It is widely known that working night shifts is harmful to the body. A recent study has found that night shifts have a particularly severe impact on men’s health.
Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia conducted experiments and discovered that male mice exposed to abnormal day-night cycles experienced a range of negative effects. These included disruptions in gene activity, gut microbiota, and blood pressure. In contrast, female mice appeared largely protected from these adverse effects.
The researchers then analyzed data from over 90,000 British shift workers and found that men seemed to be more susceptible to the effects of shift work. Men working night shifts were more likely to develop metabolic syndrome compared to those working normal hours. Metabolic syndrome is a collection of risk factors for heart disease and diabetes, including elevated blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels, as well as excessive abdominal fat.
Although female shift workers also had a higher risk of developing metabolic syndrome compared to women working standard hours, this risk diminished when the type of work was taken into account. For example, there were differences between those working as healthcare professionals and those working in factories.
The researchers noted that the type of work is significant because not all shift work is the same; factors such as the nature of the job, the workers’ education levels, and income can all vary.
These findings suggest that shift work may have a lesser impact on the biological clocks of women, though the exact reasons remain unclear.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
