It’s been a joke for years, but when researchers started looking into this strange condition, it turned out that man-flu might be an actual thing after all!
- Researchers first conducted a long study with mice, which found that oestrogen levels in women might help them recover from flu more quickly. Hopefully there’ll be further studies on this – in humans.
- Scientists then discovered that men have more temperature receptors in their brains, which means that the fevers they experience do tend to be hotter.
- Lastly, research hints that the “live-fast-die-young” strategy men have evolved for breeding purposes means that they don’t take enough time to properly recover. So, they tend to get re-infected, which makes the flu they’re suffering from that much worse.
So, next time he’s lying shivering on the couch, too weak to lift the remote, make sure he gets enough fluid, break that fever, and get him to stay in bed for at least a couple of days. To give you that little extra edge, here’s a fabulous chicken soup recipe. Oh, and remember to ask your doctor about flu shots for next winter!
Watch the famous Man Cold clip.
Sources: NHS.UK, Daily Mail