Cannabis can cause man boobs

 Many men may be worried about getting a 'pot
belly' from too much beer, but those who smoke
cannabis should be more concerned about
'marijuana moobs', after a leading plastic surgeon
warned smoking the drug could cause
gynecomastia. Gynecomastia, or man boobs, is caused by an
imbalance between estrogen and testosterone
levels. When a man has too much estrogen, the
body is prompted to create excessive breast
tissue. Writing on cnn.com, Dr Anthony Youn, a plastic
surgeon based in Detroit, points to previous
animal studies which found that the active
ingredient in cannabis can cause “a decrease in
testosterone levels, a reduction of testicular size,
and abnormalities in the form and function of sperm”. Although it is already known that marijuana use
can damage sperm count, Dr Youn admits that the
effect of the drug on hormone levels in humans is
not clear, as tests have been limited due to its
illegal status. An early study in 1972 did nevertheless point to a
connection between cannabis and gynecomastia,
although a smaller test on US army soldiers five
years later did not make the association. “Although the association between marijuana and
gynecomastia hasn't been conclusively proven, it
appears very plausible,” writes Dr Youn. “For this reason, the majority of plastic surgeons
I've consulted with routinely inquire with their
gynecomastia patients about cannabis use and
recommend they stop smoking pot immediately.” Now, with the drug gaining legal status in a
number of US states, Dr Youn hopes that it will
become easier for researchers to establish the
effects of cannabis use on hormone levels,
gynecomastia and other bodily functions. Until then, he recommends that if you are worried
about your moobs, “it's probably best to put out
that joint”.