In a new book titled "How to Maintain Your Health," nutrition expert Gina Hope stated that "evidence shows that the immune system in females is stronger than that of males." Hope added, as reported by the British newspaper "Daily Mail," that this is due to hormones, as female sex hormones, progesterone and estrogen, tend to support the immune system, while the male hormone testosterone can suppress immunity.
The role of estrogen in female immunity was highlighted by immunologists at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore in 2016. The scientists infected cells from the nasal linings of men and women with the common influenza virus (seasonal flu A). The results showed that estrogen led to a significant reduction in influenza virus levels, while virus levels in men remained unchanged.
Francisco Obida de Torres, a professor of sports biology studying evolution and health at Royal Holloway University in London, said, "From an evolutionary perspective, having a strong immune system enables women to better protect the fetus from infections that may be transmitted to the child in the womb." He added, "However, this in itself may pose a risk to women, as all evidence indicates that this comes at a significantly higher cost in terms of developing autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, and psoriasis occur when the immune system overreacts and attacks healthy tissues."
