Men often seem to feel sicker than women when they have the flu: is the ‘man flu’ real or not? | Martijn Peters

In 2023, various studies already indicate that the flag does indeed cover the load and that men do not always overreact to their symptoms of illness. “Although there is no clear scientific conclusion yet, the entry of certain viruses into the body would have a different effect on the male immune system than on the female,” says Martijn.

“Several studies on the flu virus show that men show more symptoms of illness, take longer to recover and are admitted to hospital more often. There are also more deaths among men. Finally, they are less able to interpret how their body feels. As a result, both sexes likely have different tolerance thresholds for their disease symptoms.”

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Where does this different response to viruses come from? “We don’t know everything yet, but our hormones have an important influence on our immune system. For example, testosterone suppresses the immune system, while estrogen has a stimulating effect. And men now have a much higher testosterone level.” “That hormone stimulates muscles and bone mass, which is practical if you exhibit more risky behavior. But the downside is that it also weakens the immune system.”

That is also the reason why a flu vaccine offers more relief for women. “Because the better the response of the immune system, the more the severity of the flu decreases,” says Martijn. Even if you, as a man, have been vaccinated against the flu, you will probably be more likely to report illness if you become infected.”

In addition, the ‘pre-optic area’ appears to be larger in men. “That is the part of the brain that causes fever during inflammatory diseases. And that is not all. For example, men’s immune cells have more active receptors for certain germs, which can lead to a sicker feeling.”

Conclusion? As a woman, don’t roll your eyes too quickly when the opposite sex whines again when he is sick. According to science, he has more reason to complain than you think.

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