Risperdal (risperidone), an antipsychotic medication, has recently been linked to a number of serious side effects, including the development of male breasts, or Risperdal gynecomastia.

What is Risperdal?

Risperdal is an atypical antipsychotic, first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat various mental or mood disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar mania, and autism spectrum disorders. The medication is sold by Johnson & Johnson, and is typically prescribed to help people suffering through these disorders think clearly.

Risperdal and similar medications are intended to help people take part in normal, everyday life. Atypical antipsychotics like Risperdal help restore the balance of various natural substances in the brain.

Though the medication is intended to do a world of good, as with any medication, Risperdal comes with side effects. These Risperdal side effects include involuntary motion, dizziness, fatigue, anxiety, nausea, and skin rashes. These side effects are nothing out of the ordinary for these kinds of medications, and patients are well warned of the effects prior to taking the drug.

Serious Risperdal Side Effects

However, Risperdal has also been linked with a number of more serious Risperdal side effects – risks which may not have been adequately communicated to patients and the medical community.

These more serious Risperdal side effects include diabetes and movement disorders. However, one of the most alarming side effects associated with Risperdal use is male breast growth, or Risperdal gynecomastia.

Risperdal Gynecomastia

Hundreds of boys and young men who took Risperdal have developed male breasts. Gynecomastia is essentially the enlargement of breast tissue and is not connected to excess fat.

Gynecomastia is often caused by hormonal imbalance. This is also the case for Risperdal users who develop Gynecomastia. Risperdal adjusts the balance of certain hormones in the body, including prolactin.

Prolactin is a hormone that helps control a male’s sex drive. It also sustains lactation (breastfeeding) in females. Prolactin is produced by the pituitary gland and controlled by dopamine. That’s where Risperdal comes in.

Risperdal and medications like it block dopamine receptors. This increases levels of prolactin in the body, which eventually causes hyperprolactinemia. Hyperprolactinemia can, in both children and adolescents, cause gynecomastia.

Not all antipsychotics are linked so closely with gynecomastia. In fact, hyperprolactinemia occurs more commonly in patients taking Risperdal than any other antipsychotic.

Data provided by the New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority showed that over 90 percent of Risperdal patients have increased or elevated levels of prolactin. This makes them more likely to develop hyperprolactinemia, and eventually develop gynecomastia.

For some young men, breast growth from Risperdal became such an issue in their daily lives that they underwent surgery for excess tissue removal. In some of these cases, boys had such excessive breast tissue grown that the breasts became “D” cups.

Other Risperdal Concerns

Movement disorders and diabetes are also serious conditions allegedly caused by Risperdal, as well as severe heart problems that can lead to death.

Risperdal’s production of excess prolactin may also cause the pituitary gland to grow in size, which can lead to the development of pituitary tumors.

One study, which analyzed the FDA’s adverse effect database, found that Risperdal was connected to about 70 percent of all pituitary tumors. In most cases, these tumors are benign. However, they can cause other serious health problems.

Risperdal Gynecomastia Lawsuits

Many young men who have suffered from Risperdal side effects have filed gynecomastia lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson. These injured parties claim that that the drug maker failed to adequately warn patients about the potential side effects of the drug.

If you or someone you know was negatively impacted by Risperdal, or you are a male who has experienced excessive male breast growth due to taking Risperdal, you may be able to file a Risperdal gynecomastia lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson for failure to adequately warn about the potential risks and complications of the drug.