"MAN flu" may be a real disease - with doctors and medicines and everything, according to a Canadian study published this month in the BMJ.
Dr Kyle Sue from the Memorial University of Newfoundland revealed evidence that adult men had a higher risk of hospital admission and influenza-associated deaths compared to women, regardless of their underlying disease.
Males were also found to be more susceptible to complications from acute respiratory illnesses, with the scientist saying rather than exaggerating symptoms, men "may have weaker immune responses to respiratory viruses, leading to greater morbidity and mortality than seen in women".
It's apparently the first time any type of study has been conducted to determine the appropriateness of the term "man flu".
Dr Sue concluded "Lying on the couch, not getting out of bed or receiving assistance with activities of daily living could also be evolutionary behaviours that protect against predators.
"Perhaps 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," he added.
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