Why do women feel the cold more than men?

Asked by: Alan Healy, France

Partly this is because, for a given bodyweight, women tend to have less muscle tissue to generate heat.

But the hormone oestrogen also has a big impact because it has the side effect of thickening the blood slightly. This reduces blood flow to the tiny capillaries supplying the extremities.

A 1998 study at the University of Utah found that this can mean women have hands, feet and ears that are 3°C colder than a man’s.

Read more:

• Why do our hairs stand on end when we're cold?
• Why are we more likely to get sick if we are cold?

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