A weapon against male obesity: oxytocin

To be happy, slim and healthy you can try living on love and fresh air ... or perhaps an oxytocin supplement might be the answer, according to a recent study ...

In a small, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in the US, 25 healthy male volunteers with an average age of 27, who were either normal weight, overweight or obese, were given oxytocin in nasal spray form (24IU) or a placebo.

Scientists at Harvard Medical School in Boston found that taking oxytocin an hour before a meal (in this case, breakfast) meant that less fat and fewer calories were subsequently consumed. On average, participants reduced their energy intake by 122 calories and their fat intake by 9 grams, compared with the placebo group.

The researchers concluded that by enhancing cell sensitivity to insulin, promoting fat-burning and improving energy production, oxytocin could constitute a new weapon in the battle to shed excess weight.
Earlier animal studies had already provided conclusive evidence on appetite control in rodents.

Further studies, particularly on women, are needed to confirm these results and establish oxytocin’s specific mechanisms of action. However, these initial findings are highly promising in terms of reducing dietary consumption and regulating the metabolic dysfunctions that lead to excess weight and obesity.

The results of this study were presented by Elizabeth Lawson at the 97th Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society in San Diego.

Source : www.endocrine.org