What Causes Man Boobs?

There are men who have toned shapely chests.  Chests that they don’t have to be embarrassed about if they have to take their shirt off.  For other men, this type of chest is only a dream.  They unfortunately have what is called man boobs.  Man boobs are an enlargement of the male breasts. 

Man boobs are actually the result of two different types of conditions.  The first is Gynecomastia.  This is a condition where a man actually develops breast tissue, causing male breasts to form.  The second condition is psuedogynecomastia.  Unlike, actual Gynecomastia, no breast tissue forms.  The enlarged breasts are a result of fat build up, usually from weight gain.  Usually psuedogynecomastia can be corrected easily with proper weight loss. 

There is actually no proven cause of Gynecomastia, but there are some potential causes you may want to be aware of.  The first cause is hormone changes.  Gynecomastia is most common in adolescence and old age due to the drastic changes in hormones during these times.  If the condition occurs during adolescence, it usually corrects itself in 2-3 years.  This is not the case during old age where surgery or other treatments will need to be used. 

Another potential cause is the use of certain prescription drugs.  These include anti-ulcer medications, some antibiotic and cardiovascular drugs, certain types of anti-cancer drugs, and tricyclic antidepressants.  These are just a few of the medications that can cause Gynecomastia.  Your doctor can tell you if any medication you’re taking has this side effect.  If it does, your doctor may choose to change the medication.  Besides prescription drugs, illegal drugs such as marijuana and heroine are suspected to cause enlarged male breasts. 

As mentioned earlier, changing hormones are a large cause of Gynecomastia.  In this same respect, anabolic steroids and other hormones can be a problem.  Even meat that has been filled with hormones can be a cause.  So you should try to avoid taking any type of hormone if possible.

More serious causes of Gynecomastia are related to medical conditions.  Some of the medical conditions that could be to blame are tumors, testicular problems, diseases affecting the liver, genetic disorders, leprosy, kidney failure, leukemia, and more.  You can talk to your doctor to see if your Gynecomastia could be related to any of these problems. 

While there is no definite cause, there are many potential causes of Gynecomastia.  Obviously some are more serious than other.  Talk to your doctor to see if medications or other medical conditions are a problem.  Obviously, you should stay away from illegal drugs and steroids.  You should also try to avoid taking hormones or ingesting them through your food.  Being aware of these issues could help you identify the cause of your condition and begin treating it.