Friday, August 22, 2008

What causes Man Boobs?

By Caleb Lee


The term man boobs is used to describe the condition of Gynecomastia, which is a male specific disease in which men develop enlarged breasts like a woman?s. It is quite a common phenomenon that has grown alarmingly in the recent years. According to research statistics, nearly 60% of men are afflicted with this disease. Some famous personalities like Gautama Buddha, King Tut of Egypt and many Sumo wrestlers are said to have had this medical condition. Thus, there is no need to feel embarrassed or abnormal because of it. It should be treated like any other disease.

The common symptoms of man boobs are glandular and fatty tissue that is formed around the breast region. In some cases, an individual may experience tenderness. Usually these appear during the phase of puberty of a boy and might even be little sore. Normally, it subsides when the boy reaches manhood.

In clinical terms, gynecomastia is that phase where the mammary glands of male body swells up due to many known and unknown reasons. In certain cases, it has been seen that these developed breasts secrete milk like fluid. This physiological disorder often leads to psychological problems like depression or feeling shy to turn up before a group of people.

To put it simply, there is no clear or defined cause for this condition. This abnormal condition can be caused by pathologic causes such as androgen receptor defects, HIV treatment, decreased testosterone production, chronic kidney disease, increased serum estrogen, and other chronic illnesses.

Apart from the above causes, there are reported cases that reveal gynecomastia to have occurred due to injury to the spinal cord or when there is a refeeding after a period of starvation experienced by an individual. About one fourth of the total number of gynacomastia cases, its cause cannot be determined or traced.

In case of post-adolescent adults, medications cause around 10-20% of cases of this condition. Generally, these include certain antipsychotics, spironolactone, finasteride, cimetidine, imatinib mesylate, and omeprazole. Some of these operate directly on the tissue of the breasts, while some others lead to an excessive secretion of prolactin.

A performance enhancing supplement can lead to enlargement of your breast due to a lot of estrogen activity. Medications to treat prostrate cancer might also lead to male boobs. Use of marijuana may also be another cause although evidence to support it is weak. Other possible reasons why male boobs are formed are the continued use of topical products that contain tea tree oils and lavender. They are harmful due to their antiandrogenic and estrogenic activity.

The treatment of man boobs depends on the cause of the disorder. In most cases, chest fat burner exercises are good enough to bring the chest back to its normal size. All you need to do is to follow a fitness regimen along with a diet program strictly. The idea is to correct whatever was going wrong in your system. Cardio exercises, weight training and healthy sleeping habits go a long way in restoring normal condition.

Gynecomastia supplements are also a very useful way of reducing breasts in men. These help enlarged breasts disappear eventually and without any pain. Since these are herbal, they have no recorded proof of side effects. However, before taking any of these supplements you should consult a specialized doctor.

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