Photo: VCG

A 26-year-old man from Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, noticed he was starting to grow breasts after taking protein powder for three months, media reported Monday. Doctors at a local hospital said that both his female and male sex hormones tested higher than normal.

After being diagnosed with fatty liver, the man signed up for private coaching at a local gym, and took the protein powder recommended by his coach to enhance his muscles. Three months later, however, he noticed he was starting to grow breasts, and felt pain whenever he touched them. 

He went to the hospital for examination and was told that while his fatty liver had been cured, his breasts had now started to develop. "Both his female and male hormones were higher than normal," said a doctor at the local hospital. 

"Among all the sex hormones, androgen tested the highest, which indicates that he might have taken excessive androgen-related medications. The androgen then turned into female sex hormones that eventually led to the development of his breasts," the doctor explained. 

An expert at a Hangzhou fitness association reminded people that protein products should be taken in appropriate portions, and excessive amounts of protein could lead to serious physical damage.