Can’t wait to shed a few pounds before going back on a date? You are doing things in the wrong order. Falling in love can help you lose weight, according to a new study published in the journal Obesity.
A study conducted by researchers at Harvard Medical School focused on the hormone oxytocin, known as the “love hormone.” Oxytocin is associated with activities such as hugging, kissing, and sex. They added oxytocin to their nasal spray to help obese people gain healthy weight.
The researchers recruited 25 healthy young men, 13 with a “normal” BMI and 12 with overweight or obesity. Participants were given an oxytocin spray or a placebo, and none of the participants knew which they had received. After receiving the sprinkler, all participants ordered breakfast from the menu and were served twice as much as they wanted. The researchers then measured how many calories the participants ate. Eight weeks later, participants were retested, but switched to either oxytocin or placebo.
The results show that the power of love helps people skip sweets. Participants ate an average of 122 fewer calories and 9 grams of fat after receiving a dose of oxytocin. In addition, participants had improved insulin sensitivity and increased metabolism. Although the study was small and only focused on young men, the research was promising because of the apparent appetite.
