Sex differences in thermoregulation: Implications for physical performance

Abstract

Following the opening of all roles in the UK Armed Forces to women, there is a requirement for women to operate in more physically demanding roles in more extreme, austere environments, yet our understanding of sex differences in thermoregulation remains limited. Historically, sex differences in thermoregulation have been attributed to anthropometric differences between men and women. However, recent data have highlighted the independent role of sex on thermoregulation. Typically, women will be working at a higher relative intensity than men when performing the same absolute work during military training and operations, and this distinction between relative and absolute workload is important when examining sex differences in the thermoregulatory response to heat and cold.