Gynecomastia also called "man boobs," happens when a guy develops larger breasts because his testosterone and estrogen hormones are out of whack.
Estrogen makes breasts grow, while testosterone stops breast tissue from forming.
Men tend to have more testosterone than estrogen, but when this balance gets messed up, gynecomastia occurs.
This problem can hit any man at different times in his life and knock his self-esteem and confidence down. Research shows that 33% to 67% of men worldwide deal with gynecomastia.
At first, doctors claimed surgery was the sole solution for gynecomastia. But thorough studies have shown non-surgical options to treat this condition exist.
These non-surgical approaches aim to address the underlying cause thus eliminating the extra tissue around the chest.
Let's explore the reasons for gynecomastia and how you can manage it without surgery.
What causes gynecomastia
Many factors can trigger gynecomastia, but these are the most typical.
Puberty
, 65 percent of teenage boys aged 13 to 18 show signs of gynecomastia due to hormone shifts that happen during puberty.
This form of gynecomastia goes away after three to four years without any treatment.
The hormones will balance out and the enlarged breast tissue will shrink.
Aging
Men's testosterone levels start to decrease from age 30.
Many research studies show that men between 50 and 80 years old have a higher chance of developing gynecomastia.
Also, men between 30 and 45 years old face a 50% risk of developing gynecomastia particularly if they don't maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Excess body fat
Regardless of your weight, a higher fat percentage can result in more fat accumulating around your chest.
High body fat levels also have a direct link to increased estrogen levels.
A male's body contains an enzyme called Aromatase. Aromatase's main job is to change testosterone from fat tissue into estrogen.
This means 80 percent of the estrogen hormone in a man's system comes from aromatase activity.
put, the more body fat you have the higher your estrogen levels will be. Estrogen has an influence on breast growth. This means you'll develop gynecomastia.
Health conditions
Some health issues mess with estrogen and testosterone hormone levels. This creates an imbalance that can lead to extra breast tissue growth.
These health conditions include:
- Hyperthyroidism
- Malnutrition
- Hypothalamus or pituitary gland tumors
- Kidney failure
- Klinefelter syndrome
- Testes diseases like hydrocele, orchitis, spermatocele, and varicocele.
- Trauma
- Liver failure
Drugs and medications
Up to 25% of gynecomastia cases happen because of certain medications or drugs.
Some of these drugs have estrogen-like qualities, which can boost estrogen production in the body.
Sometimes, these drugs might introduce substances similar to testosterone into your system, which then turn into estrogen.
Doctors have discovered that some drugs lead to gynecomastia, but research hasn't yet figured out why.
Using the following substances can result in gynecomastia
- Alcohol
- Anabolic steroids such as oxandrin, Anadrol, Winstrol, and equipoise
- Antihypertensive medications
- Certain antiretroviral (ARV) medications
- Psychoactive drugs including antipsychotics, stimulants, designer drugs, and hallucinogens
Note: Scientists continue to study whether other medications can lead to gynecomastia.
How to get rid of gynecomastia without surgery
Many people think surgery offers the only cure for gynecomastia, but other treatments have shown good results.
This happens because these treatments address the root cause.
Here are ways you can treat gynecomastia.
Lifestyle changes
Some habits may lead to higher body fat levels.
For example, people carrying extra weight tend to have more fat all over their bodies especially around their chest and stomach, compared to those at a healthy weight.
As a result increased body fat lowers testosterone levels because aromatase becomes more active.
So you'll need to adjust some of your routines to balance and normalize your hormone levels.
Some changes you can make include
- Cut back on your drinking
- Steer clear of stress and what causes it in your life
- Get at least 7 hours of shut-eye daily. Enough sleep also helps lower stress cut down on health risks, and gives you more pep to tackle your tasks.
- Do at least 200 minutes of moderate or high-intensity cardio each week.
- Try to build up all the main muscle groups in your body such as the chest, abs, and shoulder muscles.
- Eat a well-rounded diet with minimal processed foods. A lot of processed stuff is loaded with fat, which can make you pack on pounds.
Dieting tips
Doctors advise eating a well-rounded diet to give your body the right nutrients to boost testosterone production.
As a result higher testosterone levels will help cut your body fat percentage.
Nutrients that boost testosterone hormone production include:
- Proteins
- Zinc
- Vitamin D
Foods you can eat to get these nutrients are:
- Shellfish (oysters)
- Eggs
- Avocados
- Cocoa products like cacao nibs or cocoa powder
- Leafy greens
- Fatty fish sardines and salmon
Exercise
Exercise helps to prevent or eliminate many conditions, including gynecomastia.
many people believe the myth that working out a specific body part will burn more fat in that area compared to other parts.
For example, some think doing pushups will get rid of more chest fat than doing squats. This idea is wrong and has no scientific support.
Exercise helps the whole body lose fat, no matter what kind you do. The key factors are how hard you work and how long you exercise.
Your goal should be to include lots of cardio in your workout plan to lower your body fat levels.
Some exercises you can try are:
- Jogging
- Swimming
- Rowing
- Skipping rope
- Dancing
- Fast walking
Pushups serve as an excellent method to develop your chest muscles. Begin with a low count and increase repetitions as you advance to enhance the effectiveness of your pushups.
Note: You'll need time to see noticeable changes from this exercise. Specialists indicate it might take up to two years.
Stay dedicated and raise the intensity; you'll spot improvements in your overall body shape.
Gynecomastia clothing
Your wardrobe choices affect how others can detect your gynecomastia.
Here are suggestions to help conceal your gynecomastia:
- Put on suits with pinstripes
- Choose thicker tops
- Pick tops with patterns
You can also try Esteem apparel compression undershirts. They're comfy and keep their stretch even after regular wear.
Plus, Esteem apparel shirts will fit under your sweaters, t-shirts, and tailored suits.
When should you see a doctor?
Gynecomastia doesn't cause many symptoms besides tenderness around the chest area.
But it can lead to mental stress, so you might need to visit a doctor.
Also, if you have breast pain nipple discharge, or unusual swelling, you should see a doctor.
Your doctor will help by finding out what might be causing the problem and recommending the best ways to treat it.
Medical treatments for gynecomastia
Non-surgical medical treatments aim to remove the root cause.
Some of the methods include
- Fixing health problems at their root - treating issues like poor nutrition or an overactive thyroid.
- Testosterone therapy - (TRT) Testosterone replacement therapy uses shots or skin gels to boost testosterone levels.
- Changing medications - if doctors think a medicine you take might be causing the gynecomastia, they can switch it or lower the dose.
To wrap up
Gynecomastia happens when estrogen and testosterone levels get out of balance.
You can address this condition without surgery by changing your lifestyle, working out, and eating better foods.
Still, if you're worried about your condition, see a doctor to get checked out and treated.
