LADIES, HAVE YOU heard?
‘Man periods’ are now a thing.
A study said so.
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A recent study of 2,412 people (50% male, 50% female) found that 26% of men reported experiencing PMS-like symptoms, including “tiredness, cramps and increased sensitivity”.
Other ‘man period’ symptoms included bloating, cravings and feeling sensitive about weight.
5% of men even claimed to suffer from “menstrual cramps”. There’s a term for these people: liars and chancers.
Needless to say, women weren’t taken in.
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So, is there anything to this story?
Consider a few things.
Firstly, the poll was commissioned by Voucher Cloud, a website dedicated to providing customers with deals and discount. A fun poll? Yes. A scientific study? No.
Secondly, these symptoms — tiredness, sensitivity, craving food, bloating — aren’t just associated with PMS. In fact, they’re pretty synonymous with hangovers. Maybe all these men are suffering from a bad case of The Fear™?
Finally, there is no significant evidence to back up the existence of a “man period”.
While Irritable Male Syndrome — a term used to describe mood swings and feelings of irritability caused by drops in testosterone – has been written about extensively, a lot of people are dubious about whether it even exists.
Writing for The Huffington Post, Dr. Gregory Jamtz described it as a newfangled term to describe a mid-life crisis.
IMS may be the most recent sticker slapped over the old mid-life crisis label but as far as I can tell, IMS has been around for a few years and it hasn’t gained much traction with men.
Additionally, it’s up for debate whether the male hormone cycle has any significant effects on moods or behaviour.
“It’s debatable whether it changes any behavior in a way that we can tell or have guys feel,” Morgentaler explained. He also added that it is unclear what purpose or significance the male daily cycle serves.
In conclusion? Men might feel cranky or sensitive from time to time, but we’re going to hold off on calling it a “man period” for the time being.
