1 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:08,000 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie, and you're listening to stuff I've 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: never told you. Well, it's blue season, or I guess 3 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: it is. Because everyone in the office is sick or 4 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 1: just got over being sick, or it looks like they 5 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:34,240 Speaker 1: might have about to be getting sick. It's kind of stunning. 6 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:37,080 Speaker 1: And I'm really fortunate to have a healthy immune system 7 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:39,279 Speaker 1: and i haven't gotten sick in many years. But I'm 8 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:42,600 Speaker 1: starting to get a little nervous, a little paranoid, taking 9 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:47,240 Speaker 1: extra precautions. I do not want whatever is going around. 10 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:51,200 Speaker 1: This classic episode takes a look at the man flu, 11 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: along with other differences between men and women exhibiting illness. 12 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:58,320 Speaker 1: And I remember when it came out. Men in my 13 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 1: life came up to me and they sore up and 14 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:04,640 Speaker 1: down that the man flew was real. So stay well, 15 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 1: everybody and enjoy this classic episode. Welcome to Stuff Mom 16 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 1: Never told you from how Stuff Works dot Com. Hello, 17 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 1: and welcome to the podcast. I'm Caroline and I'm Kristen. Kristen. 18 00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:25,399 Speaker 1: Every winter, and I don't mean to sound mean to 19 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:29,160 Speaker 1: my dad, Hi Dad, but every winter my dad gets 20 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 1: some sickness, some regular run of the mill like sniffles, 21 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 1: kind of aches and pains and he acts as if 22 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:40,759 Speaker 1: the end is near, I know, And then he goes 23 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 1: to his doctor, and his doctors like, go home, you're fine. 24 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:47,319 Speaker 1: He's some super right, have an orange, get over it. 25 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 1: But apparently he's not the only one. Apparently this is 26 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 1: a theme with his gender. Yeah. I did not know 27 00:01:55,960 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 1: that the term man flew existed before we start researching 28 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 1: this podcast. Um, but apparently it's pretty common in the UK, 29 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 1: and it is an expression that's a tongue in cheek 30 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:15,080 Speaker 1: term used to describe how men may tend to inflate 31 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 1: their symptoms of what is probably just a common cold 32 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 1: into a life threatening illness and they want to be 33 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 1: weighted on hand and foot as they get better, right, 34 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:30,400 Speaker 1: And I I mean I've seen this before. I I 35 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 1: used to live with dudes, so I've seen where. You know, 36 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:36,320 Speaker 1: guys can tend to be all weak and whiney, especially 37 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:38,640 Speaker 1: if they have a girlfriend or someone available or a 38 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 1: mom to to wait on them and bring them soup 39 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 1: and such. Yeah, if they have a way to take 40 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 1: advantage of it. Now, I'm not gonna lie h. Sometimes, 41 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 1: like if there's someone around me and I'm sick and 42 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 1: I and I know that things can be done for me. 43 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:56,359 Speaker 1: I may or may not take advantage of that. But 44 00:02:56,800 --> 00:03:00,040 Speaker 1: but man flu is supposedly this uh, this thing that 45 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 1: that guys do and uh. Dr Charles Risin, who is 46 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:08,080 Speaker 1: a clinical director of the Mind and Body Program at 47 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:13,239 Speaker 1: Emory University School of Medicine here in Atlanta, Georgia, says 48 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 1: that it might be because um men become more emotionally 49 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 1: vulnerable when they are physically sick. Yeah, they actually it's 50 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 1: possible that they actually experienced the physical symptoms of a 51 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: cold or the flu worse than women do. Whereas we 52 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 1: might be more emotionally vulnerable and be willing to talk 53 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 1: about our problem, men maybe are more vulnerable when they 54 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 1: are ill and then they feel like, Okay, this is 55 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 1: my time to be vulnerable, because it's it's easier to 56 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 1: be vulnerable when you're sick and you feel all achy 57 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 1: and sniff ley and whatever than it is if you're like, 58 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 1: if your feelings are hurt because you're like, no, I'm 59 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 1: a man, I'm just gonna tough it out, dude. Uh. 60 00:03:57,080 --> 00:04:02,000 Speaker 1: And the thing is, there is scientific evidence to back 61 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 1: up at least the gender differences in um immune systems, 62 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: and specifically that women might have stronger. That's right, fellas 63 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:17,120 Speaker 1: stronger immune systems than men. Right, it's all thanks to 64 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 1: our double X chromosomes. Yeah, chromosomes coming in handy. This 65 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 1: is uh some research that came out of Ghent University 66 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:29,479 Speaker 1: in Belgium this past fall, and they looked at the 67 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:34,279 Speaker 1: role of micro RNA's encoded on the X chromosome, of 68 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 1: which women have to UM and they think that the 69 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:46,839 Speaker 1: micro RNAs have something to do with our superior immunity. 70 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 1: Is speaking of women and gender differences, It's already been 71 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:54,120 Speaker 1: shown in some studies that we tend to live longer 72 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 1: UM and now with this evidence that we have stronger 73 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,240 Speaker 1: immune systems, I just think it's interesting because we just 74 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:05,040 Speaker 1: seem to be winning the context of of of living 75 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:09,400 Speaker 1: I don't know anyway, or better equipped to fight sepsis, 76 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:14,480 Speaker 1: infection and trauma. And this is not just in female humans. 77 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: This is also in other female mammalian species, right, and 78 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:23,160 Speaker 1: it has to do with genes silencing. Um. Since but uh, 79 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 1: the the X chromosome is tied to immunity and with 80 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: gene silencing. If if part of our X chromosome gets 81 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 1: silenced to make it kind of simplistic, Um, we've still 82 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 1: got this other one hanging out, whereas men have an 83 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 1: X and a Y and so if they're uh, if 84 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:43,719 Speaker 1: their genes tied in with immunity gets silence, then they're 85 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:46,839 Speaker 1: just and they're like, oh, I got nothing. And the 86 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 1: reason why genes play such an important role in sickness, 87 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:57,479 Speaker 1: disease and conversely immunity is because genes produce the proteins 88 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 1: in our bodies which are then responsible for things like 89 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:04,679 Speaker 1: our looks um our development, um, how we function both 90 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 1: good and bad. So when it comes to diseases, if 91 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 1: you have a faulty gene, that might lead to some 92 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 1: faulty proteins which might lead to then faulty protein related activity, 93 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 1: leaving you sickly and faulty and faulty. Um yeah, Cambridge. 94 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 1: A study out of Cambridge in um said that the 95 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 1: man flew is not a myth and then it has 96 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 1: a lot to do with um with different gender differences 97 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:37,440 Speaker 1: in immunity and Dr Oliver Rustuff said in many cases, 98 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:39,479 Speaker 1: males tend to be more prone to get infected or 99 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:42,839 Speaker 1: less able to clear infection, and he cites the interference 100 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:46,480 Speaker 1: between male hormones and immunity as well as risk taking 101 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:50,919 Speaker 1: behavior that goes back to our caveman ancestors. So speaking 102 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:54,039 Speaker 1: of risky behavior, this is the perfect time to talk 103 00:06:54,120 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 1: about hormones because the male tendency toward risk aavior is 104 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:05,719 Speaker 1: linked back to testosterone. Okay, And in two thousand nine 105 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:09,120 Speaker 1: there was a study out of McGill University Health Center 106 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 1: that claimed that estrogen in the female body could also 107 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 1: provide um some inflammatory response against bacterial pathogens because it 108 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: blocks the reduction of an enzyme called cast paced twelve, 109 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:31,520 Speaker 1: which blocks the inflammatory process UM. So, not only might 110 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 1: the micro RNA in our X chromosome help us out 111 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:38,840 Speaker 1: in terms of living longer and fighting trauma and infection, 112 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 1: but then estrogen comes along gives us a little bit 113 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:47,840 Speaker 1: more of a boose. Whereas testosterone is putting men physically 114 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 1: in danger all the time, right, estrogen stimulates the immune 115 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:56,119 Speaker 1: responses uh, and testosterone is an immunosuppressant. Like you said, 116 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 1: so from the get go, right out of the gate, 117 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:01,360 Speaker 1: you're just men, You're just more sickly. Sorry. Now, another 118 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 1: component of that Cambridge research that you brought up, Caroline, 119 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 1: is that males tend to uh. Their priority tends to 120 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 1: be in making sure that they can reproduce, whereas females 121 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:23,680 Speaker 1: tend to make sure that they are physically healthier and 122 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:30,160 Speaker 1: stronger to nurture. So instead of um resting up and 123 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 1: getting themselves back into health, men might put themselves at 124 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 1: a higher risk for reinfection by just going out and 125 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: trying to keep mate must mate, must mate. Well, but 126 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:45,559 Speaker 1: it's interesting because yes, I can see how that is 127 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:47,839 Speaker 1: absolutely true and it makes sense. But on the other hand, 128 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 1: doesn't it seem to contradict the whole idea of the 129 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:52,760 Speaker 1: man flew of like men lying around on the couch 130 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 1: for weeks getting better and whining, where women are like 131 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:58,719 Speaker 1: I've got to drag myself to work. Well, I mean 132 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:04,840 Speaker 1: this is going bad down when I'm sick. Uh. Well, yes, 133 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:07,199 Speaker 1: that's a good point. But it also you know, I mean, 134 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 1: that's that's condensing things down to these very um evolutionary, 135 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 1: animalistic based instincts. It doesn't mean that, you know, by extension, 136 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 1: if a guy is running a temperature, he will put 137 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:25,280 Speaker 1: on put on his his sassy jeans and hit the 138 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:29,719 Speaker 1: hit the club to try and find a honey, his 139 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 1: pajome gene, whereas we just go put our snuggie on. Yes, 140 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:37,160 Speaker 1: I have a I have a Santa Snuggie. Um. But 141 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 1: this Dr Rastaff from Cambridge UH talked about the genetics 142 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:44,440 Speaker 1: behind all of this, and he said that the benefit 143 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 1: of rapid recovery in males decreases owing to constant reinfections. 144 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:51,760 Speaker 1: So they're they're going out there and like mate mate mate, 145 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:54,280 Speaker 1: mate mate, um, and so they're they're getting reinfected. They're 146 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:57,800 Speaker 1: not giving their bodies time to heal um. And over time, 147 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:01,439 Speaker 1: this is actually selected for lower resistance in males because 148 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:03,600 Speaker 1: think about it, If the guys who are getting sick 149 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:08,839 Speaker 1: are still going out there and reproducing, then all these 150 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:13,800 Speaker 1: babies are selected for having lower immune systems or or 151 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 1: being more prone to reinfection. UM. So this this yeah, 152 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 1: like he says. Rustaf says, this ultimately leads to males 153 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 1: with higher susceptibility or exposure than females and developing lower 154 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:30,559 Speaker 1: immuno competence. But not everybody is on board, of course, 155 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 1: with this idea of of a major gender difference in 156 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 1: immune system responses. Don J. Diamond, who is the director 157 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:43,600 Speaker 1: of a translational vaccine research and a professor of virology 158 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:50,120 Speaker 1: at City Hope in California, is a total skeptic. He says, uh, well, 159 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:53,960 Speaker 1: riddle me this. Why has there never been a gender 160 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:59,559 Speaker 1: specific vaccine? Boys and girls will get like if you 161 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:01,199 Speaker 1: take a in a girl and to get their technis shot, 162 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:04,079 Speaker 1: they're going to get the same dosage, right exactly. He 163 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:07,079 Speaker 1: said that there has never been a vaccine released for 164 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:09,480 Speaker 1: human use that has used a different dose for male 165 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 1: and female. But then he goes on to give give 166 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:16,560 Speaker 1: women some some more props. I really liked this episode 167 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:20,280 Speaker 1: because it's one rare time when it's like, yeah, we 168 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:24,480 Speaker 1: were just across the board, sorry, fellas, we are um uh, 169 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 1: stronger animals in this sense. He says that women are 170 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 1: better at being sick because we have an innately higher 171 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:39,200 Speaker 1: pain tolerance, allowing us to you guessed it, have babies, right, 172 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:41,440 Speaker 1: We're pushing out babies all the time, so we can 173 00:11:41,480 --> 00:11:43,079 Speaker 1: deal with it. Although I mean, I whimper at a 174 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:45,319 Speaker 1: paper cut, so I'm not sure how much that applies 175 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:47,360 Speaker 1: to me, but yeah, he says that women seem to 176 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 1: tough out the flu better. Maybe maybe you're whimpering it 177 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 1: a paper cut implies that you have higher levels of testosterone. 178 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 1: Another interesting place where men and women differ as far 179 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 1: as immune systems involves post traumatic stress disorder UM. Men 180 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:18,280 Speaker 1: show no immune response in regard to PTSD, but women 181 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:21,319 Speaker 1: have a strong one UM, and people with PTSD have 182 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:24,720 Speaker 1: been shown to have higher rates of cardiovascular disease and arthritis, 183 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 1: which your disease is associated with chronic inflammation. And this 184 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:35,000 Speaker 1: has to do with UM cell signaling pathways. So basically, 185 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:37,360 Speaker 1: to try to boil it down and not confuse myself 186 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:42,760 Speaker 1: or the listeners. UM. Because women have this stronger immune 187 00:12:42,840 --> 00:12:47,160 Speaker 1: system and stronger immune system response, UM, we tend to 188 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:53,719 Speaker 1: UM have more inflammation because of this response. So in 189 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:57,959 Speaker 1: two of the three pathways referenced in this the study 190 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:01,280 Speaker 1: bead inflammation, two of the three pathways associated with inflammation, 191 00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:05,599 Speaker 1: there was evidence of signaling for inflammation. But in the 192 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 1: third pathway, men had increased signaling which led to less inflammation, 193 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:15,559 Speaker 1: and women had decreased signaling which could lead to more inflammation. 194 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:19,800 Speaker 1: And that's hard to break down. But basically, UM, when 195 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:23,800 Speaker 1: women have PTSD and stress and anxiety and all this stuff, 196 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 1: our immune system is not helping with inflammation, right. And 197 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:34,199 Speaker 1: here's where UM, the scales begin to tip in terms 198 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:40,199 Speaker 1: of women's stronger or maybe finer tuned immune systems because 199 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:43,319 Speaker 1: since since they might be a little a little more 200 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:48,000 Speaker 1: sensitive for lack of a better word, it can also 201 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 1: lead to immune hyper immunity hyperactivity UM. And that's one 202 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:58,440 Speaker 1: reason why, UM this, these gender differences among the chronic 203 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:02,559 Speaker 1: diseases associated with pt STE might affect more women, and 204 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:08,640 Speaker 1: also why autoimmune diseases such as celiac disease, inflammatory balel disease, 205 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:14,920 Speaker 1: multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, but algo and so forth affect women 206 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 1: far more frequently than men because autoimmune diseases happen when 207 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:25,400 Speaker 1: your immune system actually starts attacking healthy cells. There are 208 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:28,080 Speaker 1: no foreign invaders. Your body just kind of goes into, 209 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:34,480 Speaker 1: uh into overdrive, and as a result, autoimmune diseases target 210 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 1: women of the time. So in exchange for you know, 211 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:45,760 Speaker 1: men perhaps having some rougher or at least wimpier days 212 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:52,680 Speaker 1: in bed every winter, we get we get sariss. Not 213 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:56,480 Speaker 1: to not to laugh at having suriss, but but that's 214 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:58,920 Speaker 1: the that's called a give and take, my friends, right, 215 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:01,760 Speaker 1: And I mean a lot of people have autoimmune disorders 216 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:05,600 Speaker 1: in this country. They affect twenty three point five million Americans, 217 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 1: but most of that number are a women and especially 218 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:14,240 Speaker 1: minority women are the most affected by autoimmune diseases UM 219 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 1: and compounding problems even more, a lot of these are 220 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 1: are difficult to diagnose right until it's almost too late 221 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:25,800 Speaker 1: to do anything about it, and UM and doctors might 222 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 1: what it was. According to a two thousand one survey 223 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:34,960 Speaker 1: from the Autoimmune Diseases Association, over patients with autoimmune diseases 224 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 1: were simply labeled chronic complainers, right, which is just like 225 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 1: when we talked about in our anxiety podcast, women who 226 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 1: go in with symptoms like shortness of breath, not sleeping well, 227 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:52,160 Speaker 1: chest pressure pain, are the doctors are like, here's a 228 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 1: prescription for anxiety or antidepressant medication, whereas men might be 229 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:58,600 Speaker 1: taken more seriously and get a full work up. It's 230 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:02,400 Speaker 1: it's kind of a similar alar effect here. And these 231 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:06,920 Speaker 1: immune system differences also come up with how our bodies 232 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:12,160 Speaker 1: respond to alcohol. Right. Alcohol, as many of you know, 233 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 1: acts as an immune immuno suppressant, but it suppresses everyone's 234 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 1: immune system, men and women. But the thing is it 235 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 1: affects women more. UM. Alcohol consumption women will initially cause 236 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 1: a spike in estrogen production and then a major drop 237 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:36,680 Speaker 1: off in estrogen production. And these fluctuations affect the production 238 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 1: of cytokinds and those are immune cells, and in men 239 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 1: it causes a decrease in testosterone. So so if there 240 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:50,280 Speaker 1: is so, if testosterone then is an immuno suppressant and 241 00:16:50,520 --> 00:16:54,200 Speaker 1: that level is going down. Well, but alcohol is an 242 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 1: immuno suppressant also, so so it's just it's all like 243 00:16:56,920 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 1: all the holes are getting plugged. So the moral of 244 00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 1: that story is drinking is not good for you. Right. Well, 245 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:06,040 Speaker 1: now that the study about alcohol in the immune system 246 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:10,000 Speaker 1: did point out that, um, you know people who drink 247 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:12,600 Speaker 1: like one glass of red wine. We've heard people say 248 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:14,159 Speaker 1: this that like, if you have one glass of red 249 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:15,720 Speaker 1: wine a day, it's not going to kill you, and 250 00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:20,960 Speaker 1: that wine has red wine has um antioxidants. There we go. Um, 251 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:24,840 Speaker 1: but it's when you're drinking the whole bottle that it's like, oh, well, 252 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:27,560 Speaker 1: now you're gonna get sick. Maybe we get so sick 253 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:30,480 Speaker 1: um in the wintertime then not so much because of 254 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:33,199 Speaker 1: the cold weather, but because of all the holiday parties 255 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:37,680 Speaker 1: that are happening, we're drinking more. Very well, maybe we 256 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:40,560 Speaker 1: need to kiss people more, which leads me to my 257 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 1: next point. So perhaps mistletoe is the vaccine of the 258 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:50,080 Speaker 1: holiday season, because I do have a segue here, people. 259 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:54,159 Speaker 1: Two thousand nine study found that kissing might be an 260 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:57,119 Speaker 1: important part of building our immune systems. Now, before we 261 00:17:57,200 --> 00:18:00,160 Speaker 1: go any further, if you have a cold right out, 262 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 1: this does not mean you need to start making out 263 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:04,480 Speaker 1: with somebody now. You should have taken care of this 264 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:08,240 Speaker 1: before you got the cold, right because because you can't 265 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:13,120 Speaker 1: pass along many germs, including oral herpes, right through through 266 00:18:13,160 --> 00:18:17,879 Speaker 1: open mouth kissing, So be selective in your time of kissing. 267 00:18:18,119 --> 00:18:21,080 Speaker 1: We wait, but we got to explain the relationship between immunity. 268 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:23,760 Speaker 1: We can't. You mean, we can't just leave it at that, Okay, 269 00:18:24,840 --> 00:18:29,440 Speaker 1: grab the nearest person. Well, the studies showed that the 270 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:33,200 Speaker 1: longer you kiss a person, your partner or whoever, and 271 00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 1: in six months is the ideal. This is where a 272 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:39,359 Speaker 1: woman kissing, This is really focused on women kissing women 273 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:44,480 Speaker 1: kissing whoever, that the more likely she is to be 274 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:49,480 Speaker 1: immune to the cytomegalovirus, which almost sounds like a dinosaur 275 00:18:49,560 --> 00:18:51,879 Speaker 1: because I don't I don't know. It's like an evil. 276 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:55,200 Speaker 1: It has spikes, that virus like a transformer, right, But 277 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 1: it makes her more likely to be immune to the 278 00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:01,560 Speaker 1: site of megalovirus if she gets pregnant. And and that virus, 279 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:05,480 Speaker 1: that particular virus is is pretty um harmless if you 280 00:19:05,600 --> 00:19:07,919 Speaker 1: just happen to get it now. But I can actually 281 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:09,960 Speaker 1: really do a lot of damage to a fetus. So 282 00:19:10,320 --> 00:19:18,200 Speaker 1: I imagine anything called a megalovirus terrible habitsovirus. UM. But yeah, 283 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:20,600 Speaker 1: and and this is not scientists don't think that this 284 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:24,200 Speaker 1: is why kissing originated. UM. It had more to this 285 00:19:24,359 --> 00:19:26,239 Speaker 1: is so gross. It had more to do with They 286 00:19:26,320 --> 00:19:30,440 Speaker 1: think that we um regurgitated food for our kids like birds. 287 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:33,679 Speaker 1: What's so gross about that, Caroline? Oh, I'm sorry. Oh 288 00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:35,680 Speaker 1: that's right. That's how you eat your lunch. I forgot. 289 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:41,280 Speaker 1: It's just food, just food. But anyway, when that happened, 290 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:44,879 Speaker 1: it also passed along germs and spit and whatever else. 291 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:48,280 Speaker 1: And uh so that's how the the offspring would be 292 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:53,280 Speaker 1: more immune too, you know, sickness and whatnot. But this 293 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:58,080 Speaker 1: study also, or the article talking about this UM study 294 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:03,199 Speaker 1: also urged re D's to um not kiss your pets. 295 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:05,959 Speaker 1: Oh god, this is gross. Well I don't understand why 296 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:08,920 Speaker 1: people let pets lick them on the face. Anyway, we'll see. 297 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:11,760 Speaker 1: I was thinking, like anything that licks it's but what 298 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:14,720 Speaker 1: if I kiss my cat's head, Well, that's fine, O 299 00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:18,720 Speaker 1: your cat's tongue. Your cat's tongue can't reach it's that kissing. 300 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:20,680 Speaker 1: I I just want to, like, you know, given your 301 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:24,159 Speaker 1: little no no they mean like do not let And 302 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 1: I know I have seen people do list and I 303 00:20:26,320 --> 00:20:29,600 Speaker 1: think it's disgusting. Um yeah, just send me angry mail. 304 00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:32,960 Speaker 1: Go ahead. But if you let your pet lick you 305 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:35,960 Speaker 1: on the mouth, I mean I think just think about 306 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 1: where your pets tongue has been. It's possible that you 307 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:45,359 Speaker 1: could get several gross sicknesses and worms and whatever if 308 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 1: you let your pet French kiss you. I wish people 309 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:50,160 Speaker 1: can see the look on your face right now, because 310 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:54,680 Speaker 1: it is a sheer horror, pain pain. So yeah, so 311 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:59,199 Speaker 1: don't don't kiss your dog, but you can. You can 312 00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:03,720 Speaker 1: kiss people right, kiss people, ideally one person for a 313 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:06,520 Speaker 1: significant length of time to build us months, right to 314 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:10,720 Speaker 1: build up immunity to that person stuff that he's carrying around. 315 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:12,920 Speaker 1: Maybe that should be the new benchmark for for when 316 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:15,960 Speaker 1: you call someone your your boyfriend, like once once you're 317 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:19,879 Speaker 1: immune to each other's jump. I'm protected against cytomegalovirus, so 318 00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:22,320 Speaker 1: we can we can take things to the next level now. 319 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:24,680 Speaker 1: But yeah, they were saying. They were saying that basically, 320 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:26,920 Speaker 1: if you are with someone that you might want to 321 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:29,679 Speaker 1: have babies with, you should be kissing them for at 322 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:32,280 Speaker 1: least six months before you decide to get pregnant to 323 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:37,520 Speaker 1: be immune to the cytomegalovirus romantic. Yeah, so enough about kissing. 324 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:40,440 Speaker 1: We gotta we gotta answer our original question because we 325 00:21:40,480 --> 00:21:46,159 Speaker 1: have established that, yes, there are gender differences in immune systems. 326 00:21:46,560 --> 00:21:50,639 Speaker 1: It seems like our X chromosome are additional X chromosome 327 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:55,320 Speaker 1: and our estrogen might protect us as and us by us, 328 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:58,320 Speaker 1: I mean women a little better for the long haul, 329 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:01,400 Speaker 1: although it can cause our immune systems to go into 330 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:04,720 Speaker 1: overdrive and lead to a bunch of autoimmune disorders, which 331 00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:10,120 Speaker 1: is a downer. But original question is about man flu, 332 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:13,080 Speaker 1: this whole thing of do you know do men? Are 333 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:17,400 Speaker 1: men getting sicker more often or at least more loudly 334 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:22,800 Speaker 1: during the winter, What do you think? Well, I don't know. 335 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:25,280 Speaker 1: I mean, I I complain a lot when I'm sick, 336 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:27,119 Speaker 1: so I'm really I'm not one to talk. After all 337 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 1: that snack I talked earlier, I really can't talk. Maybe 338 00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:35,119 Speaker 1: you get you get you get a little man flu. Look, Kristen, 339 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:38,960 Speaker 1: that's the second time you've insinuated that. I I'm sorry 340 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:43,560 Speaker 1: about this. Well, whether or not man flu is or 341 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:46,160 Speaker 1: is not real, And guys listening right now, I want 342 00:22:46,160 --> 00:22:48,040 Speaker 1: to hear from you, and I really hope that uh, 343 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:51,080 Speaker 1: you have not taken offense I genuinely, or any girlfriends 344 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:53,159 Speaker 1: or mothers who have taken care of men, yeah, or 345 00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 1: boyfriends taking care of whatever guys. Um. So this is 346 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 1: from Medical News Today, a study from Bennington Healthcare Society 347 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:08,680 Speaker 1: in the UK. They found that women tend to phone 348 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 1: in sick to work more often, whether or not man 349 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:17,000 Speaker 1: flu is real. Over the entirety of our careers, women 350 00:23:17,119 --> 00:23:21,520 Speaker 1: will phone in sick eighty nine times. Men will do 351 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:24,960 Speaker 1: it only a hundred and forty times. But listen to this. 352 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 1: The average adult only takes three and a half sick 353 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 1: days per year. We are some tough cookies. Well, but 354 00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:32,320 Speaker 1: don't you think those numbers, I mean to to kind 355 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:35,600 Speaker 1: of go off on a side thing anyway, don't you 356 00:23:35,680 --> 00:23:38,720 Speaker 1: think that those numbers could reflect that like mothers, yes, 357 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:40,639 Speaker 1: take time off for their children. Yeah, I think that 358 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:43,880 Speaker 1: absolutely could account for the difference. Um. And even though 359 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:46,719 Speaker 1: we are calling in a little bit more often um 360 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:52,359 Speaker 1: and blaming it on stomach bugs, dizziness, and viruses. Most often, women, 361 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:56,400 Speaker 1: no matter what, feel a lot guiltier making that call 362 00:23:56,680 --> 00:24:00,280 Speaker 1: or sending that email, and we will try to work anyway, 363 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:05,760 Speaker 1: whereas men like feel guilty like half as often. Well, 364 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:08,399 Speaker 1: good for them, good for everyone, go home, even though 365 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:11,880 Speaker 1: everybody go home. Don't pass your your sickness. Who cares? 366 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:16,320 Speaker 1: Who has the better immune system? You're coffin at work? Yeah, 367 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:18,680 Speaker 1: either drink some water and get rid of that tickle 368 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:21,320 Speaker 1: in your throat orme. Yeah. Well, I mean now that 369 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:24,159 Speaker 1: we've talked about how man Flew gives men the opportunity 370 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:27,600 Speaker 1: to be more vulnerable, and that women power through and 371 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:30,960 Speaker 1: and and yet take more sick days. Maybe we take 372 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:33,560 Speaker 1: more sick days because we're feeling so guilty when we 373 00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:36,920 Speaker 1: are sick that it's only exacerbating our symptoms. We become 374 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:39,200 Speaker 1: more anxious, and then we get an autoimmune disorder. I 375 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:41,159 Speaker 1: feel like a lot of pet theories have come up 376 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:44,119 Speaker 1: in my brain during this podcast. We don't kiss your pets. 377 00:24:44,280 --> 00:24:46,200 Speaker 1: That yes, the more or the stories that I want 378 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:48,840 Speaker 1: to leave you with, don't kiss your pets and the 379 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:54,280 Speaker 1: mouth yeah on the mouth, um, and yeah, let us 380 00:24:54,359 --> 00:24:56,639 Speaker 1: know your thoughts on I want to hear other people's 381 00:24:56,680 --> 00:25:00,280 Speaker 1: pet theories about this whole man flew thing and men, 382 00:25:00,320 --> 00:25:02,359 Speaker 1: I'm talking to you too, what do you what do 383 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:05,360 Speaker 1: you think? Mom? Stuff at how stuff works dot com 384 00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:09,879 Speaker 1: is the email address. And I have a funny story 385 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:20,800 Speaker 1: to share right now. Uh. And this is from Derek 386 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:23,840 Speaker 1: and he was writing to share a story about our 387 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 1: Slasher Halloween podcast. He starts out, I was surprised to 388 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:30,680 Speaker 1: hear no mention of nightmare on Elm Street two. In 389 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:33,920 Speaker 1: this film, Mark Patton plays a role of a screaming 390 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:38,240 Speaker 1: typical female slasher lead, yet is seemingly a total homosexual. 391 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:42,280 Speaker 1: Shower scenes dreams of gay bars, along with explicit thoughts 392 00:25:42,320 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 1: of young boys. Jim Teacher have dubbed this movie by 393 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:50,040 Speaker 1: Cracked dot com the most unintentional gay horror movie of 394 00:25:50,119 --> 00:25:53,480 Speaker 1: all time. I've been married to my husband for about 395 00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:56,600 Speaker 1: two years and we spent our belated honeymoon in Puerto 396 00:25:56,720 --> 00:26:00,160 Speaker 1: Viar to Mexico. Among the little shops downtown, we Glee 397 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:02,840 Speaker 1: fill in love with a little craft store. The owner 398 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:05,439 Speaker 1: of the store was incredibly kind to us, gave us 399 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:07,800 Speaker 1: a whole itinerary and list of favorite places to check up, 400 00:26:08,160 --> 00:26:10,840 Speaker 1: check out. And it wasn't until the final day of 401 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:13,520 Speaker 1: the trip, when we were visiting the shop owner that 402 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:17,040 Speaker 1: I recognized an action figure of Mark Patton from Nightmare 403 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:20,000 Speaker 1: on Elm Street Too sitting on the shelf. The resemblance 404 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:22,320 Speaker 1: between this little toy and the store's owner was so 405 00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:26,080 Speaker 1: uncanny I couldn't help but comment, Lo and behold the 406 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:29,760 Speaker 1: shop owner was Mark Patton, himself, the ultimate gay horror 407 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:35,119 Speaker 1: movie star, tucked away in the beautiful hills of Puerto Vallarta. Interesting. 408 00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:38,840 Speaker 1: So that's a fun story, Mark Patton. Yeah, tourist destination. 409 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:40,800 Speaker 1: I'll have to check out Nightmare on Elm Street too. 410 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:43,280 Speaker 1: I'm going to say that I will, but I probably won't. 411 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:46,480 Speaker 1: I don't watch any horror movies. So thanks to Derek 412 00:26:46,520 --> 00:26:49,600 Speaker 1: and Mikey for that story. This is an email from 413 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:53,879 Speaker 1: Brielle about our spy episode. She said, I really enjoyed 414 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:56,560 Speaker 1: your latest podcast on Lady Spies, but I was surprised 415 00:26:56,600 --> 00:26:59,879 Speaker 1: that the recent Angelina jolie By film Salt never came up. 416 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:02,560 Speaker 1: This role, which was originally written for Brad Pitt, was 417 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:06,000 Speaker 1: so interesting because it didn't fit the stereotypical women woman's 418 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:08,920 Speaker 1: spy trope. Although I didn't find the role that revolutionary. 419 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:11,280 Speaker 1: I can easily imagine the movie with a male lead. 420 00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:14,719 Speaker 1: I thought, I actually thought it was written for uh 421 00:27:15,080 --> 00:27:19,160 Speaker 1: Tom Cruise, But and I didn't. I don't. I didn't 422 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:21,040 Speaker 1: like that movie I never saw. I also didn't like 423 00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:25,320 Speaker 1: want it. Angelina Deelie, please make something better. Thank you Bale. 424 00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:29,520 Speaker 1: Maybe she's listening right now, Angelina. Send us your thoughts 425 00:27:30,119 --> 00:27:32,560 Speaker 1: mom Stuff at house stuff Works dot com. You can 426 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:35,159 Speaker 1: always find us over at Facebook and follow us on 427 00:27:35,240 --> 00:27:38,719 Speaker 1: Twitter at mom Stuff Podcast, and you can head over 428 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:41,440 Speaker 1: to the blog during the week It's stuff Mom Never 429 00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:48,480 Speaker 1: told You at how Stuff Works dot com. Be sure 430 00:27:48,560 --> 00:27:51,439 Speaker 1: to check out our new video podcast, Stuff from the Future. 431 00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:54,560 Speaker 1: Join how Stuffwork staff as we explore the most promising 432 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:59,000 Speaker 1: and perplexing possibilities of tomorrow. The House Stuffworks iPhone app 433 00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:01,720 Speaker 1: has a Ride a Mood. It today on iTunes