A New Study Reveals That Sexual Activity and Oxytocin Accelerate Wound Healing by Almost Twice as Fast. Researchers Investigate How Intimacy, Affectionate Touch, and Stress Reduction Influence Tissue Regeneration.
Intimate closeness can significantly accelerate the healing of skin injuries – particularly when combined with the effects of the 'love hormone' oxytocin. This conclusion was drawn by researchers from the University of Zurich, who conducted a clinical experiment involving young couples. The findings revealed that minor wounds in romantically involved individuals healed almost twice as fast as usual. The results have been published in the esteemed journal JAMA Psychiatry.
The Impact of Close Relationships on Health
The link between the quality of close relationships and physical health has long attracted the attention of researchers. Previous large-scale studies have indicated that individuals in happy partnerships generally live longer and experience fewer chronic health issues. Emotional support and physical affection can reduce stress levels, strengthen the immune system, and consequently, have a positive effect on well-being. The new experiment focuses on a specific aspect of this connection – the speed of wound healing as influenced by intimacy.
A Study by Swiss Researchers
To investigate how intimacy affects tissue regeneration, a team of researchers from the University of Zurich (Switzerland) conducted a randomised double-blind study. The study involved 80 healthy young couples (a total of 160 participants) with an average age of about 27 years. In the laboratory, each volunteer had four small standard wounds inflicted on their forearms. The couples were then divided into four groups with different combinations of interventions over the following week:
- Oxytocin + Gratitude Exercise: Participants used a nasal spray with oxytocin twice daily and engaged in a 10-minute 'Partner Appreciation Task' (PAT) each day, during which they expressed gratitude and praised each other.
- Oxytocin without Exercises: Participants received the oxytocin spray twice a day but did not undertake any special joint tasks.
- Placebo + Exercise: Participants were given an inert placebo spray but completed the same PAT exercise involving positive conversations and compliments.
- Placebo without Exercises (Control): Participants used a placebo spray and did not engage in any additional tasks.
Over the week, all participants self-administered the spray (oxytocin or placebo) according to the schedule. Physicians assessed the condition of the wounds 24 hours and 7 days after the injuries were sustained, recording the size, depth, and extent of healing for each wound using a standard scale.
Oxytocin – The 'Love Hormone' in Action
Oxytocin is a neuropeptide often referred to as the 'love hormone' or the 'cuddle hormone'. It is naturally produced in the mother's body during childbirth and breastfeeding, as well as being released in individuals during pleasurable physical contacts, such as hugging, cuddling, and intimacy. This hormone strengthens social bonds, reduces anxiety, and lowers stress hormone cortisol levels. Previous studies have demonstrated that oxytocin can accelerate the healing of minor injuries to mucous membranes – likely due to its anti-inflammatory properties. The Swiss researchers hypothesised that additional oxytocin could enhance the positive impact of intimacy on wound healing, effectively acting as a catalyst in the recovery process.
Intimacy Accelerates Tissue Regeneration
The experiment's results confirmed that neither the oxytocin spray alone nor simply engaging in positive conversations with a partner had a notable effect on healing. However, couples who received both oxytocin and participated in the gratitude exercise experienced significantly faster healing. A week after the injury, the size and depth of their wounds were markedly smaller – nearly half the size compared to the control group. This effect was particularly pronounced among those participants in the 'oxytocin' group who maintained natural physical closeness with their partner throughout the experiment (frequently touching, hugging, and engaging in sexual activity) – these couples achieved the fastest healing by the end of the study.
Stress Reduction as a Healing Mechanism
Researchers attribute the accelerated healing primarily to the reduction in stress hormone levels. Chronic stress is known to inhibit tissue regeneration: cortisol suppresses the immune system and hinders normal recovery. In the new study, couples who actively demonstrated intimacy exhibited lower cortisol levels throughout the experimental week. In simpler terms, gentle touches and sexual activity helped participants feel calmer, allowing their bodies to allocate more resources to healing injuries. Importantly, the intake of oxytocin alone did not reduce stress; the hormone realised its potential only in conjunction with genuine warm interactions between partners.
New Rehabilitation Approaches
The authors of the study suggest that such approaches could form the basis for new psychosocial rehabilitation methods. As demonstrated, intimacy and emotional support can accelerate physical recovery, thus, they can be purposefully employed when working with patients following injuries and surgeries. For instance, hospitals should encourage partners to be involved in the recovery process – creating conditions for private communication, tactile contact, and shared positive activities. Integrating such practices into standard treatment and recovery programmes could enhance their effectiveness and significantly expedite patient recovery.
Prospects and Further Research
The new study highlights the fundamental possibility of 'healing with love' not only psychological but also tangible physical wounds. For the healthcare field, this signifies a prospect for developing combined therapeutic approaches, where relationships and psychology are utilised alongside medicinal treatments. Experts believe that increasing the dose of oxytocin could further amplify the effect, particularly among older individuals with compromised immune systems, where healing is often slowed. Future research involving a broader patient sample will help clarify the conditions under which intimacy most effectively impacts health. Should subsequent trials confirm the current findings, the implementation of stress reduction programmes and the promotion of positive relationships could carve out a new niche in healthcare – an area of interest both to medical professionals and investors seeking innovative solutions to enhance quality of life.
