Asking for a Friend, Does Pot Make You Grow Man Boobs?

Pot: it’s increasingly legal and is at the center of perhaps the fastest growing industry in the United States. People are claiming Mary Jane can do pretty much everything, from treat anxiety to cure cancer. But there is a less-illustrious claim that is gaining traction.

Pot can make you grow a nice pair of moobs.

As in, man boobs. You know, like Robert Paulson in “Fight Club.” (Chant it; you know you want to.)

If you are a guy and have been regularly riding the Pineapple Express, this pot smoking and man boobs connection might sound concerning. Boobs are great and all, just not, you know, on your body.

So, Is this Claim Legit or Just More Media Bunk?

The truth? We don’t know yet.

See, marijuana was 100 percent illegal until very recently, and that meant that even studying its effects was a no-go. Now, studies are starting up, but they are pretty limited and mostly conducted on lab rats.

The jury is out on whether or not pot causes man boobs, but if you are developing breasts and smoke a lot, you might want to consider the link.

Should we pity those little guys or envy them?

Anyhow, what those studies have shown is that animals exposed to the active ingredient in weed tend to have dips in their testosterone levels. Which isn’t the same thing as male rats suddenly growing breasts, but it is concerning.

Gynecomastia — the fancy term for man boobs — is generally caused by a hormonal imbalance. You know, like testosterone being too low and female hormones being too high. Like what was seen in those rats. And that means the answer to “Can pot give you man boobs?” is a resounding, “Maybe.”

Basically, until there are long-term human studies, no one knows for certain.

So, What if You’ve Been Hitting the Reefer and Your Chest Is Looking Mooby?

If you have been smoking on the regular and you are looking a little fluffier up top than you’d like, don’t panic. There are treatments for male breasts.

Now, step number one may not make you so happy. Yeah, time to put down the joint and step away from the bong. If your hormones balance themselves out, your man boobs should go away on their own.

Of course, that won’t happen in every case. If you find that making changes in your habits doesn’t curb your cup size, it may be time to look into other options. Diet and exercise could help, as could seeing an endocrinologist. However, you might need to get surgery.

If you do, don’t panic. Gynecomastia surgery is effective and relatively safe, which means you can get rid of your man boobs without too much worry. It can remove excess fat and other tissues and even reshape your nipples if they have started looking puffy.

To get great results, look for doctors who advertise their work on male clients. A female breast reduction and male breast reduction are not at all the same. And make sure you feel comfortable with whatever surgeon you choose.