# Adrenaline

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrenaline/58416>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 17, 2001, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrenaline/58416 "2001-03-17T22:28:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![flynnstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ebca7d/32.png) [@flynnstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flynnstone)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2001, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrenaline/58416/1 "2001-03-17T22:28:11Z")

</div>

I’ve heard that males have more adrenaline than females. Is there any truth behind this? If so, what is the reason for it?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2001, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrenaline/58416/2 "2001-03-17T22:34:39Z")

</div>

Because males are bigger in volume.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2001, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrenaline/58416/3 "2001-03-17T22:35:22Z")

</div>

AFAIK, the only reason for the difference would be the fact that overall, males average larger than females, and so do their adrenal glands. Larger average adrenal gland, larger average adrenaline. Of course, if you’re smaller, you don’t need as much adrenaline in terms of total units.

KarlGauss, are you out there?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2001, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrenaline/58416/4 "2001-03-17T22:37:48Z")

</div>

Hey, simulpost with Pap! How ya doin? What kind of training program gives you so much free time to post anyway? Now back when I was a resident…(mutter, mutter,)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2001, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adrenaline/58416/5 "2001-03-17T22:46:49Z")

</div>

Never heard of it. The best I can do for evidence is to say that in diagnosing a pheochromocytoma (a tumor that can produce adrenalin) you don’t have to take into account the patient’s gender when determining if the adrenalin levels are higher than normal.

FWIW, there’s also no mention of a sex difference in my copy of _William’s Textbook of Endocrinology_ (my home copy is a few years old and could, conceivably be out of date on this point).