Having fun in life, being active, alive, and sexually happy all seem to depend on the existence and amount of a natural hormone called Oxytocin. If you suffer from a loss of this hormone there are frustrations and problems that occur in your life. This week we talk about how to avoid or eliminate those complications.
The hormone Oxytocin is secreted by the posterior pituitary of the brain in response to sexual stimulation, touch, and happiness. It causes dilation of the blood vessels of the pelvis and face, and stimulates ejaculation of semen in men and vaginal fluid in women. In pregnancy, Oxytocin begins uterine contractions of labor, and is necessary for breast -feeding. Deficiency of oxytocin occurs with aging, and is genetically low at any age in some people. It is used under the name Pitocin through an IV line to begin labor contractions. If your life is over stressed then your production of oxytocin is suppressed. Stress management skills can help maintain the appropriate and natural amount of the critically important hormone we call oxytocin.
The physical characteristics of plentiful Oxytocin that are most visible in both sexes include flush of the face and chest, moisture of the skin, lubricated eyes, vagina and penis. People with plentiful oxytocin are gregarious, work easily in team settings, have many friends, seem warm and happy, exhibiting smiles easily, with a good sexual drive and comfortably manage to experience orgasms. It is interesting to note that the chemical communicators that circulate in our bodies and brains produce the qualities we call personality traits!
As we age, the level of oxytocin we make decreases (as do so many other hormones). We look for signs of deficiency in physical characteristics and decreased social activities. The signs of oxytocin deficiency are similar to that of depression combined with dehydration, but the cause is quite different.
Behavioral Signs of Oxytocin Deficiency:
- Being cold and irritable
- Being depressed and devoid of the joys of life
- Introversion
- Lack of friendliness
- Being untrusting and paranoid
- Having poor sex drives combined with anorgasmia
Physical Signs of Oxytocin Deficiency:
- Pale face and chest
- Muscle pain with a pained look on the face
- Fatigue from lack of sleep
- Dry and pale glans of the penis, vagina and vulva
- Dehydration
The good news is that the replacement of testosterone and growth hormone in men and testosterone, GH, and estradiol in women stimulate the production of oxytocin in most people unless they suffer from head injuries or genetic autism. In these two cases oxytocin can be replaced by sublingual tablets, or buccal tablets, or vaginal tabs of compounded oxytocin. This often works to improve sexual orgasm, and in select cases of autism, the symptoms decrease enough for a person to become more social.
This Health cast was written and presented by Dr. Kathy Maupin, M.D., Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Expert and Author, with Brett Newcomb, MA., LPC., Family Counselor, Presenter and Author. www.BioBalanceHealth.com.
