How does a star's mass affect its hydrogen fuel consumption rate?

More massive stars burn their hydrogen fuel at a ferocious rate.

The fundamental relationship governing a star's lifespan is dictated by its initial mass. Stars that possess significantly greater mass exhibit extremely high luminosity because they must counteract the intense inward pull of gravity with immense outward pressure generated by nuclear reactions. This necessity translates directly into a vastly accelerated rate of consuming their core hydrogen fuel. Consequently, these highly massive, luminous stars live extremely short lives, potentially existing for only a few million years. Conversely, lower-mass stars, such as the Sun, conserve their fuel much more effectively, allowing them to sustain hydrogen burning on the main sequence for periods spanning billions of years. This differential burning rate is the primary mechanism determining the span of a star's active life.