If I lift heavy weights as a woman, will I end up looking like a man?
Just as we used to inform you about the most frequently heard myths in fitness, today we will talk about the training with lift heavy weights, but those in the routine of women.
Many women do not want to come to the gym to lose weight, precisely because of the thought of not transforming their body into one similar to that of men. That’s why they prefer to look for “magic” diets on the Internet or run for 30 minutes on the treadmill, but results will not appear that way.
My dears, today I’m going to completely change your mind on this subject, starting with anatomically explaining why we will never look like a man.
According to the endocrine system, there are two types of endocrine glands in the human body:
✔ exocrine with ducts in which they pour their secretory product, which is then transported into cavities, lumens or on the surface of the body
✔ endocrine which are secretory epithelia, whose function is to synthesize, store and secrete substances called hormones.
What are hormones?
Hormones are biochemical substances that transmit information from one organ or tissue to another. They are released by the endocrine gland into the interstitial fluid and later, from here, into the blood to influence physical, physiological, behavioral changes, thus intervening throughout life with a role in growth, sexuality, reproduction, metabolism, sleep, states of spirit etc. They have a continuous action to maintain body balance and the functionality of various organs, but also to allow continuous adaptation to the environment. From the blood they will be transported to the target tissue.
Some examples of endocrine glands and the hormones they secrete: Pineal gland – melatonin; pituitary gland – prolactin, luteinizing hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, etc.; endocrine pancreas – insulin; ovary – estrogen and progesterone; testicle – testosterone etc.
How does a hormone work?
The hormone acts on some target tissues, that is, only on those tissues that have receptors for that hormone.
These receptors are found either on the surface of the cell or inside it. By binding the hormone to these receptors, a series of cellular reactions are produced that will eventually generate certain specific effects at the level of the body.
Well, in this article we will talk about the endocrine glands, since they are of interest to us. Specifically, the ovary and testicle.
As we well know, the ovary and the testicle are the sex glands, each in turn secreting typical hormones with separate roles in the human body.
The ovary is the female sex gland. The hormones secreted by it are: estrogen hormones, progesterone, androgen hormones and peptides. The most important for our topic are the estrogen hormones that play a role in the female phenotype, the development of a higher-pitched voice, reduced hair, narrow shoulders and wider hips, female sexual behavior during puberty, the development of mammary glands, stimulates bone growth, increases metabolism and lipid (fat) deposits.
The testicle is the male sex gland. The hormones secreted by it are: androgen hormones (mainly testosterone) and estrogen hormones. Testosterone is the hormone that has a masculinizing role, represented by the development of the male phenotype, voice with low and thick tonalities, increased hairiness, facial hairiness, waist growth but also muscle size and strength.
If we analyze, we notice that there are common hormones secreted in the bodies of both sexes. Androgen hormones (testosterone) are also secreted in women’s bodies, but in a much smaller amount, below 10%, but estrogen hormones are also secreted in men’s bodies, likewise, in a very small amount, about a fifth of the amount synthesized by a woman .
Bottom line, women’s muscle mass will never be as developed as a man’s because there is far too little testosterone to transform physical appearance. This can only happen by consuming substances that will increase its percentage in the body for various purposes, such as a bodybuilding contest.