestion. Also, a woman's colon is 8 centimeters longer than a man's, with all those bonus internal organs to navigate around! That means there are more twists and turns as well. These anatomical and hormonal differences are part of the reason that women's digestive organs empty themselves more slowly than men's and why women have a higher risk of nausea, bloating, and constipation. Research has also shown that estrogen may affect gastric acid secretion, therefore a woman will digest differently during different parts of her hormone cycle. Peri and post-menopause complicate this picture even more, and many women experience constipation during these periods.
Additionally, there are sex differences in the enzymes of the small intestine. This may impact drug metabolism as well as nutrient absorption. Slower gastric emptying may also be the reason that women are more prone to gallstones than men.
The differences in human biology between men and women are often overlooked by clinicians and researchers. More specifically, what is overlooked is how these differences affect women. Most current medical guidelines are not sex-specific. Medicine has made a mistake in considering itself asexual when in fact, gender and sex play a role that needs to be considered in order to give the best care to each individual.DigestLIVE™ by Organza, Inc.is the first constipation relief formula to offer gender and sex-specific support that is 100% herbal and addresses the root causes of women's digestive issues. Join us in a conversation to promote innovative solutions that will help women everywhere feel their best every day.
