Help Me Understand Oxytocin - Love Hormone

[Right Hook]

Without being to vague I'm just trying to understand the importance of this hormone in men and if supplementing to adjust it is a good idea or even optimal/possible.

My basic understanding is that women either have more oxytocin floating around and/or more oxytocin receptors. It has a relation to prolactin (increased oxytocin levels in pregnant/lactating women), so my assumption would lead me to believe that supplementing to reduce oxytocin levels during pct could improve/prevent any prolactin related sides one might be experiencing. Bad assumption?

I see also that oxytocin indirectly inhibits cortisol which leads me to believe a certain level of oxytocin is likely of benefit on an extreme cut or during stressful times (cortisol increasing events in general).

So whats your take on this? Any purpose in trying to adjust this hormone one way or another at any given time? Looks like there are some womens libido supplements that attempt to increase this hormone.

[dinoiii]

Ok, quick review for those reading along. Oxytocin is one of two hormones stored in the posterior pituitary (alongside ADH). The other ones of importance are all in the anterior pituitary. Unlike those anterior pituitary hormones, both of the posterior pituitary hormones are not actually produced there secondary to hypothalamic "releasing hormones," BUT actually produced directly by hypothalamic nuclei - supraoptic and paraventricular, which are actually just big words we endocrinologists use to describe their relative locations.

The times oxytocin become most prominent in females is when a baby sucks on the nipples post-pardum (after pregnancy) stressing something called milk letdown (ejection of milk during breastfeeding). It also dilates the cervix coupled with estrogen which increases the number of oxytocin receptors to promote uterine contraction during birth.

Now, what you reference is a bit different, but there is some difference to suggest that catecholamines (produced with stress) as well as cortisol actually drecrease the release of oxytocin, but it is unclear whether the converse is true (but likely, and this is no advertisement for a product, which it seems like you have been reading) - in other words, whether taking excess oxytocin would have any appreciable effect on cortisol - and even if it did, the question becomes would the level also override catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine), which would NOT be ideal even in a desire state.

That said, I think it is premature, at best, to recommend any kind of supplemental use of this kind of thing. If it is true, use of GH and IGF-1 alongside glucagon-like peptides and the like would likely indirectly increase stimulation and release anyway as one of the counterregulatory hormonal set and it would "go along for the ride" which is important in many ways.

Let me know if the way I have described it makes sense.


D_

[Right Hook]

Originally Posted by dinoiii

Ok, quick review for those reading along. Oxytocin is one of two hormones stored in the posterior pituitary (alongside ADH). The other ones of importance are all in the anterior pituitary. Unlike those anterior pituitary hormones, both of the posterior pituitary hormones are not actually produced there secondary to hypothalamic "releasing hormones," BUT actually produced directly by hypothalamic nuclei - supraoptic and paraventricular, which are actually just big words we endocrinologists use to describe their relative locations.

Good info, but now I think I have other questions about the other peptide releasing hormone - vasopressin (ADH). Perhaps regulating this hormone could be an alternative method to preventing water retention/aromatization instead of an AI? Just a thought....probably way more variables in there I am missing.

The times oxytocin become most prominent in females is when a baby sucks on the nipples post-pardum (after pregnancy) stressing something called milk letdown (ejection of milk during breastfeeding). It also dilates the cervix coupled with estrogen which increases the number of oxytocin receptors to promote uterine contraction during birth.

Now, what you reference is a bit different, but there is some difference to suggest that catecholamines (produced with stress) as well as cortisol actually drecrease the release of oxytocin, but it is unclear whether the converse is true (but likely, and this is no advertisement for a product, which it seems like you have been reading) - in other words, whether taking excess oxytocin would have any appreciable effect on cortisol - and even if it did, the question becomes would the level also override catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine), which would NOT be ideal even in a desire state.

It looks like dopamine is a catecholamine as well (or at least leads to epinephrine ---> norepinephrine). Which like you said isnt probably something that one would want to override (by override do you mean reduce?) along with epinephrine and norepinephrine.

That said, I think it is premature, at best, to recommend any kind of supplemental use of this kind of thing. If it is true, use of GH and IGF-1 alongside glucagon-like peptides and the like would likely indirectly increase stimulation and release anyway as one of the counterregulatory hormonal set and it would "go along for the ride" which is important in many ways.

Let me know if the way I have described it makes sense.


D_

Makes perfect sense. I dont really see any performance/bodybuilding supplements focused in this area so it was more out of curiosity then anything. Btw what are you doing up so early/late!


For others this is a pretty cool picture regarding cathecholamine synthesis:

[RisingAgainst]

tbag you lie like a whore with 50 bucks in her bra and an 8ball in her nose. you're so lost... LOL