Three Little Hormones of Love
Posted February 1st, 2023
When it’s time for romance, these three little hormones of love are a BIG thing. And if they are not in balance, it can lead to a real problem.
Take for instance the case of a recent patient… a 42-year-old, happily married, mother of two high school students, who appeared to be the picture of health on the outside. She exercised regularly, ate whole foods and had no real abnormal stresses in her life. But she said things were not right with her in the bedroom.
“Back in the day,” she related with a grin, “I was always willing and sometimes the promoter of our lovemaking; however, lately, it feels as if those old flames have fizzled out. Is that it? Is our love life destined to be this way forever? I mean, the kids will be leaving for college soon, and my husband and I will have more time alone. Is there any chance it’s just my hormones? Is there any ‘love potion #9’ you can give me for my problem.”
I thought for a moment over all the marriage classes my wife and I attended when we were younger and asked her the usual questions- “Do you and your husband get away on dates or vacations alone?” I asked. “Yes,” she responded. “Do you have a time in the day you can connect on a husband to wife level. Not talking about the kids or money or business issues.” (Many couples end up just being business partners or roommates after years of marriage and forget to connect on a romantic level.) “Yes,” she responded and told me they had attended marriage groups, learning those same skills of maintaining a happy marriage. “Thanks for reminding me,” she added.
“It might very well be your hormone balance, then,” I said, and proceeded to run a hormone panel. I checked not only the ovarian hormones, but also, the three ‘hormones of love’, Oxytocin, Dopamine and Serotonin. These hormones are also referred to as our ‘happy hormones’. When you’re attracted to another person your brain should release dopamine, your serotonin levels increase, and oxytocin is produced.
Sure enough, the lab results revealed that she was not producing a sufficient amount of any of these hormones that increase desire for sex and lovemaking. When we rebalanced her dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin, she felt her old self return. Her libido improved, her husband’s advances were met with enthusiasm and, as an extra benefit, her orgasms increased.
It’s no wonder that so many people are turning to Bio-identical Hormones!