Us dirty humans...

Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
21

I would love to know where some people come up with their facts. The original poster inquired about possible reasons why women seem to get sick more often. I’d love to know where this information comes from. Here’s a few replies to some issues posted on this board.

Women don’t actually “get sick more often than men.” Women’s immune systems are by far more responsive and finely tuned than men’s, which means that women are in fact more resistant to disease. “Screwy innards” are responsible for many of women’s visits to the doctor, but often these are issues of simple maintenance. Get your pap smears and avoid future problems.

The Pill. What kind of discussion is this? There are hundreds of kinds of Pills, and there’s a spectrum of reactions to any one of these pills. For purposes of generalization though, most pills prescribed today DO stabilize hormones, they DO regularize periods (I’m going to ignore questions like “what good is a regular period?”), and they DO alleviate menstruating pains and PMS significantly. On the other hand, it is not a good idea to be on certain kinds of Pill for extended periods of time, you should avoid smoking, and so on. The Pill isn’t a sacred cow.

Women are hypochondriacs and thus go to the doc more often. In which parallel dimension?? Tests conducted in the last half century (and before) show consistently that women generally handle pain better than men. Men are more likely to visit the doctor’s for minor discomforts, and they tend to be the hypochondriacs.

Women are more prone to depression, suicide, etc. Yes. Because many women have to deal with prejudice and oppression and harrassment and social pressures (like having to look like a supermodel) on a daily basis. Not everyone stands up to this kind of psychological battering very well day after day, and some people break down because they do not receive the required support. Fluctuating hormonal levels are sometimes responsible for periods of depressions and related problems. But this is hardly a question of health or getting sick more often than men.

Testosterone. Women produce a lot less of it, and thus spare themselves unpleasant things like getting involved in homicide, general violence, accidents resulting from “aggressive” driving, and so on. Women are also less prone to heart diseases, high cholesterol, diabetes, and many more. True, women have to put up with breast cancer and uterine cancer and nasties like that, but (as someone mentioned here) just think of prostate-related problems and the scary frequency with which they crop up.

Anecdotal evidence is fine, but it’s hardly–dare I say it–the Straight Dope

22

I have endometriosis, and since I’ve been on the Pill, I notice that the pain seems to last longer. I never suffered from emotional swings untill I started taking it. Maybe this is psychosomatic, but I don’t think so.

23

[[Testosterone. Women produce a lot less of it, and thus spare themselves
unpleasant things like getting involved in homicide, general violence,
accidents resulting from “aggressive” driving, and so on. Women are also
less prone to heart diseases, high cholesterol, diabetes, and many more.]]

I don’t know about men being more prone to diabetes than women, or if there’s really proof of the testosterone thing, but I liked the gist of your post. For an illuminating, entertaining, upbeat, very readable and scientifically sound book on the biology of women, I highly recommend “Woman, An Intimate Geography” by Natalie Angier.
Jill

24

The facts are: there are more males born than females. Females, on average, live longer than males. Ergo: Males fall TERMINALLY ill more often than females.

25

[[The facts are: there are more males born than females. Females, on average, live longer than males. Ergo: Males fall TERMINALLY ill more often than females.]]

Somebody did a study once that showed that although females tend to live longer than males do, those years are most likely spent in nursing homes and needing dependent care. So it’s quantity of life, but not necessarily always quality.
Jill

26

Yadda yadda yadda,
A lot of talk on PMS it seems. PMS is greatly influenced by caffine (coffee, tea, etc.) If a woman uses caffine, it does not mean they will have PMS, but if a woman does not use caffine, the chances of having PMS are very slim. One may note that PMS “relief” pills often contain caffine. Caffine is a very interesting drug, worthy of a Strait Dope column, no doubt.
As for women living longer than men, there is a very simple reason for it: smoking. As the percentage of female smokers goes up and the male percentage goes down, we should see a equalization of life spans in the future. There has never been found a physiological reason for longer life spans in women, despite much study.
Why this battle of the sexes? In the imortal words of motorist Rodney King, can’t we all just get along?

27

some of this should be taken to the pit.
my belief and experience have shown that women get sick more often then men and/or don’t deal w/ it as well.
I offer the following as support to my theory.
1 - Someone said that women’s immune system is ‘better’ then man’s (which I cant believe) but assuming that is true then what women might be suffering with is the immune response such as the release of histimemes (sp) to combat colds and the such. If their immune system is better then they would release more and feal worse.
now w/ that one out of the way
2 - A women’s body is geared to having children, the development of 2ndary sexual characteristics causes a vast change to the structure of the women’s body (hips, breasts, monthly cycling and all the associated hormonal changes) which is an enormous change to that of a male (growing hair, some hormonal cycling) The cycling causes moodiness, etc… which by itself doesn’t mean that she will get sicker but read on
3 I heard a study that men can take cold better then women ( now not all can i know) and men will steal heat from their core to allow them to use their fingers in very cold conditions while women don’t. The study suggest that women must maintain there core temp. to protect their unborn child even if there is none there.
4 putting 2 and 3 together it seams like that a women’s body is somewhat sacrificial in putting reproduction over survival, at least more so then men. It would seam so to me that a women’s immune system would have trouble w/ the constantly changing conditions present in her.
5 the female sexual organ, though it has some protection, is an opening for bacteria and viruses (not to mention yeast). The protection can’t be as good as skin even if you include the small opening in the male.
6 the pill or any synthetic hormonal supplement are manufactured slightly different then the natural occurring substances (due to patent reasons) This difference causes side effects.
7 Women are (in my opinion) more susceptible to peer pressure i.e. eating disorders, high heal shoes, makeup, breast enlargement (all of which I can see as causing health problems) , true men suffer from similar pressures but not as often or as severe.
7a - Don’t men oppress women and they have to do things mentioned in 7. My answer is that women do it to themselves in a competition. No man have ever forced a woman to get a breast enlargement at gunpoint. (this one’s destined for the pit) but girls you are doing it to your self and suffering poor health as a result.

28

I find it interesting that alot of the discussion on PMS and it being psychosomatic came from men. Wouldn’t you have to experience it first to really be able to determine whether its psychosomatic? Every woman’s hormonal levels and their accompanying fluctuations are completely different than the next woman, likewise their reaction to those hormones. I feel that may be the reason why science has difficulty pinpointing the true nature of PMS. I think that’s one thing that women have always been accused of whether, it’s the crazy 'emotional’issues of the 1800’s to PMS/psychosomatic issues today, is that its all in our head. Some women may have incredible fluctuations in their hormones but may be able to handle them better due to their emotional make up and vice versa. I don’t think the physical side of PMS (bloating, back-aches, etc) can really be logically questioned unless you start at the point that pain is really just “all in your head”, which of course it is. Don’t get all hot and bothered on this! I’m just saying that I don’t think ALL PMS is psychosomatic; I’m sure some of it is. Regardless, PMS is a pain for both the women that experience it and the men they love; viva la difference! If we were the stable, emotional rocks like some men claim to be, where would the fun be in the difference between the sexes?

Carpe Diem! or at least seize something!

29

[Re “regularizing” one’s periods. I think the reason for doing this is convenience. It’s convenient to know when to expect it. It’s inconvenient, to say the least, to be taken by surprise.]

‘Regularizing’ also can reduce hugely bloody or hugely painful periods - I originally went on the Pill to attempt to ameliorate my endometriosis (really painful, debiliating, period-related syndrome), but I did notice that it made me go from a period once every 20-55 days that lasted about five hours of real heavy blood and another four of brown guck, to a period every fourth Wednesday at 3:30 PM (unless I’d missed a pill) with the blood lasting about three days, not nearly as heavy as it’d been before, and about another day or two of brown guck. LARGE difference. Yes, it’s more convenient, but there’s a point where convenience lops over into a life-changing sort of quality.

30

I personally would like to see Sluggo and K2dave back up even half of their claims, “studies” they’ve seen, etc. Most of their posts contained “facts” I’ve never seen or read before.
Jill

31

Hi Jill
Remember what I said
“I offer the following as support to my theory.”
did you miss that
MY THEORY

The only study I State is that women get colder extremities then men, I don’t even hint that the other things I said is fact, and I state that it is my theory
Now as for the study as for the colder hands, I remember it on the news or 20 20 or something like that, but for lack of the actual source, I withdraw that one unless someone who saw that can back me up
Very Truely yours
k2dave

32

I’d like to see a real source for the “women have colder extremities than men” bit. I have never seen anything indicating a real difference between the sexes, and I’ve found a good deal of variation between individuals when it comes to distribution of body heat, regardless of sex.

Also, it’s very easy to learn simple biofeedback techniques to warm one’s extremities. I do it myself, when cycling - I can ride in sub-zero temperature with fingerless gloves and my hands stay warm just by me concentrating on moving blood through them.

It seems to me that there are an awful lot of suppositions floating around here that are no more grounded in fact than old wives’ tales. Especially that bit about the female sexual organs being an open door for bacteria etc. Duh, why do you think we have periods regularly? It’s a way to clean out the system.

Although it’s sometimes difficult to tell, I think that the posters to this topic who seem to think that women are somehow more fragile, prone to sickness, prone to hypochondria, or whatever, are all male. This, to me, says that either these men are gravitating towards females who live up to their expectations of weakness and excessive emotional swings, or they ignore their male acquaintances when they are sick, allergy-ridden, having a bad day or pissed off at something for no particular reason.

33

[[This, to me, says that either these men are gravitating towards females who live up to their expectations of weakness and excessive emotional swings, or they ignore their male acquaintances when they are sick, allergy-ridden, having a bad day or
pissed off at something for no particular reason.]]

I agree. Oh, and what percentage of those who shoot their families, co-workers, or classmates to death is female? Talk about “PMS.” I’ve known men who were big babies when they were sick, and when I worked as a phlebotomist, I never had a woman faint while I drew her blood, but I often had male patients drop to the floor. I don’t mean to diss all males, here. There are strong and weak individuals in both sexes, clearly. But some of our male posters are sounding a bit misogynist.
Jill

34

People! People! People! A little focus here, please! Our topic was illness in women vs. men --frequency thereof. NOT the Pill. NOT how cold folks were. And surely NOT shooting people [which is not an illness–homicide is a crime]. Can somebody please comment on the topic at hand? [To the ladies–you’re right, I dont understand PMS ; but I do sympathise. Even if I cant spell the damn word ‘sympathise’ correctly].

35

And since when do we have to stay on the topic at hand?

36

Yeah! Funny how nobody screams “off topic!” until the “topic” becomes a wee bit touchy.

Bit of PMS there, daniel?

37

Dear Ladies: the topic doesn’t bother me at all. In fact, given the relatively poor hygene that many of my fellow gents practise [as I recall from the lockerroom] an argument could be made that men do ; or should; get sick more often than women. If we don’t get sick more often than women, given our slovenly habits–why not!!! Remember the last time you saw themess of a bachleor apartment or dorm room? The Black Hole of Calcutta couldn’t be worse. I was hoping we could talk about the immunological/microbiological aspect, thats all. PS: The PMS women suffer from is an unavoidable and natural function of a woman’s body. Why do you classify it as a disease? It is very unpleasant for you, but disease, by definition is an abnormal function of the human body. Is PMS a disease, and if so, why?

38

[[The PMS women suffer from is an unavoidable and natural function of a woman’s body. Why do you classify it as a disease? It is very unpleasant for you, but disease, by definition is an abnormal function of the human body. Is PMS a disease, and if so, why?]]

I don’t recall anyone on this thread calling PMS a disease.

39

Ok so you didn’t call it a disease, have it your way. I don’t want to generate any hostility on this site or make any enemies [except for “The Voice” that is. Why didn’t he name himself “The Braying Cretin”? See <what should I do with all these lousy books> on this website]. But what about contagious disease? Is there a gender difference? I’ve been reading about the role of plagues in history & modern biowarfare risks- they mention no difference, but male MDs sometimes underreport illness in women.