18 January 2024 , 12:19
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Scientists have revealed that there is a sign in men that they are at risk of dying earlier than they would normally expect to. If a male has enlarged breast tissue – man boobs or moobs – then they may be at greater risk of dying before they reach the age of 75. The new study has shown that having moobs is a condition known as gynaecomastia.
This enlarged breast tissue in men is usually caused by a hormone imbalance and affects around a third to around two thirds of males, depending on age, the researchers found. The development of this condition has three distinct peaks across life driven by changes in hormones. These are in the neonatal period, during puberty, and at older ages.
The research, from scientists at the University of Copenhagen, also found that this condition is different from pseudo gynecomastia, which is the result of being overweight or obese. According to the researchers, men with gynecomastia have a 37 percent increased risk of early death from any cause compared to those without the condition.
Doctor Anders Juul, from the university team, said in a press release: "Males diagnosed with gynecomastia are at higher risk of death, observed mainly in males with a known pre-existing risk factor of gynecomastia. These findings will hopefully stimulate more awareness among healthcare providers to potentially apply interventions that aid in alleviating underlying risk factors in males with this condition."
The risk is particularly high in men with a known pre-existing condition, where the odds are 75 percent higher than in cases of gynecomastia of unknown origin. The greatest risks are associated with pre-existing cancers, as well as circulatory, lung, and diseases that affect the gut. However, the study found that neurological diseases were linked to a 29 percent lower risk.
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The researchers used data from Danish national health and population registries. These showed that 23,429 men were diagnosed with gynaecomastia between January 1, 1995 and June 30, 2021. The subjects were then divided into two groups – those with an unknown cause (idiopathic) of gynaecomastia and those with a known pre-existing condition. They were all monitored from the date of study entry to death or the end of June 2021, whichever came first. In all, 12,676 men died during the monitoring period.
Dr Juul added that the study, published in BMJ Open, found that men with idiopathic gynaecomastia weren’t generally at greater risk of an early death than men in the reference group, except for a cause-specific two-fold heightened risk of death from liver disease.
He said: "Males diagnosed with gynaecomastia are at a 37 per cent higher risk of death, observed mainly in males with a known pre-existing gynaecomastia risk factor and not in males with idiopathic gynaecomastia. These results should therefore prompt thorough clinical examination to identify the underlying risk factors."