Woman the hunter: The physiological evidence
Date
2023-09-04
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
American Anthropologist
Abstract
Myths of “Man the Hunter” and male biological superiority persist in interpretations and reconstructions of human evolution. Although there are uncontroversial average biological differences between females and males, the potential physiological advantages females may possess are less well-known and less well-studied. Here we review and present emerging physiological evidence that females may be metabolically better suited for endurance activities such as running, which could have profound implications for understanding subsistence capabilities and patterns in the past. We discuss the role of estrogen and adiponectin as respective key modulators of glucose and fat metabolism, both of which are critical fuels during long endurance activities. We also discuss how differences in overall body composition, muscle fiber composition, the metabolic cost of load carrying, and self-pacing may provide females with increased endurance capacities. Highlighting these potential advantages provides a physiological framework that complements existing archaeological (Lacy and Ocobock, this issue) and cultural work reassessing female endurance and hunting capabilities as well as the sexual division of labor. Such a holistic approach is critical to amending our current understanding of hu(wo)man evolution.
Land Acknowledgment:
The University of Notre Dame is on the traditional territory of the Haudenosauneega, Miami, Peoria, all of the Bodéwadmik Potawatomi peoples, and particularly the Pokégnek Bodéwadmik/Pokagon Potawatomi.
The University of Delaware occupies lands vital to the web of life for the Lenni Lenape and Nanticoke, who share their ancestry, history, and future in this region.
Description
This article was originally published in American Anthropologist. The version of record is available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/aman.13915. © 2023 by the American Anthropological Association.
Keywords
evolution, physiology, sex differences
Citation
Ocobock, Cara, and Lacy, Sarah. 2023. “ Woman the hunter: The physiological evidence.” American Anthropologist 00: 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1111/aman.13915