Men do not just have nipples; they actually do have breasts and breast tissue. Believe it, or not male breasts even have milk ducts! Under most normal conditions that breast tissue does not increase and mature in boys hitting puberty as it does in girls, due to the overabundance of testosterone that is released at puberty in males. That testosterone prevents male breasts from developing, as well as stimulates the other secondary sexual characteristics typical of maleness, i.e., larger muscles, deeper voice, facial hair, etc.
However, as a man ages, testosterone levels drop. As testosterone levels decline, older men can develop what are known as “man boobs.” This can happen because low testosterone can cause an increase in actual breast tissue. But, more often than not, man boobs are not caused by increased growth or breast tissue, but merely because of excess fat below the breast, just like excess belly fat. And like excess belly fat, these kinds of man boobs can be reduced by diet and exercise.
In recent years surgical solutions such as liposuction and cool sculpting have been introduced to reduce man boobs. However, you can reduce or eliminate man boobs with proper diet and exercise, and if you are also suffering from low testosterone, testosterone replacement therapy can help get rid of man boobs without the need for surgical interventions.
Man Boobs: Gynecomastia Vs. Pseudogynecomastia
“Man boobs” is the unflattering term used to describe excessively large breasts in men. The more technical term for the condition is either “gynecomastia” or “pseudogynecomastia.”
The difference between the two is the cause or reason behind the development of so-called “man boobs.” Gynecomastia is a medical condition in which there is actually increased growth of male breast tissue, making them more analogous to female breasts. “Pseudogynecomastia,” is when the male breasts take on the appearance of female breasts because of an increase in fatty tissue in and around the male breasts.
There can be certain medical conditions, such as low testosterone, that can cause gynecomastia; pseudogynecomastia is usually caused by poor diet and lack of exercise, just as increased fat and obesity are caused in other parts of the body.
What Do Your Testosterone Levels Have to do With Man Boobs?
Actual gynecomastia is often caused by low testosterone. A man’s testosterone levels drop as he ages. Testosterone levels peak at about the age of 20.
After that, they start a steady decline. Once a man is over 35, he is likely to start to experience some of the issues related to low testosterone, one of which could be the development of man boobs.
When testosterone levels drop due to age-related testosterone decline, a man’s estrogen level increases. This imbalance between testosterone and estrogen can lead to gynecomastia.
As testosterone levels drop in older men, gynecomastia may develop and persist if it is not treated. Gynecomastia affects about 1 in 4 men between the ages of 50 and 80; the condition usually isn’t harmful or serious, though it can be unsightly and embarrassing. In rare occasions, gynecomastia can lead to pain or soreness in the breast or increase the risk of male breast cancer.
Even if low testosterone does not cause true gynecomastia, low T can also influence the development of pseudogynecomastia man boobs because having low testosterone makes it more difficult to burn fat and lose weight. Men with low testosterone tend to be obese or overweight, and that includes presenting with excess belly fat and the kind of man boobs that are caused by increased fatty deposits and not female hormones.
The good news is that since testosterone therapy raises your metabolism and increases your ability to burn fat and build muscle, it can help reverse both causes of man boobs!
Myths and Misconceptions About Man Boobs
There is a lot of confusion and myths about the development of man boobs. Two very prominent myths are that soy-rich foods cause gynecomastia and that eating a low-estrogen diet helps get rid of man boobs.
It was once believed that eating soy products could lead to man boobs because it was thought that soy and soy-based products raise estrogen in males.
However, more recent research has determined that soy does not raise estrogen or lower testosterone levels in men. Misconceptions concerning soy-based foods stem from the fact that soy is a uniquely rich source of isoflavones, which are naturally occurring plant chemicals classified as phytoestrogens. These plant sources are often used to create bioidentical estrogen for hormone replacement therapy in women, but consuming them does not in any way increase estrogen levels in a man’s blood nor lead to the development of man boobs.
How Can You Reduce Male Breasts?
There are some medications that can be prescribed for the treatment of gynecomastia. There are also surgical approaches to reduce male breasts. However, there are ways to eliminate or shrink man boobs without drugs or surgery.
You can reduce the appearance of man boobs, particularly those that are caused by excess body fat and not increased breast tissue due to hormone imbalances. Reducing man boobs that have occurred due to pseudogynecomastia can be accomplished in the same ways you would employ to lose weight and reduce fat in other areas of your body, namely, diet, exercise, and other healthy lifestyle changes.
What Exercises Are Best to Reduce Man Boobs?
As you might imagine, the best exercises to reduce man boobs are those designed to increase the chest muscles or pectorals, or “pecs.” These include the following:
- Bench presses/chest presses with weights
- Cable flys with Pec bands and pec cable machines
- Triceps dips
- Feet elevated press ups
- Traditional Pushups
- Scapular Pushups
Are There Other Lifestyle Changes to Make to Reduce Chest Fat in Men?
While there is little or no evidence that eating soy or soy-based foods could increase the likelihood of developing man boobs, there are certain foods to avoid and lifestyle changes to make that can help prevent or reduce man boobs. Basically, the same things you would do to lose weight or improve heart health, can help reduce the presence of chest fat in men. These would include the following:
- Cut down on junk foods and processed food
- Cut down on foods high in fat and fried foods
- Eat more veggies, fruits, and whole grains
- Drink water instead of soda
- Reduce the consumption of alcohol
- Quit smoking
- Add more lean protein to your diet
- Add foods high in omega-3s
Can Testosterone Therapy Reduce Man Boobs?
Testosterone replacement therapy can help reduce the appearance of man boobs, whether they are caused by either “gynecomastia” or “pseudogynecomastia.”
By increasing testosterone levels, you can begin to reverse the feminizing action of increased estrogen that occurs in men with low T, which can lead to the development of man boobs. And increasing testosterone can improve your ability to burn fat, which can reduce man boobs caused just by excessive fat.
There can be any number of causes of low testosterone in men. Low T, leading to gynecomastia, can be caused by any injury or disease impacting the testes, certain kinds of cancers, and testosterone levels can be influenced by metabolic conditions such as diabetes and obesity.
However, the most common cause of low testosterone is simply the loss of testosterone that occurs as men age. This is why “man boobs” are more common as men age. Age-related testosterone loss can lead to both kinds of man boobs. Loss of testosterone creates the kind of imbalance between estrogen and testosterone that can cause the development of male breast tissue. Low testosterone also leads to obesity because low testosterone decreases your ability to burn fat. Men with low T become typically “pear-shaped” with man boobs and big bellies.
The good news is increasing your testosterone level with testosterone replacement therapy can combat both kinds of man boobs. By bringing your testosterone levels back into the normal ranges, true gynecomastia can be reduced or eliminated.
Increasing your testosterone levels will also improve your ability to burn fat, improve your ability to build muscle, improve your energy levels, and your exercise capacity and thereby help get rid of the excess chest fat typical of pseudogynecomastia.
Conclusion
If you think that man boobs are just “a part of life,” that will happen as you get older, and you just have to live with it – think again. You can do something about your man boobs by working with the doctors at our clinics. We can help you get rid of your man boobs and get you back in the best shape of your life.
Our doctors can design a customized program of diet, fitness, and lifestyle changes that can get rid of your man boobs – and we will also test you for any age-related hormone imbalances. Should you be found to have low testosterone, we can prescribe a course of testosterone replacement therapy that will not only get you in shape and get rid of your man boobs, but hormone replacement for men will also:
- Improve your sex life
- Improve your strength and energy
- Improve your moods, memory, and cognition
Don’t look in the mirror and be disgusted by your man boobs and overall appearance and think there is nothing you can do about it. Instead, join the thousands of men who are living their best lives thanks to testosterone replacement therapy!