The weaker sex

A comic study has shown why men are more difficult to tolerate a cold

Natalia Pelezneva, Naked Science

Canadian family doctor Kyle Sue analyzed more than 30 articles from scientific journals to find an answer to the question: is it true that men suffer colds harder than women? His research was published in a special humorous issue of the journal The British Medical Journal, dedicated to the New Year holidays.

The author of the comic work found several studies concerning the difference between the sexes in colds and viral infections. The authors of one of the articles found that an increase in testosterone levels in mice reduces the immune response when faced with the flu virus, and some female sex hormones increase it. Another work claims that the cells of the female body before menopause were more resistant to rhinoviruses than the cells of men of the same age or women during menopause. A study of seasonal flu epidemics in Hong Kong has shown that men who are ill are at greater risk of hospitalization.

However, Kyle Sue believes that in fact it is not worth drawing conclusions about the particular danger of colds and flu for men. The doctor points out that these studies do not take into account many additional risk factors, such as smoking. Also, many studies show that men go to the doctor less often and undergo preventive examinations, and generally put less effort into getting well. The doctor believes that in the future this topic may receive more extensive and serious research.

Special holiday issues of The British Medical Journal have been published for more than thirty years. They publish studies performed by traditional methods based on reliable sources, but affecting non-standard topics for a medical journal. For example, in previous issues, the authors of the articles refuted the myth of the danger of the age of 27 for famous musicians, and also established that James Bond's favorite cocktail should have negatively affected the reaction and accuracy of the special agent.

Editors The British Medical Journal emphasizes: "Although [in preparing the festive issue] we welcome a humorous approach and satire, we do not publish practical jokes, hoaxes and fabricated studies." Articles in the New Year's issue go through the same review process as in regular issues of the journal.

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