Invega and Risperdal are very powerful and popular second generation antipyschotics that are commonly prescribed to treat adult and pediatric patients with extreme mental disorders like schizophrenia.

Even though these medications have helped numerous patients, they have been linked to severe complications like male breast growth.

Invega and Risperdal are manufactured by Johnson & Johnson’s subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals, earning the company millions. While approved by the FDA many years apart, Invega and Risperdal both work by balancing certain brain chemicals and are used to treat some of the same conditions.

Risperdal was first approved by the FDA in 1993 to treat adults with extreme mental disorders like schizophrenia. It was later approved in the mid-2000s to treat children with specific variants of autism. The FDA approved Invega around the same time.

It is important to note that the key differences between Invega and Risperdal are the core ingredients that remain when metabolized. Invega is actually a metabolite of Risperdal, which means it was the core ingredient in the other medication’s formula.

Overview of Invega and Risperdal Gyencomastia Correlation

Both of these medications work by balancing the dopamine and serotonin levels in the brain. However, this treatment process has been found to significantly increase the body’s levels of prolactin, which is the hormone primarily responsible for breast development in young girls.

Even though prolactin is produced in small amounts in boys, an overabundance of this hormone can potentially cause male breast growth.

Also known as gynecomastia, this condition occurs when male breast tissue grows significantly and gives off the appearance of breasts. In some cases, males have developed breasts as big as D-cups, and some men even experience lactation or discharge.

Gynecomastia allegedly caused by Invega or Risperdal has been reportedly occurring in young boys who are undergoing significant physical changes during adolescence. Combined with the intense hormonal developments of puberty, young male patients who take Invega or Risperdal can be especially vulnerable to this risk.

Even though Risperdal was prescribed to children years before it was officially approved to do so, Janssen Pharmaceuticals allegedly marketed the medication for this purpose soon after its release. While it is not illegal for doctors to prescribe medications for off label purposes, it is illegal for companies to market them for such.

Some men have to undergo surgery to remove the excess tissue. Even then, they may still suffer from the emotional trauma of the ordeal.