Anorexia hormone oxytocin as the drug of choice

„cuddle hormone“ Oxytocin for anorexia

03/15/2014

British and Korean researchers have found that the administration of the hormone oxytocin in anorexia patients can alleviate an unhealthy fixation on food and the figure. The as well „cuddle hormone“ designated messenger substance could offer a new treatment for anorexia in the future.

Anorexia is one of the most common eating disorders
In two studies, British and South Korean researchers have found that the administration of the hormone oxytocin in patients with anorexia changes the perception of food, body shape and face. Anorexia nervosa is one of the most commonly diagnosed eating disorders. Although it is less common among female teenagers than bulimia, it is not uncommon for them to experience significantly worse outcomes with severe physical complications. Anorexia is one of the mental illnesses that can lead to death, on the one hand by complications caused by the small amount of food and on the other hand by suicide. Affected people have problems with eating and body shape, it comes to underweight. But even social difficulties such as anxiety and a sensitivity to negative emotions burden the anorexic.

Anorexic with social problems
„Patients with anorexia have a number of social problems that often occur in the early teens, even before the disease manifests. These social problems that lead to isolation may be important in understanding how to begin and maintain anorexia. By adding oxytocin as a potential treatment for anorexia, we focus on some of these underlying issues“, said study author Janet Treasure of King's College London. Anorexic people, who often have problems letting others in and engaging in intense relationships, may also be able to do so „cuddle hormone“ known messenger substance Oxytocin be helped. This is the conclusion of two studies on the subject, most recently in the specialist magazine „PLOS ONE“ and currently in „Psychoneuroendocrinology“ have appeared. The researchers from London and Seoul compared a group of 31 anorexia patients with 33 subjects who had no eating disorder. Some of the subjects were given an oxytocin nasal spray and others received a placebo.

Breakthrough treatment method
The hormone in anorexic participants caused them to pay less attention to photos of high-calorie food and obese bodies. The fact that the sensitivity to angry or disgusted faces decreased, turned out in a second test. Co-author Youl-Ri Kim of Inje University in Seoul said: „Our research shows that oxytocin reduces patients' unconscious tendencies to focus on food, body shape, and negative emotions such as disgust. Currently, there is a lack of effective pharmacological treatments for anorexia nervosa. Our research adds important pointers to the growing literature on oxytocin treatment for mental illness, and indicates the beginning of a new breakthrough treatment for anorexia patients.“

Research still at an early stage
Researcher Janet Treasure said: „Our research is still at an early stage with few subjects.“ It was still „very exciting“, to visualize the potential of anorexia treatment with oxytocin. The hormone is naturally released, for example, during breastfeeding or during sex. In previous studies, the binding messenger already proved to be a potentiator of the placebo effect in pain therapy, male fidelity, and non-anorexic success. Oxytocin is also being researched as a potential therapeutic for other mental ailments. Anorexia is estimated to affect just under one percent of girls but more and more boys and men are affected. Most often, the disease begins in the teenage years. (Ad)