They are often the subject of ridicule and laughter among females - the whinging, whining men who are forever complaining about having a cold.
But new research has shown that man flu is not a myth, as a lack of female sex hormones actually leaves males with weaker immune systems.
Scientists from Harvard University believe that a lack of estrogen makes men more likely to succumb to pneumonia and other respiratory diseases.
Their study, published in medical journal Life Sciences tested the effect of bacterial pneumonia on mice by introducing the infection to their lungs.
Professor Lester Kobzik, of the university's School of Public Health, found females were naturally more resistant to the condition.
Their increased resistance was linked to the enzyme nitric oxide synthase 3 (NOS3) - activated by the release of the female sex hormone oestrogen.
Scientists then took another set of male and female mice and removed the gene responsible for the production of NOS3.
They found that deleting this gene meant that the female mice were no longer more resistant to infection.
By administering a simple dose of oestrogen to both males and females, they were able to cure both of serious lung infections - clearing the bacteria from their lungs far more rapidly than normal mice.
The team hopes that, in the future, this knowledge could be used to enhance resistance to common and serious lung infections and prevent flu developing into more serious pneumonia.
Professor Kobzik said: 'Ultimately, this work could be especially useful in reducing risk of secondary bacterial pneumonias during seasonal or pandemic influenza.
'We were quite pleased that the work led us to NOS3-targeting drugs that are already available and that can indeed improve resistance to pneumonia in our mouse model.'
The Harvard study is not the first to provide evidence offering an explanation for man flu.
Research conducted at Durham University last year suggested that men suffer more with coughs and colds because they have extra temperature receptors in the brain and so experience worse symptoms.
And dismissing the idea that males are prone to whinging when they are sick, a 2013 survey suggested that it is in fact women who are more likely to complain about having flu symptoms.
Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that on average, males would play down illness more than females.
Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...#ixzz3y7FmqbTB
Originally Posted by Ron Paul
Reply With Quote
Them pipes need to be depressurized every so often, it is what it is.
Connect With Us