After studying 27 years of data on baboons in Kenya, a team from the Notre Dame University in Indiana found that alpha males were less likely to get sick and recovered faster from injuries than those at the lower rungs of society.
The findings, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, were a surprise, since previous research has shown that high-ranking males experience high stress which suppresses their immune responses.
"In humans and animals, it has always been a big debate whether the stress of being on top is better or worse than the stress of being on the bottom," said Beth Archie, a biologist at Notre Dame who led the study.
"Our results suggest that, while animals in both positions experience stress, several factors that go along with high rank might serve to protect males from the negative effects of stress."
For their study, the researchers examined 27 years of data on naturally occurring illness and injuries in wild male baboons, which is a notably large data set.
Although research of health and disease in animals in laboratory settings has been quite extensive, this study is one of most comprehensive ever conducted on animals in a natural setting.
The team investigated how differences in age, physical condition, stress, reproductive effort and testosterone levels contribute to status-related differences in immune functions.
Previous research found that high testosterone levels and intense reproductive efforts can suppress immune function and are highest among high-ranking males.
However, Archie and her team found that high-ranking males were less likely to become ill and recovered faster from injuries and illnesses than low-ranking males. (MORE)
