Remedies for Gynecomastia

Gynecomastia means "abnormal development of the breasts in humans", which makes them similar to female breasts.

Gynecomastia can be unilateral or bilateral, depending on whether it involves one or both breasts.

The potential causes are of various kinds.

Sometimes it is harmless, but in other cases it is associated with breast cancer.

This is a very serious blemish and probably represents one of the most important causes of male corrective intervention.

Gynecomastia is a generic term that simply indicates the increase in breast size. For this reason, a further classification has been developed:

True gynecomastia: increase in the glandular component.
False gynecomastia: increase in adipose tissue.
Mixed gynecomastia: increase in both.

Obviously, the treatment and the possibilities of healing, as well as the response to drugs, change considerably depending on the type of Gynecomastia.

NB : Gynecomastia may not require any type of medical intervention as it is totally harmless to health.

What to do

As anticipated, gynecomastia arises for various reasons; in some cases it can be effectively prevented.
For example, pubertal gynecomastia (normally caused by the massive production of testosterone, with conversion to estrogen) visibly worsens with overweight (mixed gynecomastia). Therefore, the most effective remedies are those that oppose the growth of fat mass and optimize the axis of the steroid hormone:

Slimming diet: in the growing subject it must NOT cause a weight reduction; this would lead to an excessive nutritional restriction. It is desirable that while body fat is reduced, the weight remains unchanged and the skeleton, muscle mass, etc., increase.
Physical sporting activity: of any kind, as long as it affects the caloric balance and significantly promotes development. It serves to reduce or prevent overweight and "smarter" the hormonal flows. Indeed, true pubertal gynecomastia is caused by the transformation of excess testosterone into female hormones (estrogen). Physical sporting activity increases muscle and skeletal receptivity to testosterone, optimizing development and preventing conversion to estrogen.
Wait: most forms of pubertal gynecomastia resolve spontaneously with development.
If the condition persists for over two years, the doctor will evaluate the use of a drug therapy.

Obesity can promote gynecomastia also in adults: excess adipose slightly changes the hormonal axis, increasing estrogen to the detriment of androgens.
On the other hand, congenital forms of gynecomastia (always with a hormonal etiology) cannot be treated definitively with prevention, diet and natural remedies; sometimes, even drugs are not decisive. In these cases it is almost necessary to consult a plastic surgeon.
Fortunately, the relatively severe cases of drug-induced gynecomastia can be resolved by suspending the responsible molecule and taking other medications necessary for healing (see below). The products most responsible for the onset of gynecomastia are steroid anabolics (converted into estrogens within the body) and synthetic estrogens. Even in this case, if gynecomastia is severe, surgery is necessary.
There are also forms of gynecomastia caused by chronic poisoning with pesticides and pollutants. Obviously, the therapeutic basis is the elimination of the poisonous agent (if identified).
Since the possibility exists that some foods may predispose to the onset of gynecomastia (especially in children) it is advisable to drastically reduce their intake or eliminate them from the diet (See What NOT to Eat).
In the most significant cases, it is necessary to intervene early by contacting the doctor: the symptoms are increased breast sensitivity, subsequent appearance of painful bumps, adipose deposit and increase in the gland.
After a first "palpation" visit, the doctor will prescribe an ultrasound to the chest to confirm the diagnosis of gynecomastia and exclude a trivial adipose deposit from obesity, breast cancer, etc.

What NOT to do

Follow a diet rich in foods of dubious healthiness with estrogen-like molecules.
Be sedentary.
Being or becoming obese by following a diet with too many calories, fat and sugar.
Take anabolic steroids without a prescription.
Take estrogen without prescription.
Do not carry out a medical examination and its checks in the presence of symptoms that may be associated with gynecomastia.
If prescribed, do not take gynecomastia medications.
Refuse surgery when indispensable.

What to eat

To treat and prevent false gynecomastia, it is essential to follow a balanced diet. In particular it can be decisive:

Consume an adequate caloric quantity.
Choose foods with a normal metabolic impact, preventing spikes in blood sugar and insulin.
Reach a good amount of dietary fiber. It helps keep blood sugar under control, modulates fat absorption and positively affects estrogen levels.
Keep the fat fraction no more than 25-30% of the total calories, preferring the "good" ones (raw-pressed vegetable oils and medium fat blue fish) compared to the "bad" ones (saturated, hydrogenated, bifractionated, etc.).
Keep the fraction of simple carbohydrates no more than 10-16% of total calories (it is sufficient to eliminate all sweet foods, keeping 4-6 portions of fruit and vegetables in addition to 1-3 servings of milk and yogurt).

Furthermore, it is advisable to choose foods (both animal and vegetable) paying close attention to the origin and production regulations. As we will see in the next section, some "unwanted" molecules can promote the appearance of true gynecomastia.

What NOT to Eat

In the case of obesity, it is advisable to reduce the weight by decreasing the caloric intake by about 30%, leaving the (balanced) distribution unchanged:

It is advisable to eliminate junk foods and beverages, in particular fast foods and sweet or savory snacks.
It is also necessary to reduce the frequency of consumption and the portions of: pasta, bread, pizza, potatoes, derivatives, fatty cheeses, meat and oily fish, salami, sausages, sweets, etc.
In adults it may be crucial to eliminate alcohol.

Eliminate foods containing estrogen-like molecules:

Foods containing pesticides: they are of various types and cannot be summarized in a few lines. These are vegetables, fruits and cereals. In principle it is advisable to prefer plants coming from safe crops.
Foods containing growth promoters for livestock: it is muscle meat obtained from animals raised with the use of hormones. It is necessary to prefer that coming from certified and safe breeding, better if not from outside the EU.
Foods containing drugs for veterinary and human use: the same applies to the two categories described above.

Natural Cures and Remedies

Physical sporting or motor activity in general: it prevents overweight, changes the distribution of fat, positively modifies hormonal flows and improves the receptivity of muscle tissue. Those who practice sports have less chance of suffering from gynecomastia.

Pharmacological care

The drugs used for the treatment of gynecomastia are:

Tamoxifen (eg Nolvadex): the drug exerts its therapeutic action by interacting with the estrogen receptor.
Raloxifene (eg Evista): the drug can be used for the treatment of pubertal gynecomastia, where the condition persists for over 2 years.
Anastrozole (for example Arimidex): it is an aromatase inhibitor, an enzyme involved in the conversion of testosterone (the male sex hormone par excellence) into estradiol (the most important human estrogen ever).

Prevention

Avoid or reduce overweight, especially in puberty.

Balanced diet that improves the relationship between lean mass and fat mass.
Physical sporting activity: in this sense it has a positive effect on weight loss.

If possible, avoid taking drugs that cause breast development. This is the case with steroid and estrogen anabolics.
Avoid taking anabolic steroids: some bodybuilding / body building "experts" claim that it is possible to avoid gynecomastia by taking other medicines for preventive purposes. Overall, these are ridiculous, inappropriate and absolutely to be avoided.
Avoid taking estrogens: used mainly by transgender males to acquire female forms, they can cause the onset of severe and painful gynecomastia.
Limit the intake of meat from farms that use growth promoters (non-EU countries); especially for prepubertal children. If you can't help it, discard the fat in which the toxic substances accumulate.
Maintain optimal fiber consumption.

Medical Treatments

As anticipated, the final medical treatment for severe gynecomastia is surgery. The interventions can be:

Liposuction: consists in the aspiration of excess adipose tissue. It is useful in false gynecomastia.
Reduction mammoplasty: consists in the reduction of the breast mass. It is useful in false gynecomastia.
Removal of the mammary gland. It is useful in the case of true gynecomastia and / or breast cancer.