When we feel good, we have loads of oxytocin in our body. Can it be an energy drink?
Photo from photoXpress
Oxytocin is a happy hormone. It is associated with caring, bonding and intimacy (dubbed as “love molecule”). It helps rebuild a wounded relationship. Having more of it will reduce anxiety and social fears. A nasal spray of it can cure shyness and improve social proficiency.
We also know that Oxytocin will make us more generous. In the study of Dr. Paul Zak and his colleagues, 8 OUT OF 10 are more generous when infused with oxytocin compared to those who received a placebo. The more we have this, the more empathetic we feel towards co-humans.
The amount of oxytocin in us can also predict who will donate more. Oxytocin and generosity are directly related where the more oxytocin is released, the more amount of money we will hand out. This means that altering our brain chemistry will change our behaviors. It’s scary to think that we can be manipulated to give.
The idea of drinking oxytocin has insidious and expedient potentials. It can passively coerce someone to do charity; and it can be prescribed to people who really needed it. If you do not have a health concern in which oxytocin can help, you can’t get it in a non-natural way.
Probably the easiest way to have an oxytocin flowing in you is hugging someone. It’s cheap too.
Do you think it’s okay to make oxytocin more accessible?
Sources:Oxytocin Increases Generosity in Humans; Plos One
10 Reasons Why Oxytocin Is The Most Amazing Molecule In The World; io9
Oxytocin – the love hormone – could cure shyness; The Telegraph
Oxytocin: energy drink of the future?; beeblu’s blog
Moment Matters 
Enlightening piece. I was begining to consider having some for drinking! 🙂
Yes. Enlightening indeed! I don’t know how I feel about having oxytocin more available. I guess I have mixed feelings. It may be abused by some. For those who have clinical depression, maybe it will help. Great question.
Oxytocin has been used in a pharmaceutical setting since, at least, 1965 in Obstetrics. It is one of the first hormones to be synthetically engineered. That being said, I still wonder at the drawbacks of it’s overuse. Could “abusing” it cause the body to require higher levels of Ocytocin in order to achieve the same response as before (when a lower dose was used)?
God knows I need something haha Food for thought here no doubt. I’m going to pick up some N-acetyl cysteine this week or next as a friend has been taking it and it’s had noticeable physical/mental/emotional affects.
Good question. I have been studying this and actually this hormone might help reduce the obesity epidemic we are now facing in the US. But I grew that some may abuse it. Like everything else.
They’ll probably start handing it out in restaurants to get servers better tips. 😉
If we need oxytocin for being caring and giving – then there is other problems with us … that oxytocin can’t fix in long terms. So I would say … keep it away from us. Some problems we have to fix ourselves.
Interesting
I am going to start hugging everyone I see like an oxytocin feind.
If one starts down that path, how much more of the ‘real person’ do you relinquish? So many are already patched together by thoughts and actions that are not of their own making, they can barely stand or think!
Hilarious! What an interesting blog! ……. cheers!
Free hugs! More more more. 🙂
Without prejudice ……. here’s a bucketload! Seems like the hippies were right? All you need is love?
Interesting blog, I think we should stick to hugging , that is much more fun than drinking it. People will use it and abuse it, so not a good idea. Have a hug! 🙂
It is intriguing – if used in a controlled way as, say, anti-depressants, it could be useful. The whole question of its possible effect on sociopathy and psychopathy is really interesting (they are not likely to be doing much hugging :)). Thanks for the linky, MM.
No. We will screw things up further doing this, just like we’ve interfered with childbirth and life cycles and so much more, not to mention the damage we’re likely to inflict further on the planetary ecosystems once yet another hormone makes it’s way into the environment. Stick to hugging, indeed. Stick to living. You can’t fake a good life.
Hugging is awesome. And more people who’d randomly hug someone equals more awesomeness. In other words, never make this more accessible or it will ruin the entire human condition .. or well, the natural one that is. Just hug people .. or don’t.
I am all for a does of it in a hug rather than a jug or a bottle.
Most things in a bottle are crazy when they escape from captivity.
I am a misanthropist who gives to charity every week.
Do you think it can help me?
Oooo very interesting…