Males take more time off work than women with colds they think are flu, reports the Daily Mirror.

They also moan more, fork out more on remedies and 82 percent stay in bed until they feel better.

The survey of 2 000 people found 64 percent of men thought they had flu and took a day off compared with 45 percent of women.

But according to Professor Ron Eccles of the Common Cold Centre, Cardiff University, it is women who get ill more.

He said: "This is because women have more contact with children - normally the main source of infection."

The poll for Nuts magazine found men take three days to recover and women half that time. November is said to be the worst month for 'man flu' - with one in six suffering. - Ananova.com