Love hormone: what is oxytocin and how it works
The love hormone: oxytocin
The "love hormone, or" oxytocin, plays a fundamental role in many aspects: it is very important during pregnancy and childbirth, but also in sexual intercourse and in the development of social relationships. But it is also defined as an anti-stress. natural able to give us calm and relaxation. This is because it is connected with the level of empathy of a person, and the ability to open up to the world and emotions. look here:
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This hormone has been the subject of great study, precisely to understand its various facets and how fundamental it is for certain aspects of life, from interpersonal relationships to breastfeeding! But how does it work? What are its characteristics? Let's find out together!
Who produces the love hormone and how it works
Oxytocin, or love hormone, is a neurotransmitter synthesized by the brain (hypothalamus) and released into the blood through the pituitary gland.But when is this key hormone produced? In all the books you will find that oxytocin is produced during pregnancy and childbirth (supporting the expulsion of the fetus), for breastfeeding (favoring the production of milk), but more generally in any deep and sentimental relationship. it allows to reach emotional well-being, a source of calm and mental regeneration, because it is a real natural anti-stress, able to promote the production of endorphins (pleasure hormones), which give us relaxation and calm. A study by Daniel Quintana , a psychiatrist at the University of Oslo (Norway), reveals that the love hormone is involved in brain regions that serve to manage reward experience, regulate appetite, anticipation and in socio-loving relationships.
But not only: it is no coincidence that oxytocin is defined as the "love hormone". This depends on the fact that it not only intervenes in all phases of sexual intercourse, from foreplay to orgasm, but also affects the creation of the interpersonal bond favoring monogamy and stability. In short, we find this neurotransmitter:
- in the sphere of pregnancy / maternity, given its importance for the expulsion of the fetus during childbirth and the production of milk in the first months of the child's life,
- in the relational sphere, given its ability to develop empathy towards the other and settle relationships
- in the sexual sphere, intervening in every phase of the relationship and promoting cohesion,
- in the sphere of appetite, also having a role in the regulation of hunger,
- in the emotional sphere, acting as an anti-stress and promoting calm and regeneration.
Where is oxytocin found in nature?
As we have seen, the "love hormone" is naturally produced by the hypothalamus during pregnancy and breastfeeding, sexual intercourse, interpersonal intercourse and so on. But that's not all, because we can be proactive for the production of this very important neurotransmitter. some foods (the most aphrodisiac ones) able to stimulate the production of oxytocin in the natural world, namely:
- Oysters
- Chocolate
- Vanilla
- Almonds
- Honey
- Strawberries
- Bananas
- pomegranate
In short, we are talking about some renowned aphrodisiac foods, excellent for organizing a winking and exciting pre-evening. But not only foods induce the production of oxytocin, on the contrary, some stimulating or exciting physical activities also help the "love hormone", that is:
- hugs and cuddles
- dance
- yoga and pilates
- massages
There is also artificial oxytocin, often used during intravenous delivery when the natural production of this neurotransmitter is not sufficient, or some studies have been done on administration with a nasal spray, which favored the development of empathy.
The effects of the love hormone
We have seen how this hormone produced by the hypothalamus in the brain works, in what situations it is released and what in nature stimulates its production. But what are the effects of oxytocin? For both men and women, this hormone plays a fundamental role in creating deep bonds, which are based on empathy and openness to new things. We have seen how important it is for women on multiple levels, because it affects the entire cycle of motherhood, from conception to milk production. But one of the most interesting effects is certainly on a sexual level, as this hormone supports the couple's harmony and stable bonds, acts physically during foreplay and during orgasm, contributing to the levels of empathy between the two lovers. But the effect that the release of hormones like these has on the level of mental and psychological health is also important: it calms, relaxes, opens us to the outside world. It seems that the senses themselves are involved in the production of oxytocin, and in particular touch, as the author Kerstin Uvnäs Moberg tells us who in her books, and with her research group in Stockholm, delves into the potential for calm and regeneration of this hormone. In short, both for physiology and for psychology, the beneficial effects on the health of the love hormone are many, both for men and for women, because it acts on different levels that contribute to making us feel good and at peace with ourselves. In short, if you are looking for a partner, try organizing an aphrodisiac dinner, made up of quick glances and touches, and we hope that the oxytocin will do its precious work!
