Gynecomastia treatment: can Raloxifene be a success?

Gynecomastia - or man boobs as you might know them - are a major issue for some men, causing huge issues with self-esteem and how they view themselves. And they can be especially confidence-knocking if you are trying to improve your physique.

There are several key reasons why someone might develop gynecomastia, including hormone imbalances and obesity. And while it can be disheartening, numerous potential treatments are available to eliminate the condition.

One potential treatment that can help stop gynecomastia is raloxifene!

But what is raloxifene, and how does it work as a treatment?

In this blog, we’re exploring more about gynecomastia and raloxifene treatment, as well as others.

What is gynecomastia?

Gynecomastia is a condition where the breast tissue of a male becomes swollen and more prominent than average, giving them a more feminine appearance. This condition is more informally referred to as man boobs. It is most common in young males as they go through puberty or for older men.

Why?

Because a hormone imbalance causes gynecomastia, adolescents and older men undergo severe hormone rebalance and experience a noticeable drop in testosterone. It’s caused by higher estrogen levels (the female hormone) which can cause the tissue in your breast glands to grow.

Gynecomastia is not caused by being overweight, although a higher fat level around your swollen breast tissue can make them appear even larger. This is why one of the first avenues for treatment is exercise, as reducing the amount of fat around this swollen tissue can help improve the appearance.

If you suffer from gynecomastia, your breasts' swelling is likely uneven, with one larger than the other. This may cause concern on an aesthetic level, but it is normal for this condition. You may also experience tenderness when touching the breast area, although it shouldn't be too painful.

If your breast tissue has swelled and is painful, you should contact a GP to see if another issue lurks. You should also seek medical attention if either nipple emits a discharge.

What causes gynecomastia?

As we said, the underlying issue is a hormone imbalance. But that said, plenty of things can cause this hormone imbalance.

Some of the most common reasons for developing gynecomastia include:

Injuries to the testicles.

Your testicles are responsible for testosterone production. If your testicles are injured or harmed, it could result in the organ being unable to produce testosterone at the usual rate.

This can then cause a hormone imbalance as you'll have a reduction in testosterone, which can cause man boobs to form and other issues.

In addition to injuries, diseases and other issues that affect the testicles can also cause a reduction in testosterone.

Obesity

Stating obesity as a cause may be confusing, as we previously said that gynecomastia isn't a result of increased fat. That is still the case. If you have fat around your male breasts because of obesity, that is not gynecomastia.

However, obesity plays a role because it can cause your body to produce more estrogen, which can cause a hormone imbalance that influences the development of swollen breast tissue.

Steroids

Steroids, as well as various other illegal drugs, can cause gynecomastia. In the case of steroids, this happens because you're filling your body with artificial replacements for testosterone.

Although it can help your body repair muscle quicker and grow, after extended usage, your body decides to stop producing its own testosterone, as the artificial replacements make it feel like it has enough.

As a result, your natural testosterone levels will drop dramatically, which can cause gynecomastia.

This issue is not ideal for bodybuilders or general gym-goers who use steroids to improve their performance and appearance. It is a significant reason you should consider legal steroid alternatives so you don't develop these issues.

Related content: What Is Gynecomastia – Causes and Symptoms of Male Breast Enlargement

Thyroid problems

Issues with your thyroid can also cause gynecomastia to take hold of your body. This is because your thyroid is a gland that produces various hormones.

These hormones control your growth and sexual development, meaning that issues with them can also cause a hormone imbalance that can cause man boobs to take effect.

How to treat gynecomastia

There are many ways to treat gynecomastia, and the best method will depend on what's causing the hormone imbalance in the first place.

For example, if you've gained male breasts because you've taken steroids, the best treatment is to stop using illicit products. After some time of not using the substance, your natural testosterone levels should increase as your body produces it again. As a result, you should see your swollen male breasts disappear and return to normal.

Of course, if your male breasts look more prominent because of obesity causing tissue swelling and fat around the breast area, dieting and exercising to lose weight can help remove this fat.

This also results in a drop in estrogen levels which can help you get a better-balanced ratio with testosterone.

In addition to these more lifestyle-related changes, surgical options can help treat this issue if your male breasts have grown larger than lifestyle changes will manage.

Can raloxifene help reduce man boobs?

Raloxifene is a drug usually used to treat women with breast cancer and help them prevent and treat bone loss after menopause. It works by mimicking the effects of estrogen, essentially saturating the receptors so that estrogen can't bind to them, thus blocking the effects..

This is typically done to reduce the risk of developing invasive breast cancer in the breast tissue. However, this estrogen-blocking characteristic could also be a great way to treat gynecomastia.

For the most part, raloxifene is commonly prescribed to younger boys who are struggling with gynecomastia during puberty. However, as these drugs block the effect of estrogen in your body, they can also be helpful for older men who are struggling with gynecomastia due to a drop in testosterone.

Although there have been many raloxifene gyno success stories and that it can seriously help you if you're looking for a way to treat raloxifene, it is crucial to be aware that this drug has certain side effects.

Hot flushes, sudden sweating, stomach aches and trouble sleeping are some side effects you can expect, especially within the first 6 months of treatment.

However, most crucially, this must be prescribed by a physician and will depend on what is causing the underlying condition. They will likely prescribe lifestyle changes before resorting to medications.

Best ways to avoid gynecomastia

Instead of waiting until gynecomastia takes hold before dealing with it, one of the best ways to combat this problem is to do certain things to help you avoid it prevent it from happening to you in the first place.

Avoid steroids

As one of the leading causes of gynecomastia in young men is steroid abuse, the best way to prevent the condition is to avoid steroids.

Although easy for some, others may find this difficult, especially if you're focused on achieving the best body possible. Thankfully, there are other options you can turn to.

If you're looking for similar results to steroids, you can use some of the legal steroid alternatives we sell here on Crazy Bulk.

These supplements provide comparable results to regular, anabolic steroids and mimic the effects of specific steroids to allow you to tailor your stack. The difference is that all of these options are completely natural, legal and safe, with no known side effects, meaning that these supplements shouldn't cause gynecomastia.

In addition to these legal steroid alternatives, you can turn to things like protein powder and fish oil to help you build larger muscles and recover quicker between your sets.

Related content: 8 nasty anabolic steroid side effects you’ll want to avoid

Avoid unhealthy lifestyle choices

As well as cutting out steroid usage from your lifestyle, another way to sidestep gynecomastia is to avoid anything that can cause a hormone balance or increase estrogen.

By maintaining a healthy weight, you will avoid developing fat around your breasts and will not experience an increased level of estrogen. Plus, avoiding alcohol can also help you avoid gynecomastia.

That said, one of the biggest reasons men get gynecomastia is age due to their reduced testosterone. If you're in this situation and are yet to develop man boobs, one of the best things you can do is take supplements that boost the levels of testosterone naturally created in your body.

Products such as Testo-Max can help, as the ingredients inside these capsules help promote the natural release of testosterone from your pituitary gland.

Can raloxifene be used to treat Gynecomastia?

If you are suffering from male gynecomastia or are mindful of your chances of suffering from it in the future, don't fret.

You can take many proven approaches to eliminate or at least minimize the issue whether that’s losing weight, improving your lifestyle, cutting out steroids or taking supplements.

Although raloxifene is one such solution for man boobs, there are a host of others. If you are worried about it or considering medical or surgical interventions, you should speak to your physician to figure out the underlying cause and an appropriate solution.

And in fact - in this case, prevention is better than cure. There are many ways that you can help keep control of your hormones to try and prevent and minimize the chances of gynecomastia.

If you are looking for natural, legal alternatives to steroids, then you can find out which one will be best using our product finder here.