Marijuana And Gynecomastia

Associating marijuana and gynecomastia is possible if chromosomal tests are done at some point in life. When males approach puberty, hormonal changes will occur normally and interact with the male reproduction system with positive results. If the male exhibits signs of increased growth in tissue just under the nipple on the chest, or the skin feels firm but rubbery and become enlarged enough to resemble female breasts, then the changes that are occurring could be blamed on gynecomastia.

Chromosomal tests might reveal that a male has reduced levels of testosterone and increased levels of estrogen in the body, which is a side effect of using marijuana in any form. Other drug use, such as heroin could be blamed, but if THC levels are checked in a drug test, the results will point to marijuana as the culprit for the shortage of testosterone in the body. The use of marijuana and gynecomastia diagnosis can only be ruled out through laboratory tests done on blood and urine and a physical examination performed by a qualified physician.

Since gynecomastia can occur at different stages in life, associating marijuana and gynecomastia together will prove difficult. From birth, a child will show signs of Gynecomastia because the body has increased levels of estrogen that were gained from the mother during the 9-month gestational period. Drug use at this point in life could only come from the Mothers drug use, or a hormonal imbalance that is caused by other medical problems. Gynecomastia conditions in infants will dissipate naturally and generally before the child is a month old.

The medical findings that tie the use of marijuana and gynecomastia symptoms together are based on the fact that the hormonal imbalances being exhibited in teens and young adults are activated because there is an abundance of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in the testes. The chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol is the active ingredient found in the Cannabis sativa or marijuana plant. THC is the chemical responsible for causing changes to behavior and emotional patterns.

The chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol is retained in the body in any type of fat cells. Since the chest area is comprised of fatty cells, it is natural to assume that this chemical will find its way there. When drug users introduce this chemical into the body by smoking, eating or injecting, the delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol is stored in the fat cells found in the testes too, where the male hormone testosterone is produced naturally in large quantities. The use of marijuana and gynecomastia symptoms will become very apparent when this double residence of hormone enhancers is present.

The testes provide males with the hormones necessary for transition through puberty. Testosterone promotes the growth of facial and body hair and is responsible for deepening the male voice tones. When THC is present in large quantities, the production of testosterone is reduced which allows the body’s natural production of estrogen, the hormone that regulates the growth of breast tissues to gain a foothold and encourage breast tissues to grow in either sexes. A treatment option for Gynecomastia in adults is surgical removal of excess breast tissue through liposuction and other surgical means or the cessation of marijuana use if chromosomal tests indicate it as the cause.