Is biology to blame for men responding differently to the common cold or are they just more pathetic(可怜的)? It’s long been argued that men are by far worse at handling the common cold than women. As a result, the term “man flu” is often passed around to describe how men experience the same common cold as women, but they might feel much worse.

According to experts, men and women may, in fact, respond differently to colds. Kim Templeton, a doctor at the University of Kansas Hospital, explained the female sex hormone(荷尔蒙) slows down how fast a virus multiplies, which may lead to fewer symptoms. In addition, Templeton has some other theories to back up her claims. The part of the brain that controls body temperature is larger in men, and this may lead to higher fevers in men than women.

However, some experts insist this is nothing but a load of tosh, and say these things may not have much impact. “The way men and women respond to colds — there’s not really much of a difference between a male response and a female response,” said Aaron E. Glatt, chairman of the department of medicine at South Nassau Communities Hospital. “There are slight differences in studies and numbers,” Glatt adds. “But in fact, there are no significant differences in the immune system between men and women.”

“We should pay attention to other factors of the cold of men,” according to psychology expert William Pollack, PhD. In history, men were trained to think they needed to be “able to do everything and never fail,” Pollack explained. “So if they get any illness, they make a big deal out of it because it seems like a big deal. In other words, a man has to think his cold is close to death, or else he shouldn’t be bothered by it. But of course he is bothered by it.”