Health Diseases and Drugs
The level of estrogen and testosterone in your body may reduce if you have any health diseases. These diseases can also result in the growth of excess breast tissue. Some of these diseases are malnutrition, trauma, tumours, or disease of the testes, klinefelter syndrome, hyperthyroidism [5], kidney failure, tumours of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus and liver failure.
Studies show that some prescribed drugs are responsible for over 17 percent of cases of gynecomastia. Some medications possess similar characteristics to estrogen, produce substances that can be converted to estrogen-like testosterone and boost the production of estrogen. Drugs without any of these features can also lead to gynecomastia.
Experts say people who use these substances are more prone to gynecomastia:
- Medications such as amphetamines, methadone, and heroin.
- Some psychoactive medications like antipsychotics
- Anabolic steroids [6]
- Some drugs used to treat HIV
- Alcohol
- Some antihypertensive drugs