Oxytocin, also known as the cuddle hormone or the bonding hormone, plays a central role in your well-being. In this article, you'll learn what exactly oxytocin is, how it works, and how you can produce more of it to improve your well-being.
Table of contents
1. What is oxytocin?
Oxytocin is both a hormone and a neurotransmitter, and thus has a variety of effects . It consists of nine amino acids and is released into the blood by the pituitary gland. Oxytocin's most well-known effect is related to childbirth.
Oxytocin stimulates contractions during labor and milk production , and is therefore also used in clinical obstetrics to support this process. The cuddle hormone also promotes the bond between mother and child and between people in general .
On a physiological level, oxytocin has even more impact, regulating blood pressure and cortisol levels . These two factors play a crucial role in stress management . Cortisol is not called the stress hormone for nothing.
Generally, cortisol has a stimulating effect on you, making you alert and productive in challenging situations. However, if you are chronically stressed, cortisol has negative consequences for your health.
A study by the University of Uppsala in Sweden examined the relationship between the cuddle hormone oxytocin and stress and found that the neurotransmitter has a mitigating effect on the so-called HPA axis in the brain, which ultimately results in the release of the stress hormone cortisol.
On a physiological level, oxytocin ensures that stress, or rather its consequences, can be reduced and you feel more relaxed . [1] But the neurotransmitter also plays a central role in the brain and, when present in sufficient quantities, improves your well-being.
2. The effect of oxytocin on your well-being and health
Everyone needs physical closeness. Your brain knows this too, because it releases the hormone oxytocin during social interactions , touch, and sex . Because of this effect, oxytocin is also nicknamed the " cuddle hormone ." As soon as the hormone, or neurotransmitter, is released, it gives you a good feeling.
This ensures that your well-being is enhanced. Since the substance is not only a hormone but also a neurotransmitter, it circulates not only in your blood but also in your brain, thus regulating the activity of certain nerve cells.
A study from the University of Zurich took a closer look at how oxytocin affects nerve cells and found that it makes you more receptive to interpersonal signals. [2]
The study examined the connection between oxytocin and trust in others, which even influenced the participants' own actions. It was found that oxytocin strengthens trust in others and thus also in one's own actions.
The more the test subjects, who were given the drug rather than a placebo, trusted their fellow human beings, the more confident they became in their own actions. More open and relaxed in interpersonal interactions?
Oxytocin appears to have this effect, as further investigated in a study by the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology in Stockholm, Sweden, which followed the same approach as the researchers at the University of Zurich. [3]
By reducing cortisol release, oxytocin reduces stress and activates the reward system. Afterwards, the test subjects interacted more relaxed with others, and in this way, it simply improved their overall interactions.
The benefits of the bonding hormone at a glance
- It can reduce stress → relaxes
- It can activate the reward system → good feeling
- It can lead to a familiar interaction with other people → better cooperation
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3. Does the cuddle hormone promote envy and schadenfreude?
Researchers from the Department of Psychology at the University of Amsterdam were also able to demonstrate the downside of this popular hormone in a study. [4] The problem with oxytocin as a supplement is that it strengthens belonging within a group, but also increases rivalry with anything threatening.
Researchers at the University of Amsterdam pitted several groups against each other in a competition. The group that had previously been administered oxytocin was more harmonious within the group, but tried to assert its position more aggressively than the others.
The study's findings are not contradictory; after all, oxytocin originally serves to strengthen the bond between mother and child. The test subjects therefore felt overly attached to their group and tried to protect and defend it externally.
4. Where can I buy oxytocin?
The various studies make it clear that the effects of oxytocin are diverse and that research is currently still working on identifying the more precise mechanisms and investigating the dosage and exact effects.
It remains unclear how much of the dose administered in studies actually reaches the brain and can cross the blood-brain barrier . There appear to be no other pathways into the brain that increase the hormone's concentration. Neither certain foods nor other environmental factors can influence the concentration of oxytocin in the blood or brain.
Related to this is that the hormone's blood levels don't correlate with those in the brain. This means that even if you inject oxytocin into test subjects, you don't necessarily increase the concentration of the neurotransmitter in the brain. Sounds complicated?
But it's not. Because all these different study results only show that oxytocin is n't yet a viable supplement , and therefore isn't available for purchase! Since research is still investigating the hormone's effects, you can't buy oxytocin yet.
While numerous companies sell oxytocin in the form of nasal spray , the rule is: stay away! Firstly, the active ingredient composition of these nasal sprays is not precisely known , and secondly, as mentioned, research is still in its infancy.
BRAINEFFECT HACK : Even if you can't supplement the happy hormone oxytocin, there are many ways to do something good for your body and mind. For example, by exercising in the fresh air and eating a balanced diet, you can ensure that your body produces more happy hormones. If that's not enough, you can also give it a helping hand with our HAPPY GUMMIES . Thanks to the precursor to serotonin, 5-HTP, and other happy ingredients, they'll help boost your good mood.
5. 10 ways to naturally increase your oxytocin levels
- Massages
- Cuddling & Sex
- Doing things you love
- Petting animals
- Activating the senses with good food / good music
- Lots of hugs
- Social interaction on social media
- meditation
- Giving gifts
- Be empathetic
6. Increase well-being without oxytocin
It's now clear that oxytocin levels in the brain can't be increased either through supplements or other basic substances. This isn't a big deal, though, because oxytocin is n't the only hormone that affects your well-being . Dopamine and serotonin , the happiness and feel-good hormones , can actually be increased or even purchased with a few tricks !
BRAINEFFECT HACK : Supply your body with important nutrients for your serotonin production. Our MOOD capsules, for example, contain a unique combination of more than 20 nutrients that contribute to your well-being, including vitamins B12, C, D, and L-tryptophan. HAPPY GUMMIES, in turn, provide 5-HTP, which is also involved in the production of happiness hormones.
7. Conclusion
Oxytocin is a hormone that has a positive effect on your well-being. It's primarily produced during human contact and isn't currently available in a synthetic form that your body can effectively utilize. However, you can easily increase your oxytocin levels by cuddling with your partner and even petting animals.
8. Sources
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11390754
[2] http://www.news.uzh.ch/de/articles/2011/fremden-vertrauen-dank-oyxtocin.html
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9924739
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20538951
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