Flu Is Officially Worse For This Sex According To Science

Ladies, you might not want to read this—actually, you might not want the men in your life to read it! Man flu, which is described in the Oxford Dictionary as “a cold or similar minor ailment as experienced by a man who is regarded as exaggerating the severity of the symptoms,” has been a hotly debated topic between the sexes. But thanks to a recent study, there is now evidence showing that man flu, might be a real thing.

The study was conducted by Dr. Kyle Sue, a clinical assistant professor in family medicine at St. John’s Memorial University who says that in addition to the science, he also had a personal motive. “I’ve been criticized for exaggerating my symptoms when I had the flu,” he told CBC News. “I thought, ‘You know what? This would be an interesting topic to look into.’”

The main finding in his study, which was largely conducted on mice, shows that testosterone acts as an immunosuppressant, whereas estrogen stimulates the immune system. This indicates that men are more likely to catch a cold and to experience more severe symptoms.

Before all the men start breaking out the tissue boxes and cold medicine, keep in mind that Sue admits the current research is very limited. Although the research does indicate that men experience worse symptoms than women, he says more work needs to be done to prove his case.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.