How to Get Rid of Gynecomastia During Puberty
When you look in the mirror, are you happy with the person staring back at you?
Based on the fact that 1.8 million adults underwent cosmetic plastic surgery in 2017, the answer to that question is frequentlyno way.
For men and women alike, the chest is a major focal point. More than 300,000 women used breast augmentation surgery last year to increase the size of their breasts, while nearly 27,000 men did the exact opposite with breast reduction surgery.
At least 30% of males will be affected by gynecomastia (also known as "Man Boobs" or "Moobs") in their lifetime, yet the condition is widely misunderstood. If you're one of the millions of men feeling insecure and disappointed by this condition, this expert advice can help you take control and learn how to get rid of moobs for good.
What Are Man Boobs?
Gynecomastia is defined by the unwanted enlargement of male breast tissue. This condition causes so much fat to accumulate on the chest that men end up looking like they have female breasts or "man boobs."
Though moobs don't cause any medical risks, they do cause mental and emotional problems like anxiety, self-consciousness, and a lack of confidence.
What Causes Man Boobs?
It's easy to assume that moobs are just the result of gaining too much weight, but the real answer isn't nearly that simple. Moobs can affect men of all ages and sizes, even young and healthy men.
While you might not find this on WebMD, the true root cause of male gynecomastia is insulin resistance.
Every time you eat carbohydrates, they enter your digestive system and are broken down into sugars called glucose. All glucose travels directly to the bloodstream. It remains locked in the bloodstream until a hormone called insulin arrives. Insulin is responsible for driving glucose as energy into your muscles, liver, and other cells in your body, along with converting excess glucose into triglycerides –- and eventually driving it into the fat cell. In other words, insulin makes fat.
The pancreas produces and releases insulin as soon as it senses elevated blood sugar levels. As soon as you eat a bagel or donut, insulin dumps into your blood to process those sugars and deliver them as fuel to other cells, and also begins making triglycerides and fat. This process is essential since it keeps your blood sugar levels safe and balanced.
Unfortunately, this natural process is vulnerable to processed foods and unhealthy lifestyle habits. Many people live day to day with far too much glucose in their blood. This forces insulin levels to spike in response to so much sugar.
If your eating and lifestyle habits force insulin to continually spike and stream through your blood, you will develop insulin resistance. Your body stops responding to insulin the way it should, and your blood sugar levels creep high and higher, forcing your pancreas to pump evenmore insulin into your blood.
It's a recipe for disaster!
How Does Insulin Resistance Cause Moobs?
In addition to processing sugar from your blood, insulin is the primary regulator of fat metabolism in your body. If your muscles, liver, and other cells are already equipped with enough glucose, insulin instructs all remaining sugars to be converted into dangerous fatty sugars called triglycerides.
As long as your body's insulin levels remain high, your body will naturally respond by clinging to its extra fat — including the fat that creates man boobs! Insulin block lipolysis — the breakdown of fats into ketones. So, instead of breaking fat stores into usable energy (without insulin being present), the fat will simply accumulate. Insulin both blocks the breakdown of fat and creates new fat.
Through this vicious cycle, insulin resistance is one of the main — yet rarely recognized — causes of gynecomastia.
Genetics
Beyond insulin resistance, it's also possible for genetics to play a significant role in the development of gynecomastia. If you have man boobs, but your weight and eating habits are both healthy, your gynecomastia condition could be the result of an unfortunate genetic predisposition.
Even worse, if a genetic predisposition for man boobs combines with insulin resistance and weight gain, the result will be significant gynecomastia.
Common Moob Myths You Should Know
The internet makes it so easy to spread misinformation that most men have been taught to believe myths and incorrect science regarding gynecomastia. There are two myths in particular that we need to bust.
Myth: Estrogen Blockers Can Get Rid of Moobs
The exact role of estrogen in the development of gynecomastia is often misrepresented. It's true that men with gynecomastia tend to have high levels of estrogen. That's a simple correlation to establish that high estrogen levels and gynecomastia may occur in the same time and space as one another. However, it's not direct proof of causation; the simple correlation between moobs and high estrogen doesn't prove that one causes the other.
This issue of correlation vs. causation can be compared to football. It's accurate to state, "The Dallas Cowboys haven't won a Super Bowl since Bill Clinton was re-elected president," because that statement establishes a true fact. However, nobody could claim causation by saying, "The Dallas Cowboys haven't won a Super Bowlbecause Bill Clinton was re-elected president."
Given that estrogen isn't a direct cause of man boobs, estrogen blockers cannot get rid of them.
The Real Connection Between Estrogen and Moobs
Men produce estrogen in two ways. First, an excess of testosterone can trigger the production of excess estrogen. Second, excess fat tissue can produce estrogen. Any man with gynecomastia is highly unlikely to have excess testosterone, since high testosterone causes insulin sensitivity that prevents fat deposits building within breast tissue and helps increase a man's lean mass. This indicates that the only logical source of estrogen comes from existing fatty tissues.
So what does all of this mean? High levels of estrogen in men are most likely a byproduct of insulin resistance and excess fat mass, both of which cause of moobs. As a result, taking estrogen blockers wouldn't do anything to prevent moobs since estrogen blockers wouldn't resolve the root issue of insulin resistance and excess fat tissue.
Myth: A Low-Estrogen Diet Can Get Rid of Moobs
Based on the science explained above, it makes sense that a low-estrogen diet would also fail to get rid of moobs. The idea of a low-estrogen diet may be helpful for other conditions, but simply eating cruciferous vegetables and avoiding soy will not eliminate gynecomastia. Changing your eating habits can only reduce the appearance of man boobs with a strategic dietary attack on insulin resistance.
How To Get Rid Of Moobs
If you're sick and tired of feeling self-conscious and embarrassed by your moobs, youcan take control of the problem. Strategic diet and exercise changes have the power to address the root cause of gynecomastia and help you sculpt a chest you want to show on the beach. Here's how to get rid of moobs:
Reverse Insulin Resistance by Changing Your Diet
Considering the role of insulin resistance in the formation of your moobs, taking steps to reverse your insulin resistance should be your first priority. You could do 100 push-ups a day for the next 100 years, but without reversing your insulin resistance, you'll never burn the fat from your chest.
Reversing insulin resistance doesn't happen overnight. After all, a long-term problem requires a long-term solution. Creating consistently healthy eating habits is the best way to achieve more insulin sensitivity and balance your blood sugar levels.
Start by limiting your carb intake and replacing carbs with the following foods proven to boost insulin sensitivity:
- Avocado
- Almonds and other nuts
- Spinach and broccoli
- Legumes
- Tomatoes
- Brewer's yeast
- Beef, chicken, lamb, pork, and fish
- Coffee
- Eggs
- Apple cider vinegar
This combination of placing fewer sugars and carbs into your system while maximizing your body's response to insulin is a powerful method to finally reduce your insulin resistance.
It's also possible to use testosterone therapy to accelerate your path to insulin sensitivity. Optimized testosterone levels increase lean mass (which will consume free blood sugar) and enhance insulin sensitivity, but it's important to work with an experienced medical professional.
Create a Fitness Plan
Supplement your dietary changes with a focused fitness plan. Randomly running a few miles every week won't directly address your moobs, but a strategic workout plan focused on your upper body, chest, shoulders, back, and increasing your overall lean mass will gradually tone your chest and minimize the appearance of gynecomastia.
Use Plastic Surgery as a Last Resort
If natural treatment methods fail to produce any results, your gynecomastia could be inherited through genetics. In this case, plastic surgery is a realistic option. Gynecomastia surgery is widely available from any plastic surgeon that also offers breast lifts and augmentations for women. A gynecomastia procedure removes the excess fat from your chest and sculpts your upper body to create the appearance you desire.
The Bottom Line
You don't want your moobs to stick around — no man does. By understanding the root causes of gynecomastia and working with a compassionate and experienced doctor who understands your goals, you can put yourself on the path to a sculpted and healthier body. Your man boobs don't have to define you!
As founder of Brentwood MD, I've worked closely with many patients who feel frustrated and frightened by their gynecomastia. When you trust me to help you learn how to get rid of moobs, I will consider your lifestyle, eating habits, family history, medical background, and many other factors to determine the best plan for your unique needs.
Learn more about Brentwood MD's concierge medicine practice now to start your journey to better health and wellness.
Dr. Aaron Wenzel is a concierge physician specializing in the care of fast-moving entrepreneurs, executives, and public figures in the Nashville, TN area. Dr. Wenzel's diverse life experience and extensive training in family medicine, emergency care, nutrition, and hormone replacement therapies give him the unique platform to provide unmatched care for his patients.
How to Get Rid of Gynecomastia During Puberty
Source: https://brentwoodmd.com/how-to-get-rid-of-moobs/