Thursday, February 3, 2011

What to Know about Gynecomastia

By David Cheng


Gynecomastia, typically known as "man boobs" in layman's term, is a medical condition that occurs among men of the adolescent and adult stage of growth and development. According to research, 50% is accounted to men developing excess growth of breast tissues at some period of their adulthood. In addition, teenage boys (60%) also experience this medical condition.

Hormonal changes are accounted to be one cause of gynecomastia. Before, weight gain is thought to be one common cause linked with the appearance of man boobs. However, it doesn't have any correlations as compared to the effects of changing hormone levels.

A widely known feminizing hormone thought to increase the size of the breast is estrogen. The circulating concentration of this active hormone in the bloodstream is also one known cause of gynecomastia in men. As the hormone levels increase, breast size increases as well.

Another hormone that is linked with increased breast tissue is prolactin. The primary function of the hormone is milk production especially during nursing. Similar to estrogen, a rise in the level of this active hormone also promotes development of breast tissues.

In puberty, hormonal levels of estrogen are at its peak in men. This is the reason why gynecomastia is common among adolescent males. However, the condition is reverted to normal when the level of this hormone s degraded by liver and kidneys. Some men have severe gynecomastia. Others have a milder form.

Furthermore, certain drugs are known to increase synthesis of endogenous estrogen. These include DHT, anabolic steroid, drugs used in treating benign prostatic hyperplasia, and drugs that treat several organic mental diseases. Alcohol and marijuana are non-medical compounds that increase estrogen levels.

In some instances, pituitary tumor is linked with gynecomastia due to the increased stimulating hormones released for synthesis of prolactin and estrogen. However, certain drugs reduce amount of circulating prolactin.

Estrogen and prolactin increase involves the following signs and symptoms: bloating, anxiety, depression, erectile dysfunction, weight gain, and prostatic hyperplasia. Gynecomastia, on the other hand, has the following common symptoms: sore and itchy nipples, increased fat in the chest areas, and milky discharge. Conventional treatments are available to control these signs and symptoms. Surgery is the last option but does not guarantee recurrence of the condition.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment

Check this link for other related articles:

My Random Articles

Yey Health