Sex as a modulator of lipid metabolism and metabolic disease

Abstract Males and females differ in many aspects of lipid metabolism and in the development of dyslipidemia, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. It is critical to understand the mechanisms underlying these sex differences for optimal prevention and treatment of these conditions, and for the realization of “personalized medicine.” Here, we describe the components of biological sex (gonadal hormones and sex chromosomes) and describe approaches that are used to distinguish their contributions to sex differences in lipid metabolism. We describe current understanding of the physiological mechanisms that contribute to sex differences in lipoprotein levels, obesity, microbiome composition, and development of atherosclerosis in humans and in mouse models.