advice: can too much beer cause 'man boobs'?

increased breast tissue can also be caused by weight gain, steroid use, hormone imbalances and rarely, breast cancer.

by maja begovic

published sep 07, 2022

2 minute read

join the conversation

2 minute read

join the conversation

male breast cancer can also cause breast enlargement

there are other things other than too much beer that can cause 'moobs'. getty

dear asking for a friend, i want to know about man boobs. is it a thing? my buddy told me that he read something about ipa beer causing, well, boobs on guys. i drink a lot of beer. more since covid began. i haven’t noticed anything new about my chest, but wondering if this needs to be something to add to my long list of worries.

signed, no boobs yet

dear no boobs yet,

it’s no secret that alcohol can lead to a bountiful bosom. a few lifestyle tweaks can help prevent and get rid of the growing chest, but for some men, it’s more complicated than that.

while alcohol, excess weight, and aging have all been linked to enlarged breast tissue in men, there are other culprits as well. steroid use and natural, oil-based products can mess with your hormone levels, cause an imbalance and also lead to “man boobs.”

not all man boobs are created equal, says dr. adam millar, endocrinologist at mount sinai hospital and toronto general hospital, assistant professor in the department of medicine at the university of toronto and member of the canadian society of endocrinology and metabolism. one type is gynecomastia, where there is an imbalance of hormones which can lead to actual breast tissue growth. another type is lipomastia, which is breast enlargement due to increased fat tissue — this is normally related to excess weight.

this distinction is important and matters more than you think. according to millar, when weight gain is an underlying cause, a healthy diet and exercise program can help get rid of the problem, and so can cosmetic surgery. and don’t freak out — it’s actually a pretty common procedure among men. but if hormonal imbalance is to blame, millar suggests that a further investigation is needed to pinpoint the exact cause and treat it accordingly. oh and by the way, genetics can also play a role, and that’s obviously something that can’t be changed. sorry to be a buzzkill.

not all ‘man boobs’ are created equal

while excess breast tissue can make even the most confident man suddenly feel insecure, wardrobe choices that include darker colours and bold patterns can help distract the eye. but the other, more concerning truth, is that a growing chest can be a sign of an underlying health condition, and in rare cases, a sign of breast cancer.

“one thing to watch for are signs that may suggest male breast cancer, which fortunately is quite rare,” says millar. “typically, we would look for features that include, but are not limited to, breast enlargement isolated to one side, rashes on the breast, nipple discharge or enlarged lymph nodes in the armpit. sometimes, breast enlargement can be due to other underlying serious health conditions.”

the best way to be certain is to be assessed by a doctor.

when it comes to “moobs,” there are no easy fixes. if you suddenly find yourself sporting a little extra up top, get in touch with your doctor to find and treat the culprit behind your growing pains. you may even find your way back to flat-chested freedom.

maja begovic is a toronto-based writer.

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