There are many causes of gynecomastia including developmental issues, drug-related issues as well as medical related issues. Some studies have shown that somewhere around 40% of men have man boobs or gynecomastia at any given time. Other studies suggest that the number could be even higher. In this article, we will discuss induced gynecomastia as a result of medical conditions.
The first medical condition that I would like to discuss is prostate cancer. You may be wondering how prostate cancer and gynecomastia are related. Well, typically, after a thorough patient evealuation, prostate cancer patients are given antiandrogen treatment. Androgen is simply a hormone such as testosterone. Well, antiandrogen treatment causes testosterone levels to decrease and the patient develops gynecomastia and breast tenderness also known as antiandrogen-induced gynecomastia or estrogen-induced gynecomastia.
Another health condition that I would like to discuss is Klinefelter’s syndrome. This condition is not that uncommon and is present at birth. It happens when males have an extra X chromosome. If you took biology in school and paid attention, you may remember that females have XX chromosomes and males have XY chromosomes. Whenever males have this extra X chromosome, it is called Klinefelter’s syndrome. The effects of the syndrome are infertility and gynecomastia. Drugs containing testosterone are sometimes prescribed to help the condition.
The point to note in this section of Man Boobs Guide is that your breast enlargement is not always due to fat. It is important that you consult your doctor to learn about medical conditions that can induce gynecomastia.