Male breasts are medically termed as gynecomastia, which is a health condition that occurs due to hormonal imbalance. In most cases, this happens as a result of the shift in the ratio of estrogen to testosterone overwhelms the male side. The condition could pry on consciousness about your appearance once you remove your shirt but do not worry, effective remedies are available in modern society.
Gynecomastia is caused by the formation of excess fats around the breast tissues. The swelling does not occur overnight, but once it manifests, it is hard and could be embarrassing. Here are the causes and treatments of male breasts.
Causes of Male Breasts
Obesity – Obesity is the obvious first cause of male breasts. Excess body fats usually find a way of bulging out of the body chest and stomach area are some of the easiest targets. The worst part is that getting rid of fats in the stomach and chest area is one of the most challenging exercises. Obesity distorts your eating habits which can, in turn, inhibit the production of testosterone. The indirect implication of this inhibition is the creation of leptin – the main hormonal imbalance element. However, you can beat obesity by exercising often and watching your diet.
Intense Alcohol Consumption – One of the adverse effects of long term consumption of excess alcohol is weight gain. Alcohol consumption can also lead to the formation of big breasts among men. When questioned, beer lovers like to say that a little drink increases their estrogen levels while subconsciously stimulating breast tissue production.
Steroids – Steroids may appear to give your body purpose and powers to push heavy weights and endure longer, but the long term effects are far too detrimental to comprehend. For men, especially, anabolic steroids are naturally synthetic sources of steroids that can be converted into excess estrogen in the body. Once this occurs, the man develops boobs gradually. Renowned Dr. Erica Anderson warns explicitly young men against steroid use for many unrelated purposes.
Age – It is natural for boys to develop slight boob fats during their midlife years. By the time most men get to 80 years, the testosterone level is naturally low or has reduced by a staggering 20-50%. This stage begins at 50 years as the production of testosterone begins rapid depletion.
But, as time goes by, a man cannot grow without accumulating some fatty muscles around the boobs successfully. There are several other causes of the complication, including sickness and natural-oil based products. The overall impression is that no matter the cause of your male breasts, the good news is that there is a remedy that can work for you beginning now. Here are more facts.
Solutions for Male Breasts
Exercise – Exercise is one of the recommended natural solutions for male breasts. You can make use of exercises that target your chest. The good thing about working muscles is that you can target specific locations on your body. Push-ups at home can help, but you would also benefit from using machines at the gym. However, there is a need for a professional trainer to guide you in choosing the preferable equipment to use, considering your ultimate goal. One of the best equipment for reducing male breasts is the pec deck machine.
Experts recommend the workout as it is among the top exercises for enhancing strength and developing chest muscles. Seated firmly on the platform, rest your back against the back part of the platform and adjust the seat to set the height of the bar handles the same as that of your chest. Pull the handles towards your chest as you exhale then inhale as you return to the starting position. Repeat the procedure in sets.
Change Your Diet – Exercises work best when you eat right. It would be impossible to produce positive results while maintaining an old eating habit unless you practice healthy eating. When working your body, you need to reduce the number of calories you consume daily. Therefore, it would be best if you limit foods with high-calorie content. Besides, exercises require a diet that has the necessary nutrients for the provision of energy to burn calories. Instead of having soda and other processed beverages, go for a healthy smoothie.
For instance, nutritionists recommend celery smoothie for fat loss. You can add natural sweeteners such as honey if the taste is too overwhelming. Also, eat foods that are low in fat and high in nutrients.
Foods such as lean meat, fish, poultry nuts, and legumes are healthy sources of protein. Yogurt, milk, and cheese that are low in fat are also great for your diet. Besides that, it is essential to consume leafy greens and fruits as they contain crucial nutrients and drink enough water.
Medication – Apart from exercising and making dietary changes, medication also works when it comes to reducing the appearance of male breasts. Physicians use Tamoxifen to treat the male breast condition. This is a drug that blocks the effects of the female hormone, estrogen.
Testosterone replacement is an alternative treatment for men with low levels of testosterone. Since male breasts result from several conditions, medication differs for individuals. The goal is to treat the underlying factor; therefore, individuals use different types of medication.
Surgery – Surgery is also an effective solution for treating gynecomastia. The procedure eliminates excess fat and tissue to develop a more masculine chest. The two types of surgical processes for reducing male breasts are liposuction and excision. The treatments are safe because the procedures are straightforward. Furthermore, the recovery process is tolerable for most patients.
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