Is “man flu” actually real?
The science behind “man flu”
A family doctor reviewed the evidence on whether men really do get hit harder by colds and flu.
A Canadian family physician, tired of hearing that men exaggerate their sniffles, went looking for evidence. He gathered studies on immune responses in mice and people and on how often men and women end up in hospital with flu.
He found some hints that male immune systems may respond less strongly, with hormones possibly playing a part, and suggested that “man flu” might not be entirely made up. He admitted the evidence is thin, and proposed that men might deserve a sofa, a blanket and some sympathy, just in case.
The jury is still out, but the blanket is in.