Gynecomastia is a condition in which males have abnormally large breasts. It can be caused by a number of factors, from genetics to hormonal imbalance or medications. Low testosterone levels are also another factor that cause this condition as well as other masculine health conditions such as erectile dysfunction and weight gain. In this article we will take a look at gynecomastia and low testosterone treatments for those who suffer from these disorders.
What Will I Learn
Have You Got Man Boobs? – It Might Be Low Testosterone
We all like to feel and look healthy, and when things are all running along as they should be, its reflected in our confidence, assertiveness and overall well being.
However, should things start changing and our hormone levels (particularly our testosterone production) begin to reduce, unpleasant side effects can creep into our lives, with reduced muscle tone, lack of strength, lethargy, poor moods, excess body fat, poor libido and for some of us, the appearance of man boobs (aka Gynecomastia).
In this article I take a look at Gynecomastia and identify:
- What is Gynecomastia
- Its Appearance
- How To Treat
Note: TestoPrime is the premier testosterone boosting supplement for men over 30. It’s a natural process for testosterone production to decline from the age of 30. Testo Prime helps restore that balance, ensuring that vitality is kept at its maximum along with everything ‘manly’.
Testosterone Levels and Man Boobs
Throughout our youth and our twenties our testosterone production is at its peak, with it comes good levels of muscle mass, strength, energy and mind blowing sex drive and performance.
As we start to get older, usually from the age of 35 upwards, its quite natural for our natural testosterone levels to start to decline, experts tell us that its usually by between 1-2% per year.
Measured by a simple blood test, normal testosterone levels are considered to be between 300ng.dl and 1000ng.dl.
Should levels drop below 300ng.dl doctors generally consider you to have low testosterone.
Most men, by the time they reach 60 years old will have clinically low testosterone which can cause some annoying and upsetting side effects:
- Low libido
- Reduced sexual performance
- Weaker, smaller muscles
- Lack of energy, fatigue and poor moods
- Risk of osteoporosis
- Risk of metabolic disease such as diabetes and high cholesterol
- Increased belly fat and the appearance of man boobs (gynecomastia)
What Is Gyncomastia?
Gynecomastia is basically an enlargement of or the increase in natural breast tissue. It can be referred to as man boobs, gyno, man breasts, and bitch tits.
One study defines Gynecomastia as the benign enlargement of the male breast due to growth of glandular tissue.
Gynecomastia is generally characterised by enlarged breast gland tissue and fatty deposits. these tend to be caused by hormone imbalance.
Gynecomastia is not however caused by simply being overweight, so the phrase ‘fatty deposits’ should not be confused with excess belly fat for instance. Other symptoms can include the feeling of tenderness and swelling around the chest area.
Growth of male breasts cones from an increase in soft tissue both behind and around the nipple area. You can identify this by tensing your pectoral muscles and if you still feel a soft area of tissue on top of the muscle, you are showing signs of Gynecomastia.
its also not uncommon for nipples to become erect or puffy, sometimes small fatty lumps can be felt on examination.
Is Gynecomastia Common?
Experts estimate that between 30-65% of all men have varying degrees of the problem. In younger boys its not uncommon for them to have a temporary form of Gynecomastia as their hormone levels are fluctuating wildly as they pass into and through puberty.
A key study discovered that 37% out of a group of 306 men were showing signs of enlarged breast tissue. 7 were showing the problem on just one side and the orders all demonstrated bilateral Gynecomastia which means that it effected both sides of the chest.
A point to note was that when men aged over 44 were separated from the rest, the number of these men experiencing signs of Gynecomastia was 57%.
Causes Of Gynecomastia (Low Testosterone)
There are a number of causes, these can include:
- Low Thyroid Function
- Kidney Problems
- Cirrhosis Of The Liver
The largest cause is however an imbalance of hormones, largely the mix of testosterone and estrogen.
Estrogen is the main female sex hormone, but it is also present in men in a small way. As we get older and our testosterone levels start to naturally reduce, the levels of Estrogen actually increase and if left unchecked, it can lead to reductions in muscle mass, strength and libido.
It has also been shown to cause an increase levels of fatty tissue in the body, in particular the chest area.
Can Gynecomastia Be Treated?
Absolutely, there are several ways to reduce the appearance of man boobs, if left untreated and the problem really allowed to really take hold, surgery might be required to remove the excess breast tissue.
But if you notice the problem early on its quite easy to treat without any invasive treatments.
“With Gynecomastia, you need to target the cause, not the symptoms of the problem, and that means that you need to get your testosterone levels back up to where they should be and reduce estrogen levels”
Knowing that you need to optimise your testosterone production, you need to look at lifestyle, diet and exercise.
Start by reducing calorie intake, try to exist in a calorie deficit where you actually burn more calories than you eat each day. This needs a bit of research to know check how many calories that you are eating each day, but its easier to track calories burnt with an inexpensive fitness tracker.
Aim for at least 200-300 more calories to be burnt than you eat, that way you WILL lose weight.
Eat plenty of protein, try to eat at least 1g of protein per pound of body weight, this provides you with all you need to support muscle growth and shred unwanted fat. It doesn’t have to be animal protein either, there are plenty of good quality sources of plant based protein available.
Get Active, regular exercise, even if its a daily walk, swim or jog, will help get your heart pumping and increase the amount of calories that you are burning.
Lifting weights in the gym, is definitely the best option however, it helps to tone and shape the chest muscles, increasing the metabolic rate at the same time which triggers natural fat burning processes in the body.
Supplementing Your Diet, with a good t-boosting supplement will make a huge difference. They contain scientifically proven nutrients, minerals and vitamins that nurture and promote the right environment for the body to kick start its natural hormone production.
Look for a product that also tackles Estrogen, there are some great ingredient that help reduce the female hormone, allowing more testosterone to circulate freely in the blood.
From my research I have studied, evaluated and personally tried many of the popular T-boosters available to buy.
From my experiences and studies, I have short listed 5 T-boosting products that all use proven formulas, they have fantastic user ratings and all offer a lengthy cash back guarantee, should you be unhappy with results and need to return for a refund.