Men above 44 years old, especially those taking prescription medications, were found to be more susceptible to experiencing palpable gynecomastia, a medical condition that causes enlarged man breasts.
Gynecomastia is the presence of an enlargement or excess of the glandular component of the breast. A hormone imbalance primarily causes this medical condition. Certain medications may contain side effects that can cause a hormonal disturbance, which can lead to the development of glandular type gynecomastia.
Medications for high cholesterol (statin), bacterial infections (amoxicillin) and gastrointestinal diseases (proton pump inhibitors) are at higher risk of developing gynecomastia.
Case reports in 2018 on “Statin Medications And The Risk Of Gynecomastia1” have suggested an increased risk of gynecomastia with statins, a class of drugs often prescribed to help reduce cholesterol levels in the blood. Medications in the form of proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) and amoxicillin, commonly used in the treatment of a wide variety of bacterial infections, have also been shown to cause gynecomastia in users2.
References
Skeldon, S. C., Carleton, B., Brophy, J. M., Sodhi, M., & Etminan, M. (2018). Statin Medications And The Risk Of Gynecomastia. Clinical Endocrinology, 89(4), 470-473. doi.org/10.1111/cen.13794 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/cen.13794
He, B., Carleton, B., & Etminan, M. (2019). Risk Of Gynecomastia With Users Of Proton Pump Inhibitors. Pharmacotherapy: The Journal Of Human Pharmacology And Drug Therapy, 39(5), 614-618. doi.org/10.1002/phar.2245 https://accpjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/phar.2245
Ratio imbalance of low testosterone and high estrogen can lead to man-boobs gynecomastia. Here are 8 reasons why your testosterone level may drop!
Obesity
Obesity decreases testosterone levels, causing estrogen to take over and cause enlargement of the breast tissue.
Testosterone Replacement Therapy
We know this may sound ironic, but Testosterone Replacement Therapy can also cause some temporary breast growth.
Anabolic Steroids
Anabolic steroid is a synthetic version of testosterone that may convert to estrogen. The side effects are way worse than regular testosterone treatment.
RELATED: The Two Types of Man-boobs According to Science
Plant Oils & Natural Grooming Products
Certain plant oil ingredients contain estrogen-like properties such as lavender oil.
Hair Loss Drugs & Other Medications
Anti-hair loss drugs can cause dihydrotestosterone, which has an anti-testosterone effect.
Severe Liver or Kidney Diseases
Liver disease can cause protein synthesis disruption and even overproduction. This may affect a protein (SHBG) that binds testosterone.
Tumors
Some lung or testicular tumors can make a specific type of hormone (HCG) that while it stimulates testosterone production, it also converts testosterone to estrogen.
Age
Unfortunately, gynecomastia gets less uncommon with age (decreased testosterone levels).
These are the Cause of Man Boobs
Also Check Out: Gynecomastia Man-boobs How to Get Rid of Painful Moobs
You’ve done your homework and Googled, “How do you build up your pecs?”; read Men’s Health, watched chest training videos and, kept a full routine of bench presses, push-ups, weighted dips and dumbbell presses religiously.
Yet, after months of effort, you’re still unsatisfied with the results.
Perhaps the reason why you still don’t have Chris Hemsworth – worthy pecs isn’t due to what you’re doing or eating wrong, but because you’re suffering a medical disorder. But what exactly might you have? The challenge comes in diagnosing your condition accurately though.
Meet the twin nemesis of your efforts: gynecomastia and pseudogynecomastia. In the case of gynecomastia, it is characterised by excessive growth of breast tissue which may lead to feminisation of the male breast, and it cannot be eradicated through diet and exercise alone. The exact cause of gynecomastia is not entirely clear, though it could be due to the actions of circulating hormones on specific cells in the breast area. Genetic factors, certain usage of medications and even ageing can lead to gynecomastia while its pseudo counterpart happens as a result of built up fat. To make things more confusing, how a guy’s chest will look in both cases is more or less the same!
Gynecomastia Or Pseudogynecomastia: How Do You Tell The Difference?
First things first – you’ll be better off consulting a doctor who is experienced in gynecomastia surgery.
The difference? In the case of the former, you’ll feel a firm concentration of tissue around the nipple area in the form of a disk, with or without pain when it’s touch or squeezed. The effective treatment to deal with gynecomastia is surgical removal of the overly developed glandular and fat tissue. With pseudogynecomastia, no such ring is formed as fat tissue on palpation is somewhat loose and not firm. Pseudogynecomastia, to a certain extent, can be rectified with regular exercise and healthier diet.
Why suffer from frustration by poor post-workout results, and personal pain and embarrassment caused by gynecomastia? Get professional help, and you’ll be ready to whip your shirt off at the beach action-hero style!
Man boobs or ‘moobs’ might sound like a joke or a made-up word even, but for many men, it is a real problem that’s far from being a laughing matter. This condition can also be an indication of underlying health problems. So why do men get them? Let’s explore some possible causes.
Obesity – Fat Is An Issue
Obesity as we know it, is the cause of many health problems, gynecomastia included. It lowers testosterone levels, causes havoc to your muscle-to-fat ratio and more estrogen hormones are produced resulting in the appearance of man boobs. So watch what you eat, when you eat and pen in some exercise time into your schedule. Seek help to combat obesity especially if it runs in the family.
Bad Diet – What You Eat And What You Don’t Eat
On the subject of food, a bad dietary habit is also a probable cause. Now the term bad dietary habit not only implies the kind of food you eat but equally important the ones that you don’t. What it means is – do not deprive your body of the essential nutrients it needs because when you do, your testosterone levels plummet resulting as already mentioned in man boobs.
Steroids – Let’s jack up the gains
In the pursuit to achieve that close to perfect physique, a man would at times do just about anything. Pumping iron and sweating it out in the gym is good but illegal steroids are not. The common uses of anabolic steroids are for bulking up and performance enhancement. While side effects such as roid rage seem to take center stage most of the time, other equally pressing side effects such as gynecomastia or man boobs should not be ignored. Note that this can occur with legal steroids as well so always remember that there are no shortcuts to success!
Natural Herbs And Oils – A Natural Disaster Waiting To Happen
With the increasing awareness of the importance of health, natural products are commonplace on the food shelves of supermarkets including the grooming section. While going au naturel when it comes to the latter is commendable – do read the ingredients label. When applied topically in large amounts, products such as lavender and tea tree oils can lead to the appearance of man boobs. These are commonly found in shampoos, lotions and soaps, and while the notion may seem far-fetched to the uninformed individual, it can happen. These and some other plant oils contain estrogen-like properties which dull the effects of the androgen hormones, resulting in gynecomastia.
Bad Habits – Alcohol And Cigarettes Are Not The Best Of Pals
Arguably two common bad habits among people are drinking and smoking. While it is fine to indulge in some alcoholic bevvies once in a while but binge and excessive drinking are not. Alcohol affects the liver’s ability to get rid of excess estrogen and when it can’t function effectively, it may also start converting androgens into estrogens resulting in man boobs. Smoking also causes hormone imbalance and like excessive drinking will eventually result in gynecomastia.
Because Your Dad & Grandpa Might Have Them
The cause of gynecomastia or man boobs may be due to to hormones. There are steps and precautions that you can take to help your body produce the right amount and balance like a healthy diet and lifestyle for example. It is important to take care of your body as after all, when you help it to stay well, it reciprocates by helping you to feel and look well, and avoid the dreaded man boobs.
Gynecomastia is frequent during three phases in the age distribution curve: the neonatal period, pubertal period and adulthood. Affecting nearly 70 percent of adolescent boys and 65 percent of middle-aged and older men, man-boobs gynecomastia is a common medical condition referring to the occurrence of enlarged glandular tissues. Adult men who are typically diagnosed with gynecomastia may experience swollen enlarged male breasts, chest tenderness, fibrous tissue beneath the nipples (in one or both breasts).
What are the causes?
Man-boobs gynecomastia often happens due to hormonal imbalance. Triggered by different factors, breast tissue can develop when a man’s testosterone level decrease and estrogen level increase. Age and massive weight loss are also commonly linked to gynecomastia.
Another cause is the use of medication, which results in 10 to 25 percent of such cases. This is commonly seen in bodybuilders, where anabolic steroids are commonly used to improve athletic performance and build muscles. This results in a chemical reaction where the anabolic steroids convert to estrogen-like (female-like) compounds. Using anabolic steroids may also reduce the average testosterone production, leading to hormonal imbalances that can stimulate the development of female-like breast tissue.
Continuous use will cause glandular tissue to develop, and unfortunately, once this tissue is formed, it is irreversible even if the steroids are stopped completely.
WILL EXERCISE CUT IT?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to get rid of gynecomastia just from working out. Most of the time, no amount of exercise or healthy eating can eradicate excess glandular tissue. In fact, many men have reported that as they lose the weight, the condition actually looks worse because the fatty tissue around the gland shrinks and the gland subsequently stands out more, making the flab more prominent than before.
IS THERE A SOLUTION?
The predominant way to treat man-boobs gynecomastia is through gynecomastia surgery. Depending on the clinical condition of the patient, the doctor will perform glandular tissue excision and liposuction to completely remove the enlarged glandular tissue and excess fat. The aim is to permanently remove the tissue and sculpt the chest area for a more defined physique.
Performed under local anesthesia in under two hours, patients can return home and resume normal activities within two to three days. Post-treatment, the area may feel sore but most patients are able to manage the discomfort level. A compression garment is advised to be used for the next four to six weeks, and patients are to avoid all forms of heavy lifting, gym works such as bench presses, push-ups and water activities that may hinder the recovery process.
Gynecomastia surgery is the best option to address the issue and when it comes to yourself – there are things that you can do to prevent it, to an extent:
LIMIT ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION
Anything in excess is bad for you especially alcohol. Gynecomastia is brought on by hormone imbalance, and excess alcohol intake stresses the liver, which in turn causes it to become inefficient disrupting the body’s hormone balance.
STOP STEROIDS ABUSE
Although it seems logical that increasing your testosterone levels could possibly stave off gynecomastia – the answer is NO. Every time you go off a testosterone supplement cycle, the fluctuation caused actually increases your estrogen levels, which is the hormone that causes gynecomastia.
The above together with proper exercise and a generally healthy lifestyle routine can help in the prevention of gynecomastia. But what about food that comes in the form of meat from animals that have been supplemented with growth hormones and do they cause gynecomastia?
GROWTH ANIMAL HORMONES
Hyper-productive animals seem to be the norm these days. Dairy cows that produce more milk, beef cows and super salmons that grow faster, these are some examples of the reality in today’s bred-to-eat meat industry.
When it comes causing gynecomastia, there is no clear answer. However, if you do consume meat that has been treated with growth animal hormones, and genetically you respond to the hormones; chances are you will develop excess tissue in places where they shouldn’t be. This could cause the animal hormones imbalance leading to gynecomastia.
It can be confusing and at times even disheartening to realise the many potential causes of gynecomastia. It is important not to lose hope because, at the end of the day, there is an effective treatment – gynecomastia surgery.
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