You may have noticed various famous pro builders with gynecomastia, or more popularly known as ‘man boobs’. Gynecomastia is not limited to bodybuilders, although they may be more prone to this condition due to certain factors.
What is gynecomastia and why do bodybuilders have it?
All about Gynecomastia
Gynecomastia is a condition wherein a man has an oddly-shaped chest and puffy nipples, and is closely resembling that of a woman’s, hence the term ‘man boobs’. This condition isn’t harmful in itself, but might be very disturbing to men who have spent time and effort making their bodies look strong and defined.
These well-known bodybuilders may have acquired this condition because of their hormones being converted to estrogen. Having more female sex hormones than the usual levels may cause gynecomastia in men, and lead to different effects.
Bodybuilders with Gynecomastia
Here are some of the famous pro builders with gynecomastia:
•Dave Palumbo
Dave is a retired bodybuilder who first competed in 1990 and reached 2nd place of the 2003 NPC USA Championships in its Super Heavyweight Class. He is now the founder and CEO of RxMuscle.com and owns Species Nutrition.
He had undergone an operation wherein all the glandular tissue is removed, leading to an “athletically contoured chest”.
•Jason Arntz
Jason Arntz is a bodybuilder from New Jersey who first competed in 1998; his most recent competition was at the 2002 Ironman Pro Invitational where he emerged 8th place.
His gynecomastia was removed in 1998; he initially experienced pain and discomfort (which was normal) that was gone after a while.
Durlan Castro
Durlan Castro was a top NPC bodybuilder, Active Release Technique practitioner and chiropractor.
Not only did gynecomastia bother him physically, it also meddled with his treatments on his patients. He had to administer intensive muscle therapies to his patients, but feels ineffective when gynecomastia affects his relationship with his clients.
Do Steroids Cause Gynecomastia?
Gynecomastia is said to be caused by steroids, and this case is different. The bodybuilders’ bodies are different, as theirs have little body fat; their breasts become firm and rubbery to the touch.
In these cases, bodybuilders usually opt for medical treatments. Their glandular tissues are removed to prevent recurrence of the condition. When these treatments are performed, efforts are exerted to prevent seroma or hematoma. Patients have to wear compression garments and chest work must be avoided for about two weeks after the surgery is performed.
Losing the Man Boobs
As previously mentioned, famous pro builders with gynecomastia usually go for surgeries as treatments for their condition. Other bodybuilders choose to perform special workout routines to get rid of their man boobs.
These routines performed by bodybuilders involve working out for short periods that aim to burn chest fats and develop muscle. They have to be careful though, as excessive workouts directed to chest muscles may lead to more of the man boobs that they’ve been trying to avoid. Of course that’s what you don’t want to happen.
There are different treatment methods for this condition; you don’t have to endure gynecomastia, especially if it brings you pain and difficulty. Just like these bodybuilders, there’s still hope for freedom from gynecomastia.
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