| Gynecomastia is a fairly common side effect of using steroids. It generally occurs because the intake of steroids can put the ratio of testosterone versus estrogen out of whack. This usually happens when a steroid user is getting done with a cycle and stops adding testosterone to the body. It takes a while for the body to begin naturally producing testosterone again at its normal levels and during this time the levels of estrogen compared to the levels of testosterone are high. So, that is when they will often see signs of gynecomastia. Once the levels return to normal the stimulation of more breast tissue goes away but often times the breast tissue that has already been formed remains.
The best way to avoid gynecomastia is to not use steroids at all, but for those who choose to use steroids there are treatments to help avoid gynecomastia. There are drugs called agents that may block the development of estrogen in the body and that will reduce the effects of gynecomastia if taken before the estrogen levels get too high. These drugs have not yet been fully studied as to their effectiveness, but one thing that most experts know is that there isn’t a drug that will remove excess tissue that has already formed.
Sometimes there are natural occurrences for this abnormal ratio of hormones and males will experience gynecomastia without having used steroids or other hormone replacements. Since it’s caused by a hormone imbalance, it often signifies that there is a problem with a gland in the body. Sometimes boys will notice small lumps under their nipples that form during puberty. They will generally go away on their own, but sometimes they continue to grow. This is likely to happen in boys who are overweight. Generally, gynecomastia offers no additional health risks for these adolescents other than the social stigma they often place on themselves. Boys who suffer from gynecomastia often avoid situations that involve taking off their shirt so that includes sports. Additionally, they might begin to avoid social situations and isolate themselves from their peers.
Other causes of gynecomastia include puberty, obesity, tumors, genetic disorders, liver disease, certain medications, medical conditions such as Klinefelter Syndrome, Gilbert’s Syndrome and aging. It is also thought that marijuana use might also lead to the condition.
People who suffer from gynecomastia because of obesity may be able to reverse the effects through weight loss, but most people will need to undergo surgery to remove the excess tissue. Oftentimes this is not covered by insurance, however.
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