Oxytocin
In recent years, we've been bombarded with studies about the hormone oxytocin researchers have demonstrated it increases trust and helps aid in social bonding. It has even garnered a reputation as the "love hormone." But what good is it for? Despite all these findings, the hormone's medical use remains limited to obstetrics, it is used to induce labor and aid in breastfeeding.
A number of newer oxytocin studies have even reached the stage of clinical trials which test the effectiveness and safety of a substance before it can become an approved drug with promising findings.
Oxytocin is a hormone secreted by the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland, a pea-sized structure at the base of the brain. It's sometimes known as the "cuddle hormone" or the "love hormone," because it is released when people snuggle up or bond socially. Even playing with your dog can cause an oxytocin surge, according to a 2009 study published in the journal Hormones and Behavior. But these monikers may be misleading. Oxytocin can also intensify memories of bonding gone bad, such as in cases where men have poor relationships with their mothers. It can also make people less accepting of people they see as outsiders. In other words, whether oxytocin makes you feel cuddly or suspicious of others depends on the environment.
Why would bodybuilders and lifters be interested in Oxytocin? Of course being only human, they also love, cuddle and have sex, but oxycotin also has a strong influence on muscles, more about that later.
What Went Wrong With Testosterone Goes Wrong With Oxytocin
Because there is so much research to Oxytocin, there are also much and different opinions, some people just jump to the conclusions. What happened not too long ago with Testosterone now happens with Oxytocin. Researchers concluded that exogenous administration (read injects) of testosterone would not result in extra muscle mass. What happened was that they didn’t used enough didn’t include diet and training etc. While oxytocin's effects so far have been subtle rather than drastic, it could still become an important therapy. Most studies have looked at effects on patients after only a single dose. If Prozac, the widely-prescribed antidepressant, were administered that way, its effects would seem more subtle as well. Also, researchers don't know how big doses need to be, or how frequently it should be given to have a meaningful impact. Figuring out such dosing can be difficult. While oxytocin's effects so far have been subtle rather than drastic, it could still become an important therapy. What we saw with testosterone where huge bodybuilders on stage proved scientists wrong. As human Guinea pigs they injected complete stacks of multiple oral and injectable steroids with anti-estrogens, peptides and other means. Things changed after Bhasin’s study ”Testosterone dose-response relationships in healthy young men.”
What is an extra complicating factor is that most researchers gave their test objects an intra nasal-spray of Oxytocin. Dr Heroghe already wrote in his “Hormone Handbook”, that one obtained the best value when Oxytocin is used sublingually, with a trouche made by a compounding pharmacy. He wrote that an intranasal spray had a low value, a slow release oral - made by a compounding pharmacy yielded a medium value and subcutaneous injection a high value. He also wrote that intravenous administration, (Syntocinon,) had a high value, but that was only recommended for labor delivery. And a subctanous injection is performed by most bodybuilders as they are accustomed to do with growth hormone, HCG and others. Now many young lifters want to explore the benefits of Oxytocin by themselves and share their experiences on the discussion forums. I will print some reactions later in this blogpost..
Oxytocin is one of many neuropeptides found and produced in mammals. It seems we've known about it for around 100 years but have only recently started studying it in any depth. Scientists currently understand it as potentially playing a part in everything from labor contractions, deep discussions, breastfeeding, autism, sexual arousal, activity and orgasm, altruism, and all kinds of general social interactions (good, bad and otherwise) for those of all sexes and genders who can or do experience all or any of those things. Apparently, oxytocin levels may elevate in people even just by being around the color blue. How much or how little oxytocin is out and about during these or other events varies widely among mammals, even mammals of any one assigned sex or who are all having the same kind of experience in which oxytocin is or may be present.
Much of human behavior is influenced by hormones. There’s cortisol, involved in our stress response and energy balance. Testosterone, a male sex hormone, tends to make men more competitive. Oxytocin has various social and physiological functions in the brain and the body. Researchers often investigate the effects of single hormones on behavior and effect in laboratory experiments with student subjects. The strength of such studies is that they can demonstrate cause and effect - the behavior change only occurs in subjects receiving hormones, not in those who get a placebo. But this research has weaknesses as well: it often focuses on single hormones, ignoring their potential interactions. There are hurdles to such research. Because oxytocin is a large molecule, it doesn't cross from the bloodstream into the brain very easily. It is also rapidly degraded in both the stomach and the blood.
New Study Shows Oxytocin May Help Rejuvenate Aging Muscles
The left image shows healthy muscle tissue from a young mouse. The middle image demonstrates that the efficiency of muscle repair mechanisms decreases with age, resulting in a lower density of muscle fibers and increased scar tissue in an old mouse. Injecting oxytocin rapidly rejuvenates the old tissue, as shown on the right image.
From birth until about the age of 30, your muscles continue to grow larger and stronger. But at some point in your 30s, you begin to lose muscle mass and strength which in turn affects your coordination. As part of the natural aging process, this disease, sarcopenia, is most commonly seen in inactive people but it also affects those who remain physically active throughout their lives.
The regenerative capacity of skeletal muscle declines with age. Previous studies suggest that this process can be reversed by exposure to young circulation; however, systemic age-specific factors responsible for this phenomenon are largely unknown. Here we report that oxytocin--a hormone best known for its role in lactation, parturition and social behaviours--is required for proper muscle tissue regeneration and homeostasis, and that plasma levels of oxytocin decline with age. Inhibition of oxytocin signaling in young animals reduces muscle regeneration, whereas systemic administration of oxytocin rapidly improves muscle regeneration by enhancing aged muscle stem cell activation/proliferation through activation of the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway. We further show that the genetic lack of oxytocin does not cause a developmental defect in muscle but instead leads to premature sarcopenia. Considering that oxytocin is an FDA-approved drug, this work reveals a potential novel and safe way to combat or prevent skeletal muscle ageing. Elabd et all 2014
Trenbolone Acetate/E2 Implant on Oxycotin and Muscle
Molecular mechanisms in skeletal muscle associated with anabolic steroid treatment of cattle are unclear and we aimed to characterize transcriptional changes. Cattle were chronically exposed (68 ± 20 days) to a steroid hormone implant containing 200 mg trenbolone acetate and 20 mg estradiol (Revalor-H). Biopsy samples from 48 cattle (half treated) from longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle under local anesthesia were collected. Among DE (differentially expressed) genes, a decrease in expression of a number of fat 
metabolism-associated genes, likely reflecting the lipid storage activity of intramuscular adipocytes, was observed.
The expression of IGF1 and genes related to the extracellular matrix, slow twitch fibers, and cell cycle was increased in the treated muscle. Unexpectedly, a very large 21 to 97-fold higher expression of the mRNA encoding the neuropeptide hormone oxytocin was observed in treated muscle. We also observed an more than fiftyfold higher level of circulating oxytocin in the plasma of treated animals at the time of biopsy. Using a co-expression network strategy, OXTR (oxytocin receptor) was identified as more likely than IGF1R to be a major mediator of the muscle response to Revalor-H. A re-investigation of in vivo cattle LD muscle samples during early to mid-fetal development identified a >128-fold increased expression of oxytocin, coincident with myofiber differentiation and fusion. We propose that oxytocin may be involved in mediating the anabolic effects of Revalor-H treatment.
Exogenous administration of both testosterone and estrogen influences muscle phenotype in humans. Supraphysiologic doses of androgens have been core components of doping programs in elite power sports for decades. Testosterone has been shown to induce muscle hypertrophy and lead to increases in voluntary strength. Estrogen has been shown to stimulate muscle repair and regenerative processes, although the extent and direction of the muscle response does seem contingent on species and circumstance.
In broad terms, the mechanism by which sex steroids mediate their growth promotant effect is thought to be both direct, i.e., by binding to the androgen and estrogen receptors expressed by muscle itself, and also indirect, by inducing other circulating growth promoting substances that then secondarily stimulate muscle growth. Evidence for direct action includes the fact that exogenous steroids elicit an allometric pattern of muscle growth in line with androgen and estrogen receptor density, with the more dramatic phenotype in muscles with higher sex steroid receptor densities. Evidence for indirect action comes from the observed induction of other known anabolic agents following steroid treatment. For example, treatment of soleus, a predominantly slow twitch muscle, from aged castrated rat, with 5α-dihydrotestosterone induces IGF1 and the IGF1 splice variant mechano-growth factor within 24 h, leading to a molecular switch to a more type II muscle phenotype.Similarly, treatment of young castrated cattle with estradiol-17β increases the levels of growth hormone (GH) and IGF1 in plasma. At a time when the increase in muscle mass had already become apparent, we interrogated high-throughput gene expression data from muscle samples using two recently published coexpression-based network inference approaches called partial correlation coefficient with information theory and regulatory impact factor (RIF) and the promoter structure of the differentially expressed (DE) genes. Our results point to a dramatic and unexpected induction of muscle oxytocin (OXT) expression also measurable in the plasma at the protein level. We hypothesize that the increased expression of OXT may account for the increased muscle mass. Chronic exposure to anabolic steroids induces the muscle expression of oxytocin and a more than fiftyfold increase in circulating oxytocin in cattle De Jager et all 2011
Oxytocin Treatment Ameliorates Obesity By Reducing Food Intake And Visceral Fat Mass
Recent studies suggest that oxytocin (Oxt) is implicated in energy metabolism. We aimed to explore acute and sub-chronic effects of peripheral Oxt treatment via different routes on food intake and energy balance. Intraperitoneal (ip) injection of Oxt concentration-dependently decreased food intake in mice. Ip Oxt injection induced c-Fos expression in the hypothalamus and brain stem including arcuate nucleus (ARC), paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS).
Subcutaneous (sc) injection of oxytocin (Oxt) suppressed food intake in normal and high fat diet-induced obese (DIO) mice. Daily sc injection of Oxt for 17 days in DIO mice reduced food intake for 6 days and body weight for the entire treatment period and additional 9 days after terminating Oxt. Oxt infusion by sc implanted osmotic minipumps for 13 days in DIO mice reduced food intake, body weight, and visceral fat mass and adipocyte size. Oxt infusion also decreased respiratory quotient specifically in light phase, ameliorated fatty liver and glucose intolerance, without affecting normal blood pressure in DIO mice. These results demonstrate that peripheral Oxt treatment reduces food intake and visceral fat mass, and ameliorates obesity, fatty liver and glucose intolerance. Peripheral Oxt treatment provides a new therapeutic avenue for treating obesity and hyperphagia.
Oxytocin And Bone
One of the most meaningful results recently achieved in bone research has been to reveal that the pituitary hormones have profound effect on bone, so that the pituitary-bone axis has become one of the major topics in skeletal physiology. There is the relevant evidence about the posterior pituitary hormone oxytocin (OT), previously thought to exclusively regulate parturition and breastfeeding, which has recently been established to directly regulate bone mass. Both osteoblasts and osteoclasts express OT receptors (OTR), whose stimulation enhances bone mass.
These findings together provide evidence for an anabolic action of OT in regulating bone mass and suggest that bone marrow OT may enhance the bone-forming action of estrogen through an autocrine circuit. This established new physiological role for OT in the maintenance of skeletal integrity further suggests the potential use of this hormone for the treatment of osteoporosis. Colaianni et all 2014.
Mental Disorders
Oxytocin is easing stress and anxiety, it is being tested in clinical trials as a treatment for depression, borderline personality disorder, autism and alcohol withdrawal.
Besides mental disorders, researchers are investigating oxytocin's potential benefit for a number of other ailments, including headaches, constipation and skin damage. But I will not bore you with that. My guess is you better like this:
OXYTOCIN...reduced social anxiety, intensifies orgasms and erectile ability
As promised some real life expiriences shared via the discussion forums:
“There are a couple very good books out there on oxytocin benefits (check high star rating ones at Amazon). Also, the Half-Life is from when the oxytocin hits the bloodstream. With troches or subq it is a delayed "entry" over a period of time. That is why subq (and probably IM) injections and sublingual troches have a decided advantage over IV and intranasal.
Additionally there is a carryover effect for several hours following (much like with PT 141).”
“J, if you could ever get your wife to try this, I believe it would indeed make a difference. Better yet, if you could get her to try an injection, that would be better. Oxytocin injections for women are amazing, men.... I just dont see that it would be any better than the sublingual route. I agree with Bob that this does indeed make you more social, at ease and open. Sexually though, I still say this is more of a womans thing. Truthfully, if I were to take as much as was mentioned 30 minutes before sex, I would be asleep.
10 IU is good, 20 and you feel a little stoned, 60??!!”
“This is also a great thing for you guys who still have the PMS thing going on with your wives. Give them 10IU and they will be happy campers.” “ It’s a hormone as well as a neurotropic, it doesn't have to cross BBB to have positive effects. A Google search shows positive effects. Very credible studies show decrease in body fat, more youthful muscle tone in older test subjects, enhanced mood, etcetera.”
In Bodybuilding
“I just started oxytocin last night after training legs. It is supposed to speed up muscle healing and makes old muscles like young muscles.”
“I took 50mcg oxytocin subcutaneously. It made me feel very relaxed and happy. It relieves anxiety and stress within minutes.”
“Last night I trained back then came home had a protein drink and decided to try a high dose of oxytocin at 70mcg. At this dose I started getting a strong flush and then my body started heating up. The heat kept increasing for a few minutes which was intense. I can't believe what a difference a little higher dose makes. After 5 minutes or so the temp stabilized. It left me feeling a nice body fry and very very relaxed. I tried to throw a movie on but it was sleep time within 10 minutes of the oxytocin injection. I like the way oxytocin makes all the stress of the day fade away. I also notice increased genital sensitivity, and increased sex drive. There is definitely an antidepressant effect from oxytocin. I notice I have felt much happier the following day after the injection. “
“Last night I upped my post workout dose of oxytocin to 80mcg. This dose is awfully high. The flushing feeling was very intense. I had my post workout protein drink and relaxed with a movie on for an hour before falling asleep. I'm really starting to like oxytocin as a means of relaxing after the gym. My sleep has been better as well. I seem to wake up more rested than I was when I was using melatonin before bed.”
“Since beginning subcutaneous oxytocin injections before bed I have noticed much better sleep, reduced stress, and improved sense of wellbeing. I also have an increased sex drive and almost had an orgasm in my sleep last night. I also notice improvement in muscle recovery between workouts. My oxytocin dose started at 30mcg and is currently up to 70mcg before bed.”
From dr Hertoghe’s Book page 99
best value when Oxytocin is used sublingually (compounding pharmacy)
social bonding-----(5-10)iu/day morning & evening
Sexual-------------5iu/daily in morning plus (5-10)iu 2hrs before sex
Fibromyalgia, autism, Schizophrenia ------(5-40)iu/day in 2-3 divided doses (morning, lunch, evening)
medium value ------oral slow release (compounding pharmacy)
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intranasal ------------------low value
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Subcutaneous--------high value----oxytocin (Syntocinon, 10iu vials)
social------not indicated
sexual-----(10-20)iu/day 2hr before sex
Fibromyalgia, autism, schizo------(10-40)iu/day, 2x/day
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intravenous, (Syntocinon,)-----------high value (but only recommended for labor delivery)
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Sublingual----5 to 10 iu/day morning & evening