As temperatures drop across the UK, cases of cold and flu are rising, and an NHS GP has weighed in on whether 'man flu' is a real phenomenon. Dr Jeff Foster, NHS GP Partner and Medical Director for Men's Health and TRT Specialist at Voy, said: "The honest answer about man flu? There's something in it."
What the research says
Dr Foster explained that research published in the British Medical Journal has suggested men may experience more severe symptoms from respiratory viruses than women, partly due to differences in immune response. He noted that women tend to have a faster, more aggressive initial immune reaction to viral infections, which may help clear the virus more quickly, while men's immune systems appear to respond differently, meaning symptoms can linger longer and feel more intense.
He added: "Whether that fully explains the man flu mythology is debatable, but it does suggest the biological basis isn't entirely made up." Dr Foster also stressed that individual variation matters as much as sex, with age, baseline health, sleep quality, stress levels, and gut microbiome all influencing how the immune system responds to a virus.
Biological differences
Research in The BMJ highlights that oestrogen acts as a natural immune booster, helping female cells resist viral replication, whereas testosterone can have an immunosuppressive effect that lowers a man's initial antibody response. Data also shows that adult men experience higher rates of flu-related hospital admissions and take longer to recover from sinus infections.
Cold vs flu and warning signs
Dr Foster said the common cold and influenza are caused by entirely different viruses. A cold tends to build gradually with a sore throat, congestion, a runny nose, and mild fatigue, while flu hits fast, often within hours, with high fever, significant muscle aches, profound tiredness, and a dry cough.
He listed symptoms that warrant medical attention, including persistent chest pain or pressure, severe shortness of breath or inability to finish sentences, a fever above 39.5C that does not respond to medication, confusion or trouble waking up, and symptoms that improve and then suddenly worsen. Dr Foster said: "All these above symptoms warrant medical attention, not another day under a duvet."
For most people, he recommends rest, fluids, and paracetamol or ibuprofen to manage fever and discomfort, adding: "Stay home if you can. Autumn and winter viruses spread quickly, and the most effective thing you can do for the people around you is to not share what you've got. Man flu may be embellished, but the virus underneath it is very much real."
