{"id":339090,"date":"2017-12-12T15:43:36","date_gmt":"2017-12-12T14:43:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/newswire\/man-flu-debate-rages-again-thank-to-this-male-scientist-rt-uk-news\/"},"modified":"2017-12-12T15:43:36","modified_gmt":"2017-12-12T14:43:36","slug":"man-flu-debate-rages-again-thank-to-this-male-scientist-rt-uk-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/newswire\/man-flu-debate-rages-again-thank-to-this-male-scientist-rt-uk-news\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Man flu\u2019 debate rages again, thank to this (male) scientist \u2014 RT UK News"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Men can wheeze a sigh of relief today, after a scientific review claimed that the phenomenon known as \u2018man flu\u2019 may well exist. The study argues that men really do have weaker immune response to respiratory viruses.<\/p>\n

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After years of enduring the dual injustices of suffering through a bout of influenza while having the females in his life cast doubt on the severity of his illness, man may now retreat to the sofa at the first sign of a sneeze, in the knowledge that at least science believes them.<\/p>\n

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Read more<\/p>\n


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Dr Kyle Sue, a clinical assistant professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, presented his study in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), writing: \u201cMen may not be exaggerating symptoms but have weaker immune responses to viral respiratory viruses, leading to greater morbidity and mortality than seen in women.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cSince about half of the world\u2019s population is male, deeming male viral respiratory symptoms as \u2018exaggerated\u2019 without rigorous scientific evidence, could have important implications for men, including insufficient provision of care,\u201d<\/em> the doctor added.<\/p>\n

The study cites a recent US review detailing how, over the last decade, there has been a higher rate of flu-related deaths among men than among women. Dr Sue\u2019s BMJ study also suggested that testosterone may play a role in suppressing the male immune system, while the female sex hormone boosts women\u2019s immune responses.<\/p>\n

The study\u2019s conclusions were questioned by the Chair of the UK\u2019s Royal College of GPs, Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard: \u201cWe\u2019re sorry to be the bearer of disappointing news for half the population \u2013 but contrary to popular belief, and this article, the vast majority of robust scientific evidence suggests that flu is not sexist and there is no such thing as \u201cman flu.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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I wonder who funded this pointless #ManFlu<\/a> research? A man by any chance? When the men in my family get flu – it is hell! I’d much rather have it myself than put up with their moaning about it!<\/p>\n

\u2014 Katie Pilbeam (@KatiePilbeamTV) December 12, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cWhile there are people who believe that \u2018man flu\u2019 is an actual disease, and some men (and women) genuinely believe it is the reason they are unwell, there is little science to back this up,\u201d<\/em> she concludes.<\/p>\n

Dr Sue, defending his findings (and his gender), suggested the worse symptoms felt by men could be explained by evolutionary theory. \u201cLying on the couch, not getting out of bed or receiving assistance with activities of daily living could also be evolutionary behaviors that protect against predators.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps now is the time for male-friendly spaces, equipped with enormous televisions and reclining chairs, to be set up where men can recover from the debilitating effects of man flu in safety and comfort,\u201d<\/em> the Canadian doctor suggested.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n