The Man Flu No Laughing Matter Around this time each year, we often poke fun at the ‘Man Flu’ myth: when dads and husbands believe they have been hit harder by influenza than women. But the myth has been debunked, and according to health professionals, there is nothing funny about a shocking flu. Research now shows that men aren’t exaggerating their symptoms and that hormones and behaviour are to blame for the discrepancy. Here’s how you can beat influenza, and the ridicule, this winter. What is the ‘Man Flu’? This tongue-in-cheek expression has long been used to describe males’ intensified experience of influenza, which is characterised by dry coughing and sniffling, weakness, high temperature, days on the couch and often a full system breakdown. Those living with dad or a husband with the ‘Man Flu’ may be subjected to excessive complaints, and expected to provide unconditional sympathy. Nevertheless, influenza is a serious health issue, and causes dozes of deaths and thousands of hospitalisations each year. It is easily spread through sneezing and coughing, which is another reason the ‘Man Flu’ should be treated promptly. Past research has sought to verify the sardonic ‘Man Flu’ concept, with England’s University of Glasgow showing that out of 1,700 participants, men were more likely to overrate their symptoms than women. However, as the whining and sniffling continues, more research has been conducted to explain men’s experience. The difference between men and women comes down to biology and men’s behaviour around identifying and treating themselves for influenza. Higher temp erature Men’s larger preoptic nucleus is partly to blame. This is the area that balances a variety of bodily mechanisms, including temperature. As children, this area is the same size for everyone, but as boys hit puberty, their testosterone levels increase and enlarge the preoptic nucleus. As the body attempts to fight off bugs, the preoptic nucleus increases in temperature, and because it is larger than that of women, men subsequently suffer a higher temperature than women. Hormones 2013 research by Stanford University School of Medicine in the United States found that female participants provided with a flu shot generated a stronger antibody response than male participants, which gave them greater protection against the virus. The study, which was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, attributed this to lower testosterone levels. The research has been acknowledged for its potential to explain men’s higher susceptibility to bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infection than women, as well as the aggravated symptoms. According to Stanford Medicine, women have higher blood levels of signalling proteins that trigger inflammation, which help to activate the immune system. Similar studies have recognised the anti-inflammatory properties of testosterone, which explains why males’ immune system response is lower. As well as this, research by Harvard University School of Public Health found females’ oestrogen levels made them more resistant to influenza. In the first round of testing, researchers observed that female mice were found to be naturally more resistant to pneumonia due to the release of an enzyme linked with oestrogen. Correlatively, when researchers deleted the gene responsible for the production of this enzyme from both male and female mice, their reactions to pneumonia were the same, proving that oestrogen helps females’ immune defence. pindaramagazine.com.au Pindara Magazine 31
Pindara Private Hospital Magazine - Issue Five
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