"Man flu" is real, according to an article in the British Medical Journal. A professor in Canada argued that male immune systems are inherently weaker than female ones.
Laid Up With The 'Man Flu'? Its Real According To A Canadian Doctor
By
Sughra Hafeez in
Health and Fitness
On 13th December 2017
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Man flu is apparently real and the cure is lying on the sofa and watching television, according to one professor.
In the wry article, Dr. Sue writes: "Since about half of the world’s population is male, deeming male viral respiratory symptoms as 'exaggerated' without rigorous scientific evidence could have important implications for men, including an insufficient provision of care.
He explains:
There may be an evolutionary benefit to a less robust immune system, as it has allowed men to invest their energy in other biological processes, such as growth, secondary sex characteristics, and reproduction.
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Men could be harder hit by the infection and can suffer more severe symptoms of any resulting illness.
A study that isolated cells from 63 healthy people and infected the cells with a common virus found the cells from women had a stronger immune response than those from men.
The study also found that men with higher testosterone levels tended to have the weakest antibody response.
Testosterone is a hormone that actually acts as an immunosuppressant. Whereas estrogen works in the opposite direction. The study suggests that testosterone suppresses the immune system, while estrogen boosts it.
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He said,
Lying on the couch, not getting out of bed, or receiving assistance with activities of daily living could also be evolutionarily behaviors that protect against predators.
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Sue admits the evidence is limited.
He says higher-quality research needs to be done to determine conclusively whether man flu is an actual medical phenomenon.
