The research cited in Risperdal class action lawsuits regarding gynecomastia, otherwise known as man boobs, side effects in adolescent men indicates that the probability of developing the embarrassing and potentially painful condition is significantly higher for Risperdal patients than for those who use other antipsychotics. One wonders, then, just how significant the disparity is.

The cause of gynecomastia is related to the way some drugs bind to one kind of dopamine receptor which also affects one’s emotions. When they block that receptor, production of the female hormone prolactin increases. While not all elevations will result in Risperdal man boob side effects, it increases the odds significantly.

For example, the amount of prolactin that increases with Risperdal compared to antipsychotic drugs such as Seroquel or Zyprexa is 45 times higher in a recent medical study. That buttresses the idea that the hormone levels could be linked to significant health issues that also include sexual dysfunction or loss of libido. While that may not be a significant issue for a 10-year-old, the link between the potential for Risperdal man boob side effects and related issues in adults is still based on the same effect on the body.

It may also be exacerbated by the effect of second-generation atypical antipsychotics on sex hormones in men and women. They are more likely to have increased hormone levels of the opposite gender: estrogen for men and testosterone for women. That may also play a role in the conditions suffered by adolescents who file Risperdal class action lawsuits.

Further, while all of this research is now known, it was much less publicized when doctors first began prescribing the medication as an alternative to older medications and before atypical antipsychotics like Seroquel and Zyprexa were launched. While trying to find the right medication and a patient’s willingness to risk adverse events are something that only they and their doctors can decide, knowing of the potential risk for man boob side effects may have changed some minds.