
Overlooked Causes of Enlarged Breast Tissues in Men
A lot of things can change in your body with time. However, having enlarged breast tissues as a man can be embarrassing to deal with or even talk about. This condition called gynecomastia can make you feel unattractive, plus you might find it difficult to find clothes that fit, which makes it worse.
However, all hope is not lost. The first step in dealing with this condition is for you to understand what could be causing it. There is a common misconception that gynecomastia only affects men with higher weight. However, this condition isn’t just about weight. Hence, in this article, you will learn about the overlooked causes of enlarged breast tissues in men and the effective remedies to deal with it.
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Is There a Difference Between Gynecomastia and Pseudo-gynecomastia?
Many men who think they have gynecomastia suffer from pseudo-gynecomastia. The difference is that gynecomastia refers to the growth of breast tissue in men. Pseudo-gynecomastia is the accumulation of fat deposits around the chest, caused by excessive body fat or obesity. Thus, in pseudo gynecomastia, there is a generalized deposition of fat in the chest region, unlike gynecomastia, where fat deposits occur in and around the nipple.
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Causes of Enlarged Breast Tissues
- High insulin levels/insulin resistance: Apart from the known function of insulin in regulating blood sugar levels, this hormone also controls fat metabolism in your body. If the cells in your body are saturated with glucose, insulin directs the conversion of the remaining sugar into dangerous fatty sugars called triglycerides. Thus, as long as insulin levels are constantly elevated, your body will continuously store the excess fat. This includes the fat that causes gynecomastia.
- Chronic conditions: These include liver failure, and thyroid disorders can cause the enlargement of breast tissues. Your liver is responsible for metabolizing hormones, including estrogen. In cirrhosis or liver failure, the liver’s ability to metabolize estrogen is impaired. Consequently, this leads to an elevated estrogen-to-testosterone ratio, which promotes breast tissue growth. Additionally, hyperthyroidism can increase the ratio of estrogen to androgen, triggering the clinical features of gynecomastia.
- Excess alcohol intake: Did you know that alcohol intake, especially beer, can mess with aromatase activity in your body? Aromatase is the enzyme that converts androgens to testosterone. Thus, alcoholic drinks such as beer and sweetened wine can induce the function of this enzyme. This can tip the hormonal scale towards elevated estrogen levels.
- Medications: Medications like steroids can trigger gynecomastia because they convert excess testosterone produced in your body to estrogen. Some prescription drugs, like opioids and statins, can lower testosterone levels, creating an imbalance in hormonal levels.
- Plastics and chemicals: Many plastic cutlery and chemicals, such as parabens and phthalates, can mimic estrogen activity in your body. This is especially true if you are constantly in direct contact with them. This causes the direct leeching of estrogen into your body. This creates a hormonal imbalance where estrogen levels are elevated.
Remedies to Deal with Gynecomastia
- Sustainable weight management strategies: You need to set up consistent healthy eating habits so that you don’t get hungry and indulge excessively on junk foods. In other words, it is not enough to decide to eat healthy once or fast for a few days, expecting the fat deposits to disappear. It takes time and consistency for your healthy eating habits to pay off. You should also reduce alcohol intake gradually and quit smoking.
- Resolve insulin resistance: Successfully resolving insulin resistance won’t happen overnight, but there are habits you can incorporate to get the process started. Start by limiting your intake of carbohydrates and replacing them with foods that boost your insulin sensitivity. These include foods like avocado, nuts, spinach, meat products, eggs, and coffee.
- Use of supplements that block the conversion of testosterone to estrogen: NATURE’SFIELD PROSTATE DEFENCE contains constituents like zinc, stinging nettle, saw palmetto, etc. These work together to support testosterone production and reduce the symptoms of gynecomastia.
- Avoid foods and products that can increase your estrogen levels: Reduce the intake of foods that increase estrogen levels include processed and fried foods. You should also avoid exposure to chemicals like pesticides and plastics as much as possible to prevent hormonal imbalance, which is the main cause of gynecomastia.Â
Having enlarged breast tissues as a man isn’t something you have to live with. Identifying and addressing the underlying cause is vital for you to effectively manage it. Incorporating a supplement like NATURE’SFIELD PROSTATE DEFENCE into your supplement routine will gradually curb the symptoms of gynecomastia and restore your alpha male status.
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