Friday, February 22, 2008

The Causes of Gynecomastia - Man Boobs

You have most likely noticed that some men have bigger breasts than others. Although not as common as our female counterparts, it is still a common occurrence for a man to develop a big pair of breasts. Many people hold the belief that man boobs are only found on those who are overweight. But this is very wrong. Men who have significantly large breasts are most likely victims of Gynecomastia; a condition that can strike any man, of any size. Men with Gynecomastia do not have fat per say in their chest, but rather develop real live breast tissue. This is the main difference between Gynecomastia victims and pseudogynecomastia victims where the breasts are direct results of fat build up.

While there is no medically proven cause to Gynecomastia, it is believed to mostly occur during puberty or in old age. During these two periods men's bodies see drastic changes in their hormones. When this takes place during puberty it will usually cure itself in a few short years without the need for any surgery. When occurring in an older man, it is actually quite rare to get rid of the man breasts without a surgical procedure.

Other suspected causes of Gynecomastia are underlying medical conditions such as: tumors, testicular problems, diseases affecting the liver, genetic disorders, leprosy, kidney failure, leukemia, and many others. In some cases it is believed the condition was brought on by medications and illegal drugs like marijuana. Steroids are also a common suspect in the development of male breasts. Some of the prescription drugs thought to encourage the development of Gynecomastia are corticosteroids, medications for peptic ulcers, some anti-cancer drugs, tricyclic antidepressants, and ketoconazole. These drugs usually list Gynecomastia as a side effect, however the development of the condition is said to be fairly low.

Besides marijuana, it is suspected that heroine and anabolic steroids can also lead to the development of Gynecomastia. This is becoming more and more prevalent as heroine is starting to be used as a main ingredient in pain killers for its likeness to endorphin.

As you can see, while there is no for sure cause to Gynecomastia, there certainly no shortage of suspects. Before taking any medications be sure to discuss the possible side effects with your doctor. You should also avoid an illegal drugs and move towards more organic foods, as more and more meat products are being filled with hormones that stimulate the growth of the animal, and indirectly the growth of those who consume the animal or its by-products.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marvin_Manson

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