Who is the stronger sex?
There may be some truth behind the man flu.
In a recent study published in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity, adult male mice showed more signs of sickness than females when exposed to bacteria that set off symptoms similar to the flu. The males had more changes in body temperature, fever and signs of inflammation. They also took longer to recover.
While the findings of studies on lab animals should be taken with a pinch of salt, it does raise the question of the different ways in which male and female immune cells respond to invading germs.
Studies with human cells, as well as in mice, have shown that male immune cells have more active receptors for certain pathogens.
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