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Y Chromosome Vanishes in Some Older Males
The loss is linked with several health conditions and shorter lifespans.
It’s well known that, on average, females have longer lifespans than males. This is true not just for our species, but for most or all mammals. Some research even suggests that females have “always” outlived males, even during severe epidemics and famines, and continue to do so in every country worldwide today.
Of course, several theories have been proposed to explain this phenomenon, such as hormonal differences, males tending to be higher risk takers, smoking habits, and females’ extra X chromosome. I recently wrote about how researchers discovered that the bonus, supposedly inactive, female X chromosome becomes active with age in mice and may provide all sorts of benefits, including extending longevity.
Recently, however, researchers have proposed that the X chromosome is not the only sex chromosome involved in the male-female lifespan discrepancy; the Y chromosome is likely also involved. I fell down quite the rabbit hole while investigating it, but this latest research suggests that males lose this chromosome from many of their cells as they age, making them more susceptible to age-related diseases and early deaths.
