Yes, there is one more thing that makes us different from men, and surprisingly it is the colon. 

Women are more susceptible to stomach infections and bloating.  

Here’s why it happens: 

1. Many women experience alterations in their bowel habits and abdominal symptoms at various points in their monthly menstrual cycle. During the luteal phase (the time after ovulation), women may see a slowing down of transit in their gut, which can lead to constipation and bloating. Typically they have looser stools during their menses. This unto itself is not abnormal and is a result of hormonal fluctuation. 

2. The female colon has more twists and turns. 

On average, a woman’s colon is about 10 cm longer than a man’s. It usually has more twists and turns. Plus it is not alone in the pelvis, the female reproductive organs are also there and they take up some space. This puts women at a greater risk of many GI symptoms.

3. Women get heartburn less often than men. This is because the organ that sits between the stomach and the colon and works like a door letting digested food pass through works differently. In women, it is more developed and closes shut with more force than that found in men. So the food and stomach juices stay in the stomach.  

4. The American Psychological Association states that women experience more stress, and as you know, stress is linked to gut problems.