Gynecomastia medicine
Gynecomastia
Gynecomastia is a condition that makes breast tissue swell in boys and men. It can happen when the balance of two hormones in your body is thrown off.
Although breasts don’t develop in men the way they do in women, all boys are born with a small amount of breast tissue.
Boys’ bodies mostly make a hormone called testosterone, which guides their sexual growth during puberty. But males also make some estrogen the hormone that steers sexual growth in girls.
When a boy is going through puberty, or when an older man’s body makes less testosterone, the balance of the two hormones changes.
Sometimes when that happens, a higher percentage of estrogen causes male breast tissue to swell. About half of adolescent boys and as many as two-thirds of men older than 50 will have this to some degree.
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Can gynecomastia be treated with medication?
- Medical treatments are available to treat gynecomastia, but data on their effectiveness are limited. No drugs have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of gynecomastia; however, medications that have been used to treat the condition include:
- Testosterone replacement has been effective in older men with low levels of testosterone, but it is not effective for men who have normal levels of the male hormone.
- Clomiphene can be used to treat gynecomastia. It can be taken for up to 6 months.
- The selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) tamoxifen (Nolvadex) has been shown to reduce breast volume in gynecomastia, but it was not able to entirely eliminate all of the breast tissue. This type of therapy often is most used for severe or painful gynecomastia.
- Danazol is a synthetic derivative of testosterone that decreases estrogen synthesis by the testes. It works by inhibition of pituitary secretion of LH and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), substances that direct the sex organs to produce hormones. It is less commonly used to treat gynecomastia than other medications.
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Can gynecomastia be treated with medication?
No drugs have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of gynecomastia; however, medications that have been used to treat the condition include: Testosterone replacement has been effective in older men with low levels of testosterone, but it is not effective for men who have normal levels of the male hormone.
What medications cause gynecomastia?
Gynecomastia can be a side effect of many medications, for example:
- spironolactone (Aldactone), a diuretic that has anti-androgenic activity
- Calcium channel blockers used to treat hypertension (such as nifedipine [Procardia and others])
- ACE inhibitor drugs for hypertension (captopril [Capoten], enalapril [Vasotec])
- Some antibiotics (for example, isoniazid, ketoconazole [Nizoral, Extina, Xolegel, Kuric], and metronidazole [Flagyl])
- Anti-ulcer drugs (such as ranitidine [Zantac], cimetidine [Tagamet], and omeprazole [Prilosec])
- Anti-androgen or estrogen therapies for prostate cancer
- methyldopa (Aldomet)
- Highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) for HIV disease, which may cause fat redistribution leading to pseudogynecomastia or, in some cases, true gynecomastia
- digitoxin
- diazepam (Valium)
- Drugs of abuse (for example, alcohol, marijuana, heroin)
- Lavender oil and tea tree oil, when used in skin-care products, have been associated with gynecomastia
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Other rare causes of gynecomastia include:
- side effects of medicine such as anti-ulcer drugs or medicine for heart disease
- illegal drugs such as cannabis or anabolic steroids
- drinking too much alcohol
- a health condition such as kidney failure or liver disease
- Klinefelter syndrome (a rare genetic disorder)
- lumps or infection in the testicles
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How can I reduce gynecomastia?
· Surgery to remove the excess breast tissue
Breast reduction surgery is an option for men with gynecomastia. It may also be used to tighten the breast area after significant weight loss that has caused the skin to sag.
However, surgery is not suitable for men who have large breasts simply from being overweight.
- Liposuction:This procedure removes body fat using a small tube called a cannula, which is connected to a high pressure vacuum.
- Mastectomy:A mastectomy involves removing excess breast tissue or cancerous growths from the breast.
- Tissue excision:During this procedure, a surgeon will remove glandular breast tissue and excess skin to correct gynecomastia. The surgeon may reduce the size of the nipple for a more natural appearance.
· Medication to adjust a hormone imbalance
Everyone has both sex hormones: testosterone and estrogen. Males usually have higher levels of testosterone.
However, having higher-than-normal estrogen levels can cause the mammary glands to grow, resulting in a medical condition called gynecomastia. Breast and nipple swelling usually goes away once estrogen levels return to normal.
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Can you get rid of Gynecomastia without surgery?
You may be able to minimize puffiness by making changes to your diet and exercise routine. This can help reduce body fat and strengthen your chest.
If diet and exercise aren’t effective, surgery may be necessary to achieve your desired results.
· Exercise
You can reduce puffiness in your pectoral area by doing chest exercises. These exercises are specifically designed to tighten and tone your pectoral and chest muscles.
Popular options include:
- dips
- overhead presses
- bent-forward cable crossovers
- pushups (regular, suspended, and diamond)
- bodyweight flies
- low cable flies
- incline, decline, and barbell bench presses
- incline bench cable flies
You can use these exercises to create a custom workout plan. For maximum effect, one workout should include at least a handful of different chest exercises. You can also build up your chest muscles by doing a full-body exercise like rowing or swimming for at least 15 minutes. If you want to go this route, add a couple of rowing or swim sessions to your weekly rotation.
· Dietary changes
In some cases, puffy nipples are the result of too much estrogen and fat. You may be able to correct this by making a few dietary changes. Mindful eating may also help you get fit and stay in shape.
If you want to try a low-fat diet, you should:
- increase your intake of fruits and vegetables
- eliminate heavily processed foods
- avoid soy products and grains
If you think your hormone levels may be to blame, you should eat a diet rich in testosterone and low in estrogen.
Try adding these testosterone-rich foods to your diet:
- garlic
- ginger
- tuna
- low-fat milk
- egg yolks
- beans
- blueberries
- oysters
- shellfish
- beef
- cruciferous vegetables
- macadamia nuts
You should also make an appointment with your doctor. Your hormone levels may be tied to an underlying condition. Your doctor may be able to recommend other therapies or prescribe medication to help regulate your hormones.
Herbal supplements may also help reduce puffy nipples. Some of them are thought to work by boosting testosterone levels.
This includes:
- tribulus terrestris
- fenugreek
- ginger
- ashwagandha
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