United Kingdom — Ekhbary News Agency
A common belief that women find it harder to build muscle than men is a misconception, according to Professor Leigh Breen, a muscle physiology specialist at the University of Leicester. While men generally possess a higher ratio of muscle to fat, largely influenced by testosterone levels during puberty, women demonstrate a comparable response to resistance training when considering relative gains.
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Professor Breen clarifies that despite men having significantly higher testosterone levels—approximately 15 to 20 times greater than women—this hormonal disparity does not dictate the effectiveness of muscle building through resistance training. He emphasizes that the perception of men gaining muscle more easily due to higher testosterone and more androgen receptors is inaccurate. Both genders show very similar percentage increases in muscle mass when engaged in consistent training, suggesting that gender-specific workouts are often unnecessary for muscle development.
Body Composition and Health Considerations for Women
While training principles remain similar, Professor Breen notes that body composition presents a different aspect. Women are likely to maintain a higher fat-to-muscle ratio even with rigorous training. Although this balance can be shifted, achieving very low body fat levels typically demands extreme diets and intense training. Such extremes in women are linked to potential health trade-offs, including hormonal disruption, irregular menstrual cycles, and possible impacts on fertility, indicating that pushing body fat too low may not always be desirable from a health perspective.
