When too Much Alcohol is a Bad Thing for Men

Nearly every man enjoys meeting the guys at a bar to throw back a few beers and watch the game. While this is not a bad lifestyle choice and can be stress relieving, it can spell harm down the road. That harm may come in the form of man boobs. Basically stated, man boobs are stored fat deposits that harden over time and can not be broken down. These fat deposits occur in pectoral or breast tissue areas. The end result is fatty breast tissue with puffy and discolored nipples.

The average male age group is between the ages of 40 to 50 years old. However this is not the only age group affected. Teenage boys often show signs of man boob development. Unlike the traditional thought process of development by obesity, in teenage boys the cause is mostly due to puberty. Once puberty has been completed, the man boobs disappear and life can go on as planned.

For those men who still have post-pubescent man boobs, life is anything but normal. Their self esteem takes a major hit due to shame over physical appearance. Women rarely find the presence of man boobs attractive. Therefore it can be hard for men to get dates or maintain a healthy sex life.

One of the biggest contributors to the development of man boobs is beer and alcohol. Both beverages contain high amounts of estrogen, a female hormone. Consuming large quantities of either beverage over time can cause a build up of estrogen in the male body. As time progresses and estrogen build up continues, the body is diluted into thinking that it needs to process those levels of estrogen. As a result, man boobs begins to develop.

Beer
Beer ranks at the top of the man boob creation list due to its content of hops. A hop is a plant used to create beer. Like soy beans, this plant contains a phytoestrogens. This level of phytoestrogens works to give off the presence of regular female estrogen in the male body. In fact, the levels of estrogen in hops are so high that many female ‘breast enhancement’ products contain high doses of the plant. Over time as the estrogen levels continue to rise with more beer consumption, the body begins to read these levels and reacts.

Another reason beer should be avoided when possible is calories. Beer contains empty calories that are extremely hard to burn off. For that reason, many men sport a beer belly to go with their man boobs. In order to drink beer without reaping the negative male effects, an active fitness routine should be maintained. The absence of this will leave the fat no place to go except for the chest area.

Alcohol
Like beer, alcohol contains an extreme amount of empty calories. Different types of alcohol contain different levels of empty calories. For example, a small glass of wine will logically have fewer calories than a quart of beer. However, over time it all adds up and goes to the same place. Therefore, beer is not the only thing to blame for causing the development of man boobs.

As an example, a pint of beer consists of 200 calories. The average male should maintain a daily caloric intake of 1,850. It is easy to see how after three or four pints are consumed what this would do to a calorie-monitored diet.

As if empty calories were not enough to contend with, alcohol counteracts testosterone. When present in the male body, testosterone levels are reduced. The estrogen levels present in alcoholic beverages take over and wreak havoc on the male body. If the man already has man boobs, excessive consumption of alcohol will cause the boobs to increase in size.

Conclusion
Beer and alcohol are great in social settings. Sometimes at the end of a hectic day, nothing can take the edge off like a cold beer or glass of wine. There is nothing wrong with that. The key here is moderation. When taken in moderation as part of an active lifestyle, chances are that nothing will come of the empty calories. If the only estrogen laced products going into a man’s mouth is from beer and alcohol, then man boobs should not be a pressing concern.

It becomes a concern for the man who has a large portion of daily intake from processed meat, carbohydrates and sweet, sugary foods. Add beer and alcohol to this mix and the outlook is not good. There are a few things to consider. Cut down alcohol and beer intake. Switch to a low calorie selection if possible. Perhaps consider quitting drinking altogether.


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