Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Fall 2023
Publisher
Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins
Source Publication
Translational Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine
Source ISSN
2379-2868
Original Item ID
DOI: 10.1249/TJX.0000000000000236
Abstract
Biological sex is a primary determinant of athletic performance because of fundamental sex differences in anatomy and physiology dictated by sex chromosomes and sex hormones. Adult men are typically stronger, more powerful, and faster than women of similar age and training status. Thus, for athletic events and sports relying on endurance, muscle strength, speed, and power, males typically outperform females by 10%–30% depending on the requirements of the event. These sex differences in performance emerge with the onset of puberty and coincide with the increase in endogenous sex steroid hormones, in particular testosterone in males, which increases 30-fold by adulthood, but remains low in females. The primary goal of this consensus statement is to provide the latest scientific knowledge and mechanisms for the sex differences in athletic performance. This review highlights the differences in anatomy and physiology between males and females that are primary determinants of the sex differences in athletic performance and in response to exercise training, and the role of sex steroid hormones (particularly testosterone and estradiol). We also identify historical and nonphysiological factors that influence the sex differences in performance. Finally, we identify gaps in the knowledge of sex differences in athletic performance and the underlying mechanisms, providing substantial opportunities for high-impact studies. A major step toward closing the knowledge gap is to include more and equitable numbers of women to that of men in mechanistic studies that determine any of the sex differences in response to an acute bout of exercise, exercise training, and athletic performance.
Recommended Citation
Hunter, Sandra K.; Angadi, Siddhartha S.; Bhargava, Aditi; Harper, Joanna; Hirschberg, Angelica Lindén; Levine, Benjamin D.; Moreau, Kerrie L.; Nokoff, Natalie J.; Stachenfeld, Nina S.; and Bermon, Stéphane, "The Biological Basis of Sex Differences in Athletic Performance: Consensus Statement for the American College of Sports Medicine" (2023). Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications. 230.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/exsci_fac/230
Comments
Accepted version. Translational Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine, Vol. 8, No. 4 (Fall 2023): 1-33. DOI. © 2023 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc. Used with permission.