Recently, reports have been circulating that drinking IPAs could cause breast enlargement in men, a.k.a the dreaded “man-boobs.” The science behind this theory has been effectively debunked: While hops do contain phytoestrogen, which mimics estrogen in the body, the quantities in IPAs are too small to have any noticeable effect. However, questionable science aside, there remains ample paranoia about man boobs and the things that might cause them.
While the appearance of male breasts can be a side effect of extra weight, it can also be the result of a hormone imbalance — either elevated levels of estrogen, or lowered levels of testosterone — known as gynecomastia. Besides unwitting contact with estrogen, many other dubious theories have arisen about factors that could cause such bodily indignity. Here, a comprehensive list of things that men have worried might give them breasts:
1. Marijuana.
2. Alcohol.
3. Soy.
4. Instant coffee.
5. Brazil nuts.
7. Nalgene bottles.
8. Lavender and tea tree oils.
9. Canned foods.
10. Deodorant.
11. Wheat.
12. Malnutrition.
13. Shooting rifles.
14. Luna bars.
15. Breast milk.
16. “Male menopause.”
17. Chickpeas.
18. Red meat.
19. Steroids.
21. Kidney failure.
22. Antibiotics.
23. Aging.
24. Puberty.
