During the beginning of intense military training, male soldiers burn more calories per day than female soldiers, but by the end of training, both sexes burn similar amounts of energy, indicating...
Mechanism
Synthesis from 1 study
At first, male soldiers use more energy because they’re bigger and move less efficiently, but as both men and women keep training, their bodies learn to move more smoothly and use less energy for the same tasks — so by the end, they’re burning about the same amount (10.1249/mss.0000000000004013).
Most probable mechanism
At first, male soldiers burn more energy because they move less efficiently during intense training, but as both men and women get used to the demands, their bodies learn to move with less wasted effort — using less energy for the same tasks, which is why the difference between them disappears by the end of training (10.1249/mss.0000000000004013).
Initial higher energy expenditure in male soldiers is driven by greater body mass and less movement efficiency during novel, high-intensity physical tasks.
Repeated exposure to military training leads to neuromuscular adaptations that improve movement coordination and reduce unnecessary muscle activation during locomotion and load carriage.
These efficiency gains occur in both sexes, resulting in a proportional reduction in energy cost per unit of work, which eliminates the initial sex-based difference in total daily energy expenditure.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Community contributions welcome
Limited Sex Differences in Energy Balance and Body Composition during 61+D of US Army Ranger Training
Contradicting (0)
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