Have you heard about the hormone called oxytocin? This little hormone may be the boost your relationship needs.
Oxytocin 101
Both men and women produce oxytocin, which is a small peptide made up of only nine amino acids. (1,2) Most oxytocin is made in the hypothalamus at the base of the brain. Then it’s stored in the pituitary gland (which is just under the hypothalamus) and released into the bloodstream in response to certain stimuli. (2,3)
In our bodies, oxytocin affects many tissues, including the reproductive organs and the brain. The hormone plays roles in pregnancy and breastfeeding, parent-infant bonding, sexual arousal and orgasm, and erection and ejaculation. (1,4,5)
Now let’s talk about the love aspect. Because oxytocin has receptors in parts of the brain that affect emotions, it can impact relationships with your romantic partner, family members, and other people. This is why oxytocin has nicknames like the “bonding hormone” and the “cuddle chemical.” (1,4)
Boosting oxytocin naturally
You can boost your natural oxytocin to a degree by doing “feel-good” activities that cause surges of the hormone in the body. Petting a dog or cat increases oxytocin levels. So do activities you enjoy, like exercising, singing, or dancing. Even thinking positive thoughts may make oxytocin rise.
Massage, hugging, and gentle touching can boost oxytocin, too. (2,5) Sex does the same thing—oxytocin levels go up by 5-10 times when you have an orgasm. (5)
Oxytocin replacement
Supplemental oxytocin can help with certain issues like couple’s dynamics and connections with other people as well as anxiety and stress. Some research shows it may even help people with autism. (5) Here are some examples of how oxytocin may facilitate social interaction and help people connect.
Couple bonding and family connections
The “love hormone” is an apt name for oxytocin, as research shows oxytocin levels are high during the initial “falling-in-love” period of a relationship where couples begin to bond. (6)
The hormone may also help enhance communication between romantic partners. In one study, couples used intranasal oxytocin, then discussed a topic that usually led to disagreement. With oxytocin, the partners had better communication and lower stress hormone (cortisol) levels while they talked. (7)
Research also shows that oxytocin can help foster openness and increase trust in others, which can help people in difficult family situations communicate more effectively. (8)
Social anxiety and stress
Oxytocin appears to reduce stress responses, including generalized anxiety and social anxiety. Using intranasal oxytocin made people feel more open and extroverted. It also helped improve their self-perception and made them feel more trusting in social situations. (9) This therapy may help people who avoid social situations due to fear and stress.
Compounded oxytocin
Oxytocin may be helpful for these scenarios to positively affect emotional wellness. Whether it’s an oxytocin fast-burst sublingual tablet prior to intimacy or a nasal spray of oxytocin before a hard conversation with a beloved partner, compounding pharmacies like Belmar are ready with options.
If you have concerns in any of these areas of your health, ask your provider about whether prescribing oxytocin might help you. Here at Belmar Pharma Solutions, our compounding pharmacists create individualized formulations to meet patient-specific needs.
References:
(1) Magon N, Kalra S. The orgasmic history of oxytocin: Love, lust, and labor. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2011 Sep;15 Suppl 3(Suppl3):S156-61. doi: 10.4103/2230-8210.84851
Link: The orgasmic history of oxytocin: Love, lust, and labor – PMC
(2) Florea T, Palimariciuc M, Cristofor AC, Dobrin I, Chiriță R, Bîrsan M, Dobrin RP, Pădurariu M. Oxytocin: Narrative Expert Review of Current Perspectives on the Relationship with Other Neurotransmitters and the Impact on the Main Psychiatric Disorders. Medicina (Kaunas). 2022;58(7):923. doi: 10.3390/medicina58070923
Link: Oxytocin: Narrative Expert Review of Current Perspectives on the Relationship with Other Neurotransmitters and the Impact on the Main Psychiatric Disorders – PMC
(3) Henderson C. Oxytocin: Choosing the right chemical. PCCA website. September 8, 2023. Accessed April 6, 2025.
Link: THE PCCA BLOG | Oxytocin: Choosing the Right Chemical
(4) Oxytocin. Cleveland Clinic website. Last reviewed March 27, 2022. Accessed April 5, 2025.
Oxytocin: What It Is, Function & Effects
(5) Battle P. The Many Facets of the “Hug Hormone” webinar. Belmar Pharma Solutions.
Link: Oxytocin: The Many Facets of the “Hug Hormone” – Belmar Pharma Solutions
(6) Schneiderman I, Zagoory-Sharon O, Leckman JF, Feldman R. Oxytocin during the initial stages of romantic attachment: relations to couples’ interactive reciprocity. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2012 Aug;37(8):1277-85. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.12.021.
Link: Oxytocin during the initial stages of romantic attachment: Relations to couples’ interactive reciprocity – PMC
(7) Gravotta L. Be mine forever: Oxytocin may help build long-lasting love. Scientific American. February 12, 2013. Accessed April 6, 2025.
Link: Be Mine Forever: Oxytocin May Help Build Long-Lasting Love | Scientific American
(8) Neumann, ID. Oxytocin: The Neuropeptide of Love Reveals Some of Its Secrets. Cell Metab. 2007;5(4):231-233.
Link: Oxytocin: The Neuropeptide of Love Reveals Some of Its Secrets: Cell Metabolism
(9) Desjardins S. Oxytocin helps people feel more extroverted. Concordia University website. December 8, 2011. Accessed April 6, 2025.
Link: Oxytocin helps people feel more extroverted – Concordia University
(10) Parker KJ, Oztan O, Libove RA, Hardan AY. Intransal oxytocin treatment for social deficits and biomarkers of response in children with autism. Biol Sciences. 2017;114(30):8119-8124. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1705521114
Link: Intranasal oxytocin treatment for social deficits and biomarkers of response in children with autism | PNAS
(11) Watanabe T, Kuroda M, Kuwabara H, et al. Clinical and neural effects of six-week administration of oxytocin on core symptoms of autism. Brain. 2015;138:3400-3412. doi:10.1093/brain/awv249
Link: Clinical and neural effects of six-week administration of oxytocin on core symptoms of autism | Brain | Oxford Academic
(12) Aoki Y, Yahata N, Watanabe T, Takano Y, Kawakubo Y, Kuwabara H, Iwashiro N, Natsubori T, Inoue H, Suga M, Takao H, Sasaki H, Gonoi W, Kunimatsu A, Kasai K, Yamasue H. Oxytocin improves behavioural and neural deficits in inferring others’ social emotions in autism. Brain. 2014 Nov;137(Pt 11):3073-86. doi: 10.1093/brain/awu231.
Link: Oxytocin improves behavioural and neural deficits in inferring others’ social emotions in autism – PubMed
