Gynecomastia is a medical condition of enlarged male breasts. The enlarged breast tissue is a non-cancerous condition. True gynecomastia is rare since the majority of males have an appropriate balance of sex hormones in their body that inhibit breast growth. However, if someone is facing this condition, they have an excess amount of fat on the chest that can cause the pectoral area to look like breasts are forming. Diet and exercise have an important role in managing gynecomastia. Treating an underlying health condition, exercising, and making dietary changes may help to reduce male breast tissue.
Role Of Exercise In Managing Gynecomastia
Research suggests resistance training and dietary choices can help to reduce body fat tissue while preserving muscle. When excess fat stores cause male breast expansion, focusing on building the chest muscles may help. As many men want to know how to reduce gynecomastia naturally through exercise. Below are some important exercises in managing gynecomastia.
Push-ups
So, one of the best exercises for the male gynecomastia are push-ups. Adding push-ups to your daily routine can tighten the chest muscles. In addition to this, push-ups also help to build triceps and deltoids. Thus, it is an excellent body weight exercise that tone up the muscles. You don’t need any equipment; you can do it anywhere, and after getting used to this, you can simply add more to increase the stamina and strength of your chest muscles.
To perform push-ups lay on the ground on your stomach and place your hand flat on the ground next to your shoulders. Keep your entire body in one even plane and slowly lift yourself up until your elbows are locked. After that lower yourself back down until you almost touch the ground and your elbows are at an angle. This is one push-up and in this way you can continue.
Out of all the variations of push-ups, it offers the most effective results for toning the chest. It differs from a normal push-up in the sense that the legs are kept on a high platform. Hence, begin with three sets of push-ups and then transition to 10-12 steps.
Bench press
A bench press is an excellent exercise to strengthen your chest muscles. In a bench press, you will need a barbell, weights, and a bench. Lie on a bench with the barbell suspended over you, looking up at the bar. Place your hand on the bar about two to three feet apart. Squeeze your shoulder blades and straighten your arms, then lift the bar off the rack. Slowly lower the bar until it is just about to brush your chest. Raise the weight bar again until your arms are straight. You can make your aim for ten repetitions per set and do three to five sets per workout. You can also increase the weight of the barbell as it stops feeling challenging to complete a set.
Cardio Exercises
Engaging in at least one form of cardio exercise at least two to three times per week helps you burn calories by burning fat and can help you lose overall weight. The easiest way of cardio to lose fat is by walking and jogging. If you do walk or jog regularly, you can reduce the body mass index (BMI). You might also play sports like tennis, soccer, or volleyball, all of which will get your heart pumping and also your body sweating. Cardio exercises are also recommended for those with obesity; cardio burns fat, and if you can reduce your overall weight, any extra fat in the breast is bound to diminish.
Role Of Diet In Managing Gynecomastia
Don’t worry if it seems challenging to make the necessary dietary changes to reduce gynecomastia. There are a lot of delicious foods that you can add in your breakfast, lunch and dinner to manage the gynecomastia and these foods have a lot of other benefits too.
Some healthy foods that should be included in the diet are below:
- Whole fruits
- Vitamin D-rich food
- Vitamin E-rich foods
- Anti-inflammatory foods
- Milk thistle
- Fish oil
- Zinc based food
Whole Fruits
We all know about the benefits of fruits because fruits are abundant in fiber and vitamins, making them excellent choices for detoxifying the body. Freshly squeezed juices also serve as a beneficial alternative as they typically contain fewer calories. They can also offer ample plant-based nutrition. Consistent intake of juices helps detoxify people, and proper hydration contributes to the reduction of excess weight.
Commonly consumed juices include:
- Carrot juice
- Cucumber juice
- Pineapple juice
- Amla juice
- Orange juice
- Bottle gourd juice
- Pomegranate juice
Anti-inflammatory foods
For gynecomastia, you should add foods that are anti-inflammatory and also have antioxidant properties. Foods that have anti-inflammatory characteristics such as salmon, tuna, leafy greens, sweet potatoes, berries, citrus fruits, and beans. The use of anti-inflammatory foods causes a reduction in swelling and tenderness associated with gynecomastia.
Vitamin D-Rich Food
Vitamin D is the most important vitamin for the male body as it increases male sperm count and stimulates the production of testosterone. This vitamin also supports bone health and enhances immune function. Research indicates that consuming vitamin D on a daily basis is very beneficial for overweight people. Some examples of vitamin D rich food include cereal, trout, egg, dairy products, and mushrooms.
Zinc Based Food
Zinc stimulates testosterone production in the body and also counteracts the effects of excess estrogen that leads to gynecomastia. So, those who exercise should eat zinc-based food regularly. Foods that are rich in zinc are cashews, raisins, chickpeas, and lobster. You should take zinc supplements after consulting with your doctor.
Fish oil
Fish oil is high in antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids can also help you reduce inflammation and balance hormones. Cold water fish such as tuna and salmon can be taken. There are also fish oil supplements available, and you can take them after consulting your doctor.
Vitamin E-rich foods
Vitamin E is also important in gynecomastia. Sources of vitamin E sunflower seeds, almonds, pumpkin and red bell pepper. These may assist to inhibit the oxidation of free radicals which causes gynecomastia.
Milk Thistle
Breast enlargement in males might be due to liver problems. Milk thistle is an abundant plant in the Mediterranean region, and it helps the liver function properly. You can consume crushed milk thistle in three glasses of water after consulting your doctor.
Conclusion
In addition to cardio exercises and the other above-listed training exercises, it’s also important to consume a healthy diet. You should add lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and a lot of water to your diet plan. A mindful Weight loss routine, including dieting and exercise, can reduce body fat and decrease the size of male breast tissue. Some men with gynecomastia who understand the role of Diet And Exercise In Managing Gynecomastia and use these non-surgical treatments may achieve their desired changes. If you do not see the results you are hoping for, there is another option to consider, and that is gynecomastia surgery. You can consult a board-certified doctor for gynecomastia surgery.