Gynecomastia May Indicate a Serious Health Condition
For the majority of men with gynecomastia, having male breasts are mostly a benign condition and pose no health concerns. But, the psychological impact can be devastating and impact self-esteem.
Gynecomastia and Health Concerns
However, some serious health conditions may cause gynecomastia; men with moobs should seek medical evaluation.
Some of the serious conditions known to cause gynecomastia are:
• Liver disease
The liver has many functions including clearing excess hormones from the body. If there is liver damage and estrogen is not metabolized correctly, it can lead to the development of breasts in men.
• Kidney Disease
Hormonal imbalance can occur with impaired renal function. With decreased testosterone and an increase of estrogen, man boobs may result. A kidney transplant can reverse the problem, but some drugs used after a kidney transplant may cause men to have breast development.
• Malnutrition
Prolonged starvation can cause temporary moobs. When malnourished men have lower testosterone, some systems increase function before others when a man returns to a normal diet. This phenomenon was noted when World War II prisoners of war came home.
• Male Hypogonadism:
When the testicles don’t produce enough testosterone the ratio to estrogen will be skewed with the probable result of man boobs. This could be a problem with the testes, the pituitary gland, or the hypothalamus.
• Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG)
If a man has gastric carcinoma, large cell carcinoma, or renal cell carcinoma, his hCG levels won’t be normal, and moobs may form.
• Increase of Cortisol Levels:
Your adrenal glands make a steroid hormone called cortisol. Cortisol helps the body respond to stress, fight infections, and regulate blood sugar. Men experiencing a lot of mental stress may have excess cortisol in the body. Men with increased cortisol and estrogen, along with low testosterone will very likely have the development of male breasts.
Dr. Miguel Delgado, M.D. states there are more conditions can lead to the development of man boobs. As mentioned before, gynecomastia is mostly a benign condition but it can be an indication of other health issues and should be evaluated.
Don’t Wait, Call Now!
For any gynecomastia concerns, please contact Dr. Delgado at (415) 898-4161
MIGUEL DELGADO, M.D.
Dr. Delgado, MD is a world-recognized plastic surgeon and specialist in the treatment of male breast enlargement, also called gynecomastia. He has developed new techniques and owns and operates gynecomastia.org, which has become the largest gynecomastia forum in the world. Dr. Delgado holds the two most coveted credentials; the certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and membership in the American Society of Plastic Surgery.