1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: Brought to you by the reinvented two thousand twelve Camray. 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 1: It's ready. Are you welcome to stuff mom never told you? 3 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 1: From how stup works dot com. Hello, and welcome to 4 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 1: the podcast. I'm Caroline and I'm Kristin Kristen. Every winter 5 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: and I don't mean to sound mean to my dad, 6 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: Hi dad, but every winter my dad gets some sickness, 7 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 1: some regular run of the mill like sniffles, kind of 8 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:35,400 Speaker 1: aches and pains, and he acts as if the end 9 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:39,200 Speaker 1: is near, I know, And then he goes to his doctor, 10 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 1: and his doctors like go home, you're fine, hem s bright, 11 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:47,279 Speaker 1: have an orange, get over it. But apparently he's not 12 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:52,240 Speaker 1: the only one. Apparently this is a theme with his gender. Yeah. 13 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 1: I did not know that the term man flew existed 14 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 1: before we started researching this podcast, um, but apparently it's 15 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 1: pretty common in the UK, and it is an expression 16 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,760 Speaker 1: that's a tongue in cheek term used to describe how 17 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 1: men may tend to inflate their symptoms of what is 18 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:19,959 Speaker 1: probably just a common cold into a life threatening illness 19 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 1: and they want to be weighted on hand and foot 20 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 1: as they get better, right, And I I mean I've 21 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 1: seen this before I I used to live with dudes, 22 00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 1: so I've seen where. You know, guys can tend to 23 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:34,760 Speaker 1: be all weak and whiney, especially if they have a 24 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 1: girlfriend or someone available or a mom to to wait 25 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:40,520 Speaker 1: on them and bring them soup and such. Yeah, if 26 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: they have a way to take advantage of it. Now, 27 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna lie. Uh. Sometimes like if there's someone 28 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 1: around me and I'm sick and I and I know 29 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: that things can be done for me, I may or 30 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 1: may not take advantage of that. But but man flu 31 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 1: is supposedly this uh, this thing that that that guys do. 32 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 1: And uh. Dr Charles Risin, who was a clinical director 33 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:07,840 Speaker 1: of the Mind and Body Program at Emory University School 34 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 1: of Medicine here in Atlanta, Georgia, says that it might 35 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 1: be because um men become more emotionally vulnerable when they 36 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:21,960 Speaker 1: are physically sick. Yeah, they actually it's possible that they 37 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 1: actually experienced the physical symptoms of a cold or the 38 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 1: flu worse than women do. Whereas we might be more 39 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:33,040 Speaker 1: emotionally vulnerable and be willing to talk about our problem, 40 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 1: men maybe are more vulnerable when they are ill and 41 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:40,920 Speaker 1: then they feel like, Okay, this is my time to 42 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 1: be vulnerable because it's it's easier to be vulnerable when 43 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:47,360 Speaker 1: you're sick and you feel all achy and snut sniff 44 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:49,359 Speaker 1: ley and whatever than it is if you're like, if 45 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:51,839 Speaker 1: your feelings are hurt, because you're like, no, I'm a man, 46 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:56,359 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna tough it out, dude. Uh. And the 47 00:02:56,360 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 1: thing is, there is some scientific evidence to back up 48 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:05,520 Speaker 1: at least the gender differences in UM immune systems, and 49 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:11,920 Speaker 1: specifically that women might have stronger that's right, fellas stronger 50 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 1: immune systems than men. Right, it's all thanks to our 51 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:20,639 Speaker 1: double X chromosomes. Yeah, chromosomes coming in handy. This is uh. 52 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:23,919 Speaker 1: Some research that came out of Ghent University in Belgium 53 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 1: this past fall, and they looked at the role of 54 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 1: micro RNAs encoded on the X chromosome, of which women 55 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 1: have to UM and they think that the micro RNase 56 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 1: have something to do with our superior immunity. Is speaking 57 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 1: of women and gender differences, it's already been shown in 58 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 1: some studies that we tend to live longer UM, and 59 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: now with this evidence that we have stronger immune systems. 60 00:03:57,520 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 1: I just think it's interesting because we just seem to 61 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: be winning way on the contest of of of living. 62 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 1: I don't know. Anyway, we're better equipped to fight sepsis, 63 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: infection and trauma. And this is not just in female humans, 64 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:16,359 Speaker 1: this is also in other female mammalian species, right, And 65 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 1: it has to do with gene silencing. Um. Since book uh, 66 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:25,839 Speaker 1: the the X chromosome is tied to immunity and with 67 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:30,279 Speaker 1: gene silencing. If if part of our X chromosome gets silenced, 68 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 1: to make it kind of simplistic, um, we've still got 69 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 1: this other one hanging out. Whereas men have an X 70 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 1: and a Y and so if they're uh, if their 71 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 1: genes tied in with immunity gets silence, then they're just 72 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: they're like, well, I got nothing. And the reason why 73 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:50,440 Speaker 1: genes play such an important role in sickness, disease and 74 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 1: conversely immunity is because genes produce the proteins in our bodies, 75 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: which are then responsible for things like our looks, um are, 76 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 1: our development, um, how we function both good and bad. 77 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:07,520 Speaker 1: So when it comes to diseases, if you have a 78 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 1: faulty gene, that might lead to some faulty proteins, which 79 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 1: might lead to then faulty protein related activity, leaving you 80 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:21,920 Speaker 1: sickly and faulty and faulty. Um, Yeah, Cambridge. A study 81 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 1: at a Cambridge in UM said that the man flu 82 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 1: is not a myth and then it has a lot 83 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:32,960 Speaker 1: to do with UM with different gender differences in immunity 84 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:35,960 Speaker 1: and Dr Oliver Rustuff said in many cases, males tend 85 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:38,040 Speaker 1: to be more prone to get infected or less able 86 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 1: to clear infection, and he cites the interference between male 87 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 1: hormones and immunity as well as risk taking behavior that 88 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:50,120 Speaker 1: goes back to our caveman ancestors. So speaking of risky behavior, 89 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:54,360 Speaker 1: this is the perfect time to talk about hormones because 90 00:05:55,160 --> 00:06:01,679 Speaker 1: the male tendency toward risk behavior is linked back to testosterone. Okay, 91 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:04,720 Speaker 1: And in two thousand nine there was a study out 92 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:10,440 Speaker 1: of McGill University Health Center that claimed that estrogen in 93 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 1: the female body could also provide UM some inflammatory response 94 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 1: against bacterial pathogens because it blocks the reduction of an 95 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:27,480 Speaker 1: enzyme called cast paced twelve, which blocks the inflammatory process UM. So, 96 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 1: not only might the micro RNA in our ex chromosome 97 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:35,799 Speaker 1: help us out in terms of living longer and fighting 98 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 1: trauma and infection, but then estrogen comes along gives us 99 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: a little bit more of a boose, whereas testosterone is 100 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:48,479 Speaker 1: putting men physically in danger all the time, right, Estrogen 101 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:52,920 Speaker 1: stimulates the immune responses uh, and testosterone is an immunosuppresant. 102 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 1: Like you said, so from the get go, right out 103 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 1: of the gate, you're just men, You're just more stickly. Sorry. Now, 104 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:04,719 Speaker 1: another component of that Cambridge research that you brought up, Caroline, 105 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 1: is that males tend to uh. Their priority tends to 106 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:15,360 Speaker 1: be in making sure that they can reproduce, whereas females 107 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:21,680 Speaker 1: tend to make sure that they are physically healthier and 108 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 1: stronger to nurture. So instead of um resting up and 109 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 1: getting themselves back into health, men might put themselves at 110 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 1: a higher risk for reinfection by just going out and 111 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 1: trying to keep mate must mate, must mate. Well, but 112 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 1: it's interesting because yes, I can see how that is 113 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:45,880 Speaker 1: absolutely true and it makes sense. But on the other hand, 114 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 1: doesn't it seem to contradict the whole idea of the 115 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:50,720 Speaker 1: man flow of like men lying around on the couch 116 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:53,440 Speaker 1: for weeks getting better and whining, where women are like 117 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 1: I gotta drag myself to work. Well, I mean, this 118 00:07:56,920 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 1: is going bad. That's how I found what I'm sick Uh, well, yes, 119 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:05,000 Speaker 1: that's a good point. But it also you know, I 120 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:10,200 Speaker 1: mean that's that's condensing things down to these very um evolutionary, 121 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 1: animalistic based instincts. It doesn't mean that, you know, by extension, 122 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 1: if a guy is running a temperature, he will put 123 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 1: on put on his his sassy jeans and hit the 124 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 1: hit the club to try and find a honey in 125 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 1: his bajomegy or as we just go put our snuggie on. 126 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:34,440 Speaker 1: Yes I have a I have a Santa Snuggie. Um. 127 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 1: But this Dr Rastaff from Cambridge uh talked about the 128 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:42,000 Speaker 1: genetics behind all of this, and he said that the 129 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:47,760 Speaker 1: benefit of rapid recovery in males decreases owing to constant reinfections. 130 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:49,560 Speaker 1: So they're they're going out there and like mate mate 131 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:52,080 Speaker 1: mate mate mate um, and so they're they're getting reinfected. 132 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 1: They're not giving their bodies time to heal um. And 133 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 1: over time, this is actually selected for lower resistance in 134 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:01,040 Speaker 1: males because think about it, If the guys who are 135 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 1: getting sick are still going out there and reproducing, then 136 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 1: all these babies are selected for having lower immune systems 137 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:16,080 Speaker 1: or or being more prone to reinfection. UM. So this 138 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 1: this yeah, like he says. Rest Off says this ultimately 139 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 1: leads to males with higher susceptibility or exposure than females 140 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 1: and developing lower immuno competence. But not everybody is on board, 141 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 1: of course, with this idea of of a major gender 142 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:37,319 Speaker 1: difference in immune system responses. Don Jay Diamond, who is 143 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 1: the director of a translational vaccine research and a professor 144 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 1: of virology at City Hope in California, is a total skeptic. 145 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:50,280 Speaker 1: He says, Uh, well, riddle me this. Why has there 146 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 1: never been a gender specific vaccine? Boys and girls will 147 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 1: get like if if you take a boy and a 148 00:09:58,160 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 1: girl and to get their technis shot, they're going to 149 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:02,800 Speaker 1: get the same dosage, right exactly. He said that there 150 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 1: has never been a vaccine released for human use that 151 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 1: has used a different dose for male and female. But 152 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 1: then he goes on to give give women some some 153 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 1: more props. I really liked this episode because it's one 154 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 1: rare time when it's like, yeah, we were just across 155 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 1: the board, sorry, fellas, we are uh stronger animals in 156 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 1: this sense. He says that women are better at being 157 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:33,079 Speaker 1: sick because we have an innately higher pain tolerance, allowing 158 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:37,720 Speaker 1: us to you guessed it. Have babies, right, We're pushing 159 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:39,840 Speaker 1: out babies all the time, and we can deal with it. 160 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:41,840 Speaker 1: Although I mean, I whimper at a paper cut, so 161 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:43,560 Speaker 1: I'm not sure how much set a plus to me, 162 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:45,840 Speaker 1: but yeah, he says that women seem to tough out 163 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 1: the flu better. Maybe maybe your whimpering a paper cut 164 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:53,600 Speaker 1: implies that you have higher levels of testosterom. Another interesting 165 00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 1: place where men and women differ as far as immune 166 00:10:56,840 --> 00:11:02,720 Speaker 1: systems involves post traumatic stress disorder. Yes, UM, men show 167 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:06,840 Speaker 1: no immune response in regard to PTSD, but women have 168 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:10,040 Speaker 1: a strong one. UM and people with PTSD have been 169 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 1: shown to have higher rates of cardiovascular disease and arthritis. 170 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 1: Which your disease is associated with chronic inflammation and this 171 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:23,520 Speaker 1: has to do with um cell signaling pathways. So basically 172 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:25,840 Speaker 1: to try to boil it down and not confuse myself 173 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:31,240 Speaker 1: or the listeners. UM. Because women have this stronger immune 174 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:35,640 Speaker 1: system and stronger immune system response UM, we tend to 175 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:42,200 Speaker 1: um have more inflammation because of this response. So in 176 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 1: two of the three pathways referenced in this this study, 177 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 1: bead inflammation, two of the three pathways associated with inflammation, 178 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:54,080 Speaker 1: there was evidence of signaling for inflammation. But in the 179 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:59,280 Speaker 1: third pathway, men had increased signaling which led to less inflammation, 180 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 1: and women and had decreased signaling, which could lead to 181 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 1: more inflammation. And that's hard to break down, but basically, um, 182 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:11,839 Speaker 1: when women have PTSD and stress and anxiety and all 183 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:16,640 Speaker 1: this stuff, our immune system is not helping with inflammation, right. 184 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:22,280 Speaker 1: And here's where, um, the scales begin to tip in 185 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:27,920 Speaker 1: terms of women's stronger or maybe finer tuned immune systems 186 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:31,600 Speaker 1: because since since they might be a little a little 187 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:36,040 Speaker 1: more sensitive for lack of a better word, it can 188 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 1: also lead to immune hyper immunity hyperactivity UM. And that's 189 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: one reason why, UM, this these gender differences among the 190 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:51,160 Speaker 1: chronic diseases associated with PTSD might affect more women, and 191 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:57,080 Speaker 1: also why autoimmune diseases such as celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, 192 00:12:57,240 --> 00:13:01,280 Speaker 1: multiple sclerosis, aiasis, but a lot I GO and so 193 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:07,359 Speaker 1: forth affect women far more frequently than men because autoimmune 194 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:13,079 Speaker 1: diseases happen when your immune system actually starts attacking healthy cells. 195 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 1: There are no foreign invaders. Your body just kind of 196 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: goes into a into overdrive, and as a result, autoimmune 197 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:28,360 Speaker 1: diseases target women of the time. So in exchange for 198 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:32,880 Speaker 1: you know, men perhaps having some rougher or at least 199 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:39,800 Speaker 1: wimpier days in bed every winter, we get we get surrices. 200 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:44,559 Speaker 1: Not to not to laugh at having surises, but but 201 00:13:44,679 --> 00:13:47,360 Speaker 1: that's the that's called a give and take, my friends. Right. 202 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:50,199 Speaker 1: And I mean a lot of people have autoimmune disorders 203 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:54,480 Speaker 1: in this country. They affect twenty three point five million Americans, 204 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:58,080 Speaker 1: but most of that number are a women and especially 205 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:02,199 Speaker 1: minority women are the most effect did by autoimmune diseases 206 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:06,800 Speaker 1: UM and compounding problems. Even more, a lot of these 207 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:11,120 Speaker 1: are are difficult to diagnose until it's almost too late 208 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:14,280 Speaker 1: to do anything about it and um and doctors might 209 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:17,000 Speaker 1: uh what it was. This according to a two thousand 210 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:21,840 Speaker 1: one survey from the Autoimmune Diseases Association, over patients with 211 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:28,240 Speaker 1: autoimmune diseases were simply labeled chronic complainers, right, which is 212 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:31,359 Speaker 1: just like when we talked about in our anxiety podcast, 213 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:35,600 Speaker 1: women who go in with symptoms like shortness of breath, 214 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:40,040 Speaker 1: not sleeping well, chest pressure pain are the doctors are like, 215 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:43,920 Speaker 1: here's a prescription for anxiety or antidepressant medication, whereas men 216 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 1: might be taken more seriously and get a full work up. 217 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 1: It's it's kind of a similar effect here. And these 218 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 1: immune system differences also come up with how our bodies 219 00:14:55,440 --> 00:15:00,640 Speaker 1: respond to alcohol. Right, Alcohol, as man any of you know, 220 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:05,480 Speaker 1: acts as an immune immuno suppressant, but it suppresses everyone's 221 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:08,800 Speaker 1: immune system, men and women. But the thing is it 222 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:15,320 Speaker 1: affects women more. Um. Alcohol consumption women will initially cause 223 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:19,720 Speaker 1: a spike in estrogen production and then a major drop 224 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 1: off in the estrogen production. And these fluctuations affect the 225 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 1: production of cytokinds and those are immune cells. And in 226 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:35,200 Speaker 1: men it causes a decrease in testosterone. So so if 227 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:38,600 Speaker 1: there is so if testosterone then is an immuno suppressant 228 00:15:38,680 --> 00:15:42,560 Speaker 1: and that level is going down. Well, but alcohol is 229 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:45,160 Speaker 1: an immuno suppressant also, So so it's just it's all 230 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 1: like all the holes are getting plugged. So the moral 231 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 1: of that story is drinking is not good for you. Right. Well, 232 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:54,760 Speaker 1: now that the study about alcohol in immune system did 233 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 1: point out that, um, you know, people who drink like 234 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:01,200 Speaker 1: one glass of red wine. We've heard people say this 235 00:16:01,280 --> 00:16:02,840 Speaker 1: that like, if you have one glass of red wine 236 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 1: a day, it's not going to kill you. And and 237 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:08,640 Speaker 1: that wine has red wine has um antioxidants. There we 238 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:11,400 Speaker 1: go um. But it's when you're drinking the whole bottle 239 00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 1: that it's like, oh, well, now you're gonna get sick. 240 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:17,680 Speaker 1: Maybe we get so sick um in the wintertime then, 241 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:20,480 Speaker 1: not so much because of the cold weather, but because 242 00:16:20,480 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 1: of all the holiday parties that are happening. We're drinking more. 243 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:27,760 Speaker 1: Very well good, Maybe we need to kiss people more, 244 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:31,680 Speaker 1: which leads me to my next point. So perhaps mistletoe 245 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 1: is the vaccine of the holiday season, because I do 246 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 1: have a segue here, people, two thousand nine study found 247 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:44,080 Speaker 1: that kissing might be an important part of building our 248 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:47,280 Speaker 1: immune systems. Now, before we go any further, if you 249 00:16:47,400 --> 00:16:50,040 Speaker 1: have a cold right now, this does not mean you 250 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:52,120 Speaker 1: need to start making out with somebody now. You should 251 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:54,240 Speaker 1: have taken care of this before you got the cold, 252 00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:59,160 Speaker 1: right because because you can't pass along many germs, including 253 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:02,920 Speaker 1: oral her bees, right through through open mouth kissing, So 254 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:07,080 Speaker 1: be selective in your time of kissing. Wait, but we 255 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:10,040 Speaker 1: got to explain the relationship between immunity and we can't 256 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:13,240 Speaker 1: you mean we can't just leave it at that, Okay, 257 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:17,919 Speaker 1: grab the nearest person. Well, the studies showed that the 258 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:21,760 Speaker 1: longer you kiss a person, your partner or whoever, and 259 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:24,320 Speaker 1: in six months is the ideal. This is where a 260 00:17:24,320 --> 00:17:27,520 Speaker 1: woman kissing length This is really focused on women kissing, 261 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:32,760 Speaker 1: women kissing whoever. That the more likely she is to 262 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:37,919 Speaker 1: be immune to the cytomegalovirus, which almost sounds like a dinosaur. 263 00:17:39,119 --> 00:17:41,360 Speaker 1: I don't know, it's like an evil. It has spikes, 264 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:44,320 Speaker 1: that virus like a transformer, right, But it makes her 265 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:47,280 Speaker 1: more likely to be immune to the site a megalovirus 266 00:17:47,359 --> 00:17:51,000 Speaker 1: if she gets pregnant. And that virus, that particular virus 267 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:54,560 Speaker 1: is is pretty um harmless if you just happen to 268 00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 1: get it now. But I can actually really do a 269 00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:59,639 Speaker 1: lot of damage to a fetus. So I imagine anything 270 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:07,080 Speaker 1: called a megalovirus REA terrible habitsovirus UM. But yeah, and 271 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:09,320 Speaker 1: and this is not Scientists don't think that this is 272 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:12,719 Speaker 1: why kissing originated. Um. It had more to lit this 273 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:14,720 Speaker 1: is so gross. It had more to do with They 274 00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:18,920 Speaker 1: think that we um regurgitated food for our kids like birds. 275 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:22,160 Speaker 1: What's so gross about that? Caroline? Oh, I'm sorry, Oh 276 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:24,120 Speaker 1: that's right. That's how you eat your lunch. I freathought 277 00:18:24,840 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 1: it's just food. But anyway, when that happened. It also 278 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 1: passed along germs and spit and whatever else. And uh 279 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 1: so that's how the offspring would be more immune too, 280 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:43,560 Speaker 1: you know, sickness and whatnot. But this study also or 281 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:48,800 Speaker 1: the article talking about this um study also urged readers 282 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 1: to um not kiss your pets. Oh god, this is gross. 283 00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:55,880 Speaker 1: Well I don't understand why people let pets licked them 284 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 1: on the face. Anyway, we'll see. I was thinking, like 285 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 1: anything that licks, it's but what if I kiss my cat? 286 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:05,080 Speaker 1: Said that's fine? O your cats tengue. Your cat's tongue 287 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:08,639 Speaker 1: can't reach its kissing. I just want to, like, you know, 288 00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:12,480 Speaker 1: given your little no no, they like, do not let 289 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:14,639 Speaker 1: And I know I have seen people do this and 290 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:18,040 Speaker 1: I think it's disgusting. Um yeah, just send me angry mail. 291 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:21,479 Speaker 1: Go ahead. But if you let your pet lick you 292 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:24,440 Speaker 1: on the mouth, I mean pet, think just think about 293 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 1: where your pet's tongue has been. It's possible that you 294 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 1: could get several gross sicknesses and worms and whatever if 295 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:36,680 Speaker 1: you let your pet french kiss you. I wish people 296 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:38,600 Speaker 1: get see the look on your face right now, because 297 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:43,119 Speaker 1: it is a sheer horror, pained pain. So yes, so 298 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:47,679 Speaker 1: don't don't kiss your dog, but you can. You can 299 00:19:47,760 --> 00:19:52,199 Speaker 1: kiss people right, kiss people, ideally one person for a 300 00:19:52,280 --> 00:19:55,240 Speaker 1: significant length of time to build up, right, to build 301 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:59,160 Speaker 1: up immunity to that person's stuff that he's carrying around. 302 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:01,440 Speaker 1: Maybe that should be the benchmark for for when you 303 00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:04,680 Speaker 1: call someone your your boyfriend, like once, once you're immune 304 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:08,680 Speaker 1: to each other's jump I'm protected against cytomegalovirus, so we 305 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:10,840 Speaker 1: can we can take things to the next level now. 306 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:13,160 Speaker 1: But yeah, they were saying. They were saying that basically, 307 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:15,399 Speaker 1: if you are with someone that you might want to 308 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:18,119 Speaker 1: have babies with, you should be kissing them for at 309 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:20,760 Speaker 1: least six months before you decide to get pregnant to 310 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:25,320 Speaker 1: be immune to the cytomegalovirus. Are romantic? Yeah, so enough 311 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:28,240 Speaker 1: about kissing. We gotta we gotta answer our original question 312 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 1: because we have established that, yes, there are gender differences 313 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:37,760 Speaker 1: in immune systems. It seems like our X chromosome are 314 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:42,639 Speaker 1: additional X chromosome and our estrogen might protect us as 315 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:45,840 Speaker 1: and us by us I mean women a little better 316 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:49,119 Speaker 1: for the long haul, although it can cause our immune 317 00:20:49,119 --> 00:20:51,320 Speaker 1: systems to go into overdrive and lead to a bunch 318 00:20:51,359 --> 00:20:56,640 Speaker 1: of autoimmune disorders, which is a downer, but original question 319 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:00,800 Speaker 1: is about man flu, this whole thing of you know, 320 00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:04,119 Speaker 1: do men are men getting sicker more often or at 321 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:10,920 Speaker 1: least more loudly during the winter. What do you think? Well, 322 00:21:10,960 --> 00:21:13,119 Speaker 1: I don't know. I mean, I I complain a lot 323 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:15,160 Speaker 1: when I'm sick, so I'm really I'm not want to talk. 324 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:18,240 Speaker 1: After all that snack I talked earlier, I really can't talk. 325 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:23,560 Speaker 1: Maybe you get you get you get a little man flu. Look, Kristen, 326 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:30,040 Speaker 1: that's the second time you've insinuated that I'm sorry about this. Well, 327 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:32,560 Speaker 1: whether or not man flu is or is not real, 328 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:35,359 Speaker 1: and guys listening right now, I want to hear from you, 329 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:37,920 Speaker 1: and I really hope that uh, you've not taken offense 330 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:40,480 Speaker 1: I genuinely, or any girlfriends or mothers who have taken 331 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:45,240 Speaker 1: care of men, yeah, or boyfriends taking care guys. Um. 332 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:49,440 Speaker 1: So this is from Medical News Today a study from 333 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:55,240 Speaker 1: Bennington Healthcare Society in the UK. They found that women 334 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:58,920 Speaker 1: tend to phone in sick to work more often, whether 335 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:04,119 Speaker 1: or not man flu is real. Over the entirety of 336 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:08,680 Speaker 1: our careers, women will phone in sick eighty nine times. 337 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:12,600 Speaker 1: Men will do it only a hundred and forty times, 338 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:15,160 Speaker 1: but listen to this. The average adult only takes three 339 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:17,320 Speaker 1: and a half sick days per year. We are some 340 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:19,680 Speaker 1: tough cookies. Well, but don't you think those numbers I 341 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:23,000 Speaker 1: mean to to kind of go off on a side thing, 342 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:25,600 Speaker 1: But anyway, don't you think that those numbers could reflect that, 343 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:28,840 Speaker 1: like mothers take time off for their children. Yeah, I 344 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:31,520 Speaker 1: think that absolutely could account for the difference. Um. And 345 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:34,479 Speaker 1: even though we are calling in a little bit more often, 346 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:38,960 Speaker 1: um and blaming it on stomach bugs, dizziness and viruses, 347 00:22:39,119 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 1: most often, women, no matter what, feel a lot guiltier 348 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:46,720 Speaker 1: making that call or sending that email, and we will 349 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:51,800 Speaker 1: try to work anyway, whereas men like feel guilty like 350 00:22:51,840 --> 00:22:55,679 Speaker 1: half as often. Well, good for them, good for everyone. 351 00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:58,840 Speaker 1: So home, even though everybody go home, don't pass here 352 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:03,200 Speaker 1: your sickness cares. Who has the better immune system? You're 353 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 1: confind at work? Yeah, either drinks and water get rid 354 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:09,200 Speaker 1: of that tickle in your throat or film. Yeah. Well, 355 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:11,120 Speaker 1: I mean, now that we've talked about how man flu 356 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:14,520 Speaker 1: gives men the opportunity to be more vulnerable, and that 357 00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:18,359 Speaker 1: women power through and and and yet take more sick days, 358 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:20,760 Speaker 1: maybe we take more sick days because we're feeling so 359 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:24,880 Speaker 1: guilty when we are sick that it's only exacerbating our symptoms. 360 00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:27,560 Speaker 1: We become more anxious, and then we get an autoimmune disorder. 361 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:29,400 Speaker 1: I feel like a lot of pet theories have come 362 00:23:29,480 --> 00:23:32,199 Speaker 1: up in my brain during this we don't kiss your 363 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:34,440 Speaker 1: pets that yes, some more, or the stories that I 364 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:37,119 Speaker 1: want to leave you with don't kiss your pets and 365 00:23:37,240 --> 00:23:42,560 Speaker 1: the mouth yeah on the mouth, um, and yeah, let 366 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:44,760 Speaker 1: us know your thoughts on I want to hear other 367 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:48,720 Speaker 1: people's pet theories about this whole man flu thing. And men, 368 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:50,840 Speaker 1: I'm talking to you too, what do you what do 369 00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:54,119 Speaker 1: you think? Moms? Stuff at how stuff works dot com 370 00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:58,359 Speaker 1: is the email address, and I have a funny story 371 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:06,199 Speaker 1: to share right now. Uh. This is from Derek and 372 00:24:06,359 --> 00:24:08,760 Speaker 1: he was writing to share a story about our Slasher 373 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:12,080 Speaker 1: Halloween podcast. He starts out, I was surprised to hear 374 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:15,840 Speaker 1: no mention of Nightmare on Elm Street two. In this film, 375 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:19,240 Speaker 1: Mark Patton plays the role of the screaming typical female 376 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:23,959 Speaker 1: slasher lead, yet is seemingly a total homosexual. Shower scenes, 377 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:27,439 Speaker 1: dreams of gay bars, along with explicit thoughts of young boys. 378 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:31,240 Speaker 1: Jim Teacher have dubbed this movie by cracked dot com 379 00:24:31,760 --> 00:24:36,320 Speaker 1: the most unintentional gay horror movie of all time. I've 380 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:38,879 Speaker 1: been married to my husband for about two years and 381 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:42,119 Speaker 1: we spent our belated honeymoon in Puerto vire To, Mexico. 382 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:45,080 Speaker 1: Among the little shops downtown, we quickly fell in love 383 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:47,520 Speaker 1: with a little craft store. The owner of the store 384 00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:50,440 Speaker 1: was incredibly kind to us, gave us a whole itinerary 385 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:53,560 Speaker 1: list of favorite places check out, check out. And it 386 00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:55,919 Speaker 1: wasn't until the final day of the trip, when we 387 00:24:55,920 --> 00:24:59,080 Speaker 1: were visiting the shop owner that I recognized an action 388 00:24:59,119 --> 00:25:02,080 Speaker 1: figure of Mark Patton from Nightmare on Elm Street Too 389 00:25:02,119 --> 00:25:05,120 Speaker 1: sitting on the shelf. The resemblance between this little toy 390 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:07,919 Speaker 1: and the store's owner was so uncanny I couldn't help 391 00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:12,720 Speaker 1: but comment, Lo and behold, the shop owner was Mark Patton, himself, 392 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 1: the ultimate gay horror movie star, tucked away in the 393 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:20,639 Speaker 1: beautiful hills of Puerto Vaiarta. Interesting. So that's a fun story, 394 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:23,919 Speaker 1: Mark Patton. Yeah, tourist destination. I'll have to check out 395 00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 1: Nightmare on Elm Street too. I'm gonna say that I will, 396 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:28,800 Speaker 1: but I probably won't. I don't watch any more movies. 397 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:32,160 Speaker 1: So thanks to Derek in my key for that story. Yeah, 398 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:36,560 Speaker 1: this is an email from Brielle about our spy episode. 399 00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:40,040 Speaker 1: She said, I really enjoyed your latest podcast on Lady Spies, 400 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 1: but I was surprised that the recent Angeline and Joe 401 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:45,320 Speaker 1: Lee by film Salt never came up. This role, which 402 00:25:45,359 --> 00:25:47,840 Speaker 1: was originally written for Brad Pitt, was so interesting because 403 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:51,520 Speaker 1: it didn't fit the stereotypical women woman's spy trope. Although 404 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:53,800 Speaker 1: I didn't find the role that revolutionary, I can easily 405 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:57,080 Speaker 1: imagine the movie with a male lead. I thought, I 406 00:25:57,119 --> 00:26:00,239 Speaker 1: actually thought it was written for uh Tom crue Is, 407 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:03,679 Speaker 1: but and I didn't. I don't. I didn't like that 408 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:05,679 Speaker 1: maybe I never saw I also didn't like want it. 409 00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:09,600 Speaker 1: Angelina A. Jelie, please make something better. Thank you, Briale. 410 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:13,760 Speaker 1: Maybe she's listening right now, Angelia. Send us your thoughts 411 00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:16,840 Speaker 1: mom Stuff at house stuff works dot com. You can 412 00:26:16,880 --> 00:26:19,480 Speaker 1: always find us over at Facebook and follow us on 413 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:23,040 Speaker 1: Twitter at mom Stuff Podcast, and you can head over 414 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:25,720 Speaker 1: to the blog during the week It's stuff Mom Never 415 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 1: Told You at how Stuff works dot com. Be sure 416 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:35,719 Speaker 1: to check out our new video podcast, Stuff from the Future. 417 00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:38,400 Speaker 1: Join how Stuff Work staff as we explore the most 418 00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:42,760 Speaker 1: promising and perplexing possibilities of tomorrow. The house, Stuff Works, 419 00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:46,000 Speaker 1: I found up has a ride. Download it today on iTunes, 420 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:53,399 Speaker 1: Brought to you by the reinvented two thousand twelve camera. 421 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:54,920 Speaker 1: It's ready, are you