The link between anabolic steroids and gynecomastia in men
Date
10/30/2019 7:12:52 AM
(MENAFN- Arab Times) Gynecomastia is a problem that occurs in some men in which
breast tissue develops. It is often caused by some type of disruption to the
endocrine system. This is the system of the body which consists of glands that
secrete various hormones, so any thing that upsets the homeostatic balance of
particular sex hormones can result in gynecomastia.
There are some cases where a man may not have extra breast
tissue because of hormonal problems but rather from having too much fat that
accumulates behind the areolae of the chest. This condition is sometimes
distinguished from gynecomastia and is called lipomastia or adipomastia.
Interestingly gynecomastia is not uncommon in newborn male
infants and is found in from 60 to 90% of newborn baby boys, but the
condition usually goes away on its own. It can occur in about 1/3 of men
between 25 and 45 and it becomes more prevalent with age.
How steroids cause
hormonal problems
One of the major factors associated with the development of
gynecomastia in men is the use of anabolic steroids, causing as many as 25% of all
cases in men. Steroid abuse has long been a problem in the sports world,
and the concern is that there are unpleasant side effects with these drugs.
The steroids often alter the balance of estrogen and
androgen hormones in people. A man usually has a lot of the androgen hormones
like testosterone and very little estrogen, but the steroids affect the
concentrations. This hormonal imbalance is believed to be the main causative
factor of gynecomastia in men.
Not all of the steroid drugs necessarily cause breast
development, but those that do often do so because they can cause a change in
hormone levels. The synthetic steroid mimics the effect of naturally produced
testosterone. Testosterone is the hormone most associated with muscle
development in boys at puberty, and it can lead to increased muscle mass as
boys mature during adolescence. Unfortunately the body tends to convert the
artificial testosterone found in anabolic steroids into estrogen after a while
which then leads to breast tissue development.
What can be done
about gynecomastia ?
The most permanent solution to the problem of gynecomastia
is to have breast reduction surgery as is done at such places as theVera Clinicin Turkey. A surgeon can
remove the excess breast tissue from the chest area to create a more masculine
appearance. A man does have to be healthy enough to undergo surgery though, so
this is something to keep in mind and why consulting with a physician is a good
first step in looking for treatment options.
For some men, the breast cancer drug Tamoxifen has proved
helpful in treating their gynecomastia condition. If a man has breast tissue
because of being overweight, the first step should be to try to lose weight by
starting an exercise program and following a healthy diet. In the end this can
only benefit you even if you later decide on breast reduction surgery.
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