Male sex hormones may protect lungs from asthma by boosting nerve connections

The differences in male and female sex hormones are most evident during growth, puberty and reproduction, when they help shape how the body develops and functions. Beyond their more visible effects, these chemical messengers can also influence how certain diseases develop and progress. One such potential example is asthma, a chronic respiratory disease that often begins in childhood. Although it is more common in boys before puberty, this pattern changes during puberty, when asthma symptoms often improve in males while becoming more common and severe in females.