Research proves the incredible health benefits of mateship

New research has shown that 'bromance' and 'mateship' can be incredibly beneficial to male health, significantly lowering the impact of stress and enhancing resilience.

Research performed on rats, known to have a similar make-up and physiology to humans, showed that male subjects were far more social and cooperative when exposed to a stressful situation than when their environment wasn't stressful.

Related: 20 rules that make a man

The study, from the University of California, shows that stress can go a long way to social bonding, and that men who experience stress together are likely to become far better mates.

"If you repeatedly take away and return their water, normal rats become very aggressive, pushing and shoving at the water fountain like a bunch of thirsty seven-year-olds who don't know how to stand in line yet," study co-author Elizabeth Kirby said in a statement.

But the male roommates reacted far differently.

"The cage-mates who had the mild stressor did not show this behavior at all," Kirby said.

"After taking away their water and bringing it back, they shared it very evenly and without any pushing and shoving. It was very civil."

It was also found that the level of oxytocin, the "love hormone", increased in the brains of male rats, who also huddled and physically touched more during times of stress.

However, when the mild stressor was replaced with something far more stressful, like the smell of fox urine, cooperation came to a halt and oxytocin levels decreased.

Researchers say this behaviour mirrors the way humans act when they experience post-traumatic stress disorder.