suffering man flu

It is well known – amongst most women – that most men make a big fuss when they are ill. Far from soldiering on like the strong, butch creatures they would have us believe they are, many will take to their beds with ‘man flu’ at the merest hint of a cold.

But, ladies, before you get too harsh with them consider this – man flu may actually be real!

It’s been a joke for so long but it seems there is now evidence to suggest that men actually do suffer more when ill than the so-called weaker sex.

Australian doctor, Sergio Diez Alvarez, believes men may have a weaker immune system than women, and they may be more affected by the symptoms of a cold.

man-flu

Dr Diez maintains this is because oestrogen – the female hormone – may strengthen the immune system, while testosterone – the male equivalent – may actually impair it.

Plus, the part of the brain that triggers high temperatures and fevers is bigger in men, so their fever could be worse. All of this means men may actually suffer more than women when they have a cold.

Of course, that’s not to say there are not still a lot of men out there who just enjoy the attention they get when ill, so milk it for all it’s worth. But, as to whether man flu is real or not – well we’ll leave it up to you to decide.