Abstract
Enlargement of breast tissue in males, or gynecomastia, is a rare condition in prepubescent boys. While the majority of cases are idiopathic, we describe an 8-year-old patient who developed unilateral gynecomastia secondary to marked dietary soy consumption. Soy products, particularly those consumed by our patient, contain high levels of phytoestrogens which have been documented in limited case studies to contribute to abnormal development of breast tissue in adolescent and adult males. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of gynecomastia occurring in a prepubescent patient resulting from excessive intake of dietary soy. Importantly, we also report a complete resolution of gynecomastia upon exclusion of dietary products containing significant amounts of soy. While soybeans and soy-derived products can be an important source of nutrition for some, those with abnormal sensitivity to phytoestrogens may benefit from limiting dietary soy consumption to avoid potential adverse effects, including gynecomastia.