Eliminating Alcohol Induced Man Boobs

Whilst you probably appreciate big breasts, it’s also equally likely you don’t enjoy having them.

In this post, we outline the science behind man boobs (or ‘gynecomastia’) whilst offering up some tips for the condition’s elimination.

The phrase ‘man boobs’ is a rather crude word for a medical condition known as clinical gynecomastia.  Gynecomastia is a relatively rare condition. If you have man boobs, you are likely to suffer from the condition simply because you are overweight. And many men will be overweight because they consume too much alcohol.

Scientists believe man boobs affects around half of all men. Thus, even if you do not drink alcohol, it’s highly likely you will gain by investing the time to read this article, particularly if you have a poor diet or lead a sedentary lifestyle.

Below we outline common causes of man boobs, as well as a number of tips to get rid of them.

Cause 1: Gynecomastia

Gynecomastia is due to a hormone imbalance in the body. This is because breast tissue responds to a hormone known as oestrogen.  Breast tissue is said to be ‘oestrogen-fed.’  Breasts naturally occur in women due to higher oestrogen levels. In contrast, men have a greater quantity of androgen hormones such as testosterone that prevent the growth of breasts.

Gynecomastia occurs when there is an imbalance in the androgen-to-oestrogen ratio. The precise cause of this imbalance is unknown, although scientist claim this imbalance could be due to excess conversion of testosterone into oestradiol (a potent oestrogenic hormone).

Gynecomastia is also common for men who are suffering from testicular cancer.  The condition may also be triggered by the consumption of certain medications.

If you suspect you suffer from gynecomastia, we urge you reach out to your local GP who will take a blood sample.  If gynecomastia is detected, your GP will typically prescribe antiestrogen treatment to correct this imbalance or refer you to an endocrinologist.

Cause 2: Being overweight

The majority of men suffering from man boobs are simply overweight. This is due to drinking too much alcohol, a poor diet or leading a sedentary lifestyle.

If you are simply overweight, follow the advice below to reverse man boobs.  The longer you wait, the harder it will be to remove your man boobs.

Tips for avoiding man boobs

Now we explore ways to reduce your man boobs. We also list a number of exercises that are proven to enhance your pectoral muscles surrounding your chest.

#1: Avoid alcohol

Yes, if you suffer from man boobs, then it really is in your best interests to kick drinking alcohol for good. This is because alcohol suppresses plasma testosterone.

Furthermore, 1 gram of alcohol contains 7 calories.  1 gram of fat contains 9 calories, whilst one gram of protein/carbs both contain 4 calories. Thus, alcohol contains nearly the same number of calories as fat! And because alcohol is a toxin, the body will cease metalising other food molecules until all alcohol is neutralised. This means alcohol stops the body from burning fat.  All this excess fat will be stored for future requirements. 

#2: Don’t fast

Fasting causes temporary weight loss, but fasting could also trigger ‘refeeding gynecomastia.’ This condition is triggered following fasting i.e. when you resume your normal diet.  This conditional was first observed following the conclusion of World War I. Liberated soldiers who were starved during the war quickly developed gynecomastia upon their return home.

So if you need to lose fat that’s accumulated across your chest, we recommend you implement a sound diet such as the Paleo or Gluten Free diet. Do not starve yourself, because you could put on more weight when you resume your normal eating habits, particularly around your chest area. 

#3 Perform the ‘bench press’

The classic bench press is a ‘compound’ exercise because it works the entire pectoral muscles and a number of secondary muscles.

Weight training in general works because of it:

1. Increases your muscle mass and increases your basal metabolic rate (BMR). A higher BMR helps you burn additional fat even when you rest
2. Heavyweight training boosts testosterone levels
3. Weight training stimulates muscles located in your chest.  This helps reduce the appearance of man boobs

The bench press is almost the perfect moob booster.  This is because the bench press is thought capable of recorrecting imbalances in the ratio of androgen-to-oestrogen. Scientists believe the bench press triggers an ‘acute hormone response.’

However, it’s essential you bench heavy. This is because the desired hormone response is triggered only when you attempt “heavy resistance exercise.” So favour the bench over cable flys/pushups. Pushups don’t work because they don’t provide enough resistance to trigger a burst in moob-boosting testosterone.

#4: Get more sleep

Scientists believe a major cause of hormone imbalance (and hence moobs) in men is due to a lack of quality sleep.  Poor sleeping habits cause a depletion in hormones and feed the imbalance in the androgen-to-oestrogen ratio. And drinking alcohol also reduces the amount of REM sleep that is essential for memory processing and cognition.

To ensure you get enough sleep by going to bed before 10:30 each night. We advise you go to sleep when you are slightly tired. Do not wait until you are exhausted before you finally go to bed.

Pro Tip: Use an eye mask and earplugs to improve your sleep.

#5: Avoid simple carbs

Avoid simple. This includes anything containing sugar, as well as simple carbs such as cakes, bread, cookies and most breakfast cereals. The only carbs you should eat are vegetables and some fruits.

And it goes without saying that you must avoid sugary foods. Sugar affects a hormone known as insulin. Insulin regulates body fat storage by encouraging the body to store additional fat. Insulin also halts enzymes that are essential for fat burning. This means insulin causes the body to store fat, whilst also preventing the body from burning fat! Thus, sugar is the perfect food to prevent you from losing your man boobs because it causes the release of insulin.

If this wasn’t enough, scientists believe insulin lowers testosterone levels.  Lower testosterone levels may result in the development of man boobs.  For instance, men with type II diabetes are well-known for having lower testosterone levels than the rest of us.  This is because their higher resistance to insulin means their body produces greater quantities of insulin in order to neutralise harmful sugars in the blood. This leads to weight gain and bigger man boobs.

#6: Exercises for reducing your man boobs

Below we list our top 10 exercises for eliminating man boobs for good.

• Exercise 1: High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
• Exercise 2: Plyometric pushup
• Exercise 3: Dumbell bench press
• Exercise 4: Feet-Elevated Pushup
• Exercise 5: Crossover Pushup
• Exercise 6: Bench press
• Exercise 7: Incline Dumbbell Press
• Exercise 8: Kettlebell swing
• Exercise  9: One-arm row
• Exercise 10: Deadlift

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