Did Arnold Schwarzenegger have Gynecomastia?

The list of top celebrities known to have Gynecomastia given on gynecomastia.org features giants like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. It's hard to believe, but even apparently the most health-conscious and active men can have this condition.

It could be due to other reasons in other men. However, for bodybuilders, the use of steroidal drugs is the top suspect in the shortlisting of the causes of Gynecomastia.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the few celebrity bodybuilders who have never denied using performance-enhancing substances in their career. These substances enhance the capabilities of these athletes to lift more weights and thus build more muscle.

Watch Schwarzenegger talk about steroid use:

However, these drugs could have horrific effects on their bodies. These effects may not show up during the youth of the user, but later, when the body undergoes changes and aging, complications arise. Gynecomastia is also one such condition that can be worsened or triggered due to drug use.

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What is Gynecomastia and how serious is it?

Gynecomastia is a condition characterized by abnormal enlargement of male breasts. Although not functional, the glandular tissue forming human breasts is present in all humans at birth regardless of gender. Its activity and development depend on hormones that bring about puberty and sexual characteristics.

Although the condition is not fatal or serious, sometimes it can come with pain and discharge, which makes the condition further unbearable for the people with it. For those in the fitness or showbiz industry, the aesthetic part of the condition is more bothering than anything else, hence they undergo surgery.

Use of harmful drugs in one's developmental age or early adulthood can trigger the onset of Gynecomastia. One's genetic makeup is the primary cause of its onset. The amount of fat in one's body is the most common cause of breast enlargement in males.

Ageing also brings about hormonal changes in both males and females. Hence, some females lose their thin-waist-wide-hip characteristic and develop facial hair after reaching menopause.