What makes women feel cold more than men?

A recent scientific study revealed that women’s feeling of cold compared to men is due to physiological differences in body composition and basal metabolic rate.

According to the American New York Post, a research team monitored the responses of 28 healthy men and women to temperatures ranging between 16 and 31 degrees Celsius. The results showed that women had lower body temperatures and a greater feeling of coldness, although there were no noticeable differences in skin temperature compared to men.

The study’s lead researcher, Dr. Robert Bricta from the US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, explained that the main reason is due to a lower basal metabolic rate in women, which is usually associated with small body size. “A smaller person, whether a man or a woman, produces less heat,” he said.

Basal metabolic rate is defined as the number of calories the body burns while resting to maintain its vital functions, such as breathing, blood circulation, and temperature regulation.

Brekta noted that men have a higher metabolic rate of about 23 percent as a result of increased muscle mass, which generates more heat at rest than fatty tissue, which makes them feel warm more easily.

In contrast, women have a higher percentage of fat, which provides a degree of thermal insulation, but this factor does not fully compensate for the reduced heat production resulting from small body size.

The study concluded that the feeling of warmth or cold depends on three main factors: body size, type, and composition. She also pointed to previous studies that indicated that a higher internal temperature in women may make cold air appear colder.

The researchers pointed out that other external factors may affect body temperature, including stress, smoking, diet, and the use of hormonal contraceptives.