Oxytocin, often referred to as the "love hormone," has been touted for ages as the hormone that facilitates romance and attachment between parents and children. While this powerful neurotransmitter plays a role in these very important areas, its simplicity is far from the depth of its complexity. From stress response to social behaviors, to even medical treatments, oxytocin is the linchpin in numerous physiological and psychological processes.

What exactly is Oxytocin?

Oxytocin is both a hormone and a neurotransmitter that is produced in the hypothalamus, which is a small but essential area of the brain located at its base. It is secreted by the pituitary gland, affecting many different systems throughout the body. Its most well-known function is its role in reproduction, facilitating labor in women and assisting sperm movement in men.

But oxytocin’s reach extends far beyond reproduction. Found in cells across the body, oxytocin interacts with other key neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin, often referred to as the "happy hormones" Together, these chemicals shape our emotions, behaviors, and overall well-being.

Oxytocin and Its Role in Love

Many studies have supported the connection between oxytocin and love. The most notable of these was the 2012 study when scientists found that oxytocin levels significantly rose in couples at early stages of a romantic relationship than in single individuals. In couples who remained with their partners for more than six months, the increased levels stayed up, indicating that oxytocin has a place in long-term attachment.

Oxytocin also plays a critical role in sexual activity, making the orgasm more intense and intimate. It helps in creating feelings of trust, empathy, and good memories, which are important elements for a strong foundation in relationships.

Relaxation from Stress and Pain Management

Oxytocin's effects are not limited to emotional bonding; it is also a key player in stress relief. A 2021 study found that oxytocin levels start to increase even before the onset of stress-causing events, such as exams, as the body prepares itself to cope with increased cortisol levels. In this regard, oxytocin is a natural buffer during mental strain.

Additionally, oxytocin has been proven to produce pain relief and is hence an area of potential therapeutic application in conditions characterized by chronic pain or intense stress.

Labor, Breastfeeding, and Maternal Bonding

Oxytocin's most widely known role is that of its function in delivery and breastfeeding. Oxytocin levels surge during labor, enhancing the uterine contractions that will deliver the baby. Medical science has also used synthetic oxytocin, often referred to as Pitocin, to initiate or enhance labor.

Just as essential postpartum, the hormone stimulates milk letdown and deepens the maternal bond between the mother and her infant.

Social Bonding and Altruism

It has often been called the "social glue" because of its intense effect on human behavior. Many researches have indicated that oxytocin boosts our ability to empathize, trust, and bond with others. All these social behaviors are integral for building communities and fostering relationships between people.

Oxytocin also seems to impact generosity and altruism. According to research by the American Psychological Association, oxytocin seems to promote selfless behaviors and therefore strengthens its role in fostering a more cooperative and compassionate society.

Applications of Oxytocin

Oxytocin's medical potential is wide and still being explored. It has more than labor induction as its promise in treating developmental and psychiatric disorders. A 2017 study pointed out the benefits of oxytocin in managing autism spectrum disorders and other conditions that impair social interaction.

Researchers are also investigating the use of oxytocin as a treatment for postpartum depression. Some of the findings are mixed, though: a few studies indicate synthetic oxytocin may cause more anxiety and depression among new mothers. The science is also looking at the use of oxytocin to help with substance abuse disorders and possibly be an alternate option for those suffering through addiction.

Oxytocin's Complex Interplay with the Body

The effects of oxytocin on the body are complex and multifaceted, arising from its interaction with neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin. When you feel attracted or in love, oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin combine to build up a positive feeling of bonding.

The impact of oxytocin reaches into numerous physiological processes, including:

Cilia Function in the Respiratory System: Oxytocin helps move the cilia, which are short hair-like structures, that aid in ridding the respiratory tract of pathogens.

Immune System Support: It contributes to stress response regulation. Stress response is a potential modulator of immune function and hence of health.

While oxytocin is often romanticized as the “love hormone,” its contributions to human health and behavior are far-reaching. From aiding childbirth to fostering empathy and reducing stress, this hormone underpins many aspects of daily life.

Understanding the complexities of oxytocin reveals the intricate interlocking systems that govern the body. Oxytocin will continue to surprise in what its full use is; perhaps it has something crucial to say about mental disorders, social disorders, even chronic illness.

By nature, oxytocin is more than the "hormone of love." It's the hormone of connection, healing, and indeed humanity.

The Role of Oxytocin and the Effect of Stress During Childbirth. Frontiers. 2021.

Oxytocin during the initial stages of romantic attachment: relations to couples' interactive reciprocity. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2012

Could intranasal oxytocin be used to enhance relationships? Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2013

Cleft lip and cleft palate are birth defects that occur when a baby's lip or mouth do not form properly. As per the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the lip forms between the fourth and seventh weeks of pregnancy. During development, body tissue and cells from each side of the head grow towards the center of the face. They join together to form facial features like the lips and mouth.

So, How Does Cleft Lip Happen?

A cleft lip happens if the tissue making up the upper lip does not join completely before birth, leaving an opening. The opening can be small, or it can go through the lip into the nose. A cleft lip can be on one or both sides of the lip. It can also be in the middle of the lip. Children with a cleft lift can also have a cleft palate.

A cleft palate happens if the tissue that makes up the roof of the mouth, which is the palate does not join together. It could be the front and back part of the palate which remains open, or partially either of them remain open.

Together, these birth defects are called orofacial clefts.

To know more about this condition and whether it is necessary to get it fixed surgically, we spoke to Dr Niranjan Kumar, Consultant, Plastic Surgeon, and Vice-Chancellor of SDM University.

Is Surgery Necessary?

Dr Kumar pointed out that if cleft lip or cleft palate is not fixed through surgery, then it could lead to problems in feeding, leading to nutritional deficiencies and growth retardation. There will also be a delayed in speech, delayed eruption and malocclusion of teeth. It could also lead to recurrent chest infections, frequent middle ear infections and then lead to defective hearing.

" If neglected, this defect adversely affects the social life of child due to the inferiority complex associated with the appearance and defective speech. This leads to the retardation of the child's overall personality development," said Dr Kumar.

SDM Craniofacial surgery and Research Center has also started its own program in collaboration with Dharwad and The Smile Train, New York, USA of free treatment to fix these conditions in children.

Dr Kumar pointed out that in India, this happens to 1 on average of 550 live births. This means that there are more than 10 lakhs cleft children in the country.

What Causes It?

"There are no definite causes for cleft deformity. But, genetic factors and changes in the fetal environment have been implicated as possible causes. Illness during the pregnancy, nutritional deficiencies, ingestion of harmful medications and exposure to contagious diseases during pregnancy may also be the contributing factors," the doctor explained.

Available Treatments

Dr Kumar points out that affected children if treated at early age, have a better chance of leading a normal life like any other normal children.

"Surgical treatment is the only solution. The surgery for cleft lip and palate can be performed from 6 months of age. However, it depends on the growth and development of the child at that particular age. For the effective treatment of the defect, it may require 2 to 3 surgeries and this depends on the severity of the defect," he explained.

Steps to be followed by the parents of a child with cleft lip and palate deformity: When a child is born with a defect, the parents should not get disheartened. They should consult the concerned doctors and follow their instructions. As far as possible breast feeding should be encouraged.

Being on flights can make some people nervous. As the plane gains momentum and speeds off the ground, some people feel an unexplained pressure in their stomach. The phrase ‘butterflies in stomach’ perfectly summarizes this feeling, as it is a mixture of excitement and anxiety. However, going through the entire flight with built-up gas and the bloated feeling can be one of the most uncomfortable experiences.

Why Do Flights Cause Bloating?

Airlines often caution people about how changes in cabin pressure during takeoff and landing on long-haul flights can lead to health problems. The air pressure inside the cabin is lower than at sea level. As the cabin pressure decreases during flight, gases in the body expand, which can cause pressure and bloating in the stomach and digestive system. Bloating often occurs when food isn't properly digested, leading to gas production by bacteria in the intestines. They echoed the advice to eat light, probiotic foods before flying and avoid gas-producing foods and carbonated drinks during travel.

Tips To Avoid Bloating

The best way to find lasting relief from bloating depends on what's causing it. Sometimes, getting a professional diagnosis is necessary to understand the underlying issue. However, if you're looking for home remedies to ease bloating today or prevent it tomorrow, here are some options you can try. According to the Cleveland Clinic,

Peppermint, Chamomile, Ginger, Turmeric, and Fennel Teas: These can aid digestion and help your body process gas more effectively.

Dandelion Tea: This tea may help reduce water retention, which can contribute to bloating.

Regular Exercise with Core Strengthening: Focusing on exercises that strengthen your core muscles can help improve digestive function and reduce abdominal bloating over time.

Should You Avoid Certain Foods Before Flight?

To help avoid gas problems and have a more comfortable flight, avoid certain things. Expert explains that the day before you fly, have a meal with seasonal vegetables. These foods contain fiber and help you avoid any gas build up on the day of the flight.

On the morning of your flight, make sure you do things like drink warm lemon water, avoid caffeine or choose herbal tea and limit carbohydrates. Doing things like walking around the airport while waiting, using the bathroom before boarding and avoiding oily and salty foods during the flight also helps.

Some other things you should do is to not eat things like fruits, legumes, and vegetables, or dairy products because they can contribute to bloating. Try only consuming non-alcoholic and non-carbonated drinks.

To avoid feeling anxious and stressed during the flight, move around the cabin every two hours on long flights, keep doctor-approved pills for digestive issues and consult a doctor if you have significant discomfort before or after flying.

Being frail comes with age, your joints become weaker, your muscles lose their strength, and your skin slowly loses its elasticity. A lot of people wonder why aging people move so slowly or have difficulty doing simple tasks, but as they age, they realize that it's because there is a constant pain that accompanies moving.

There are a lot of things that can affect aging, something that many people have raised concern over. Certain foods, lifestyle activities and conditions that can age your body and organs faster than their biological age. Experts and studies have explained that to slow this rapid aging, one must incorporate many changes in their life, things like eating unprocessed food, and avoiding foods with excess saturated fats, added sugar and sodium etc., one must also live a healthy lifestyle with proper exercise and healthy choices like early mornings and appropriate sleep.

Coffee Consumption And Healthy Aging

People also suggest one should avoid things like coffee and drinks with excess caffeine. However, a new study shows that it could help you slow down aging. Published in the European Journal of Nutrition, the study suggests that regularly drinking coffee might play a role in delaying physical ageing and frailty. The research indicates that coffee drinkers could potentially experience fewer of the undesirable symptoms associated with getting older.

Specifically, the study revealed that consistently consuming four to six or more cups of coffee (each 125ml) daily is linked to a lower risk of developing frailty in older adults.

What Is Considered Frail and How Does Coffee Affect It?

This study was funded by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC) and they wanted to find the relationship between coffee consumption and how it is linked to frailty. Using Fried’s five component of frailty, which has been determined as a useful criteria for inpatient assessment by Clinical Interventions in Aging, which are,

• Unintentional weight loss
• Feelings of weakness
• Exhaustion
• Slow walking speed
• Low levels of physical activity.

What Did The Study Find?

Building on previous studies that associated coffee with benefits like improved brain function and protection against inflammation-related diseases, they looked into long term benefits of coffee.

Researchers conducted a thorough seven-year analysis of 1,161 adults aged 55 and over, using data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study Amsterdam (LASA). The study focused on the relationship between how much coffee participants drank and the presence and development of frailty.

The researchers suggested that the antioxidants present in coffee may be a key reason for its potential to reduce frailty. These antioxidants could help lessen inflammation, combat muscle loss (sarcopenia), and protect against muscle damage. Furthermore, coffee might improve how the body uses insulin and absorbs glucose in older individuals. Their findings showed that daily coffee consumption can reduce frailty in older population.

Food Safety Regulations To Keep In Mind

These findings should be considered alongside the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) guidelines on caffeine consumption. EFSA considers up to 400mg of caffeine daily (equivalent to three to five cups of coffee) to be a moderate and safe amount for most adults. However, individuals with high sensitivity to caffeine or high blood pressure should limit their coffee intake. The NHS also advises pregnant women to limit their caffeine consumption to no more than 200mg per day, roughly equivalent to two cups of coffee.