If you’re sick of your man becoming all “woe is me” and retreating under the duvet at the merest sign of a sniffle then help could be at hand: scientists have developed a pill that targets man flu.
Australian researchers have created a daily lozenge that dramatically reduces the likelihood of being laid low by a bad cold or flu, if you’re a man that is.
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The sweet-like lozenge, which dissolves in the mouth, contains small amounts of interferon alpha, a protective protein that the body makes naturally to combat viruses, the UK’s Daily Mail reported.
The treatment works by tricking the body into thinking it is at risk so it gets ready to fight off bacteria.
Associate Professor Manfred Beilharz, from Perth’s University of Western Australia, tested 200 people, half taking the treatment and half a placebo. All were then asked to take note of flu symptoms and any time they took off work for the next four months.
While those who took the lozenge were no less likely to catch a cold or flu, they were much less likely to be bedridden by it.
It is not yet clear why the treatment works so much better with men.
One suggestion is that men’s immune systems are so much weaker in the first place that they appreciate the boost more.
Previous studies have found that men are more susceptible to infection by bacteria than women.
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Further tests are being carried out to see if a change in dosage will offer similar benefits to women.
If the trials are successful, the treatment could be available on prescription by 2012.
Your say: Do you think that men are worse at handling colds than women? Share your thoughts below.
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