The evidence is convergent. Multiple independent sources reach the same conclusion, the underlying mechanism is well-characterized, and even the field's most cautious voices treat it as worth doing.
MDMA increased plasma oxytocin levels to 83.7, this is an average, 83.7 picograms per milliliter. About 90 to 120 minutes into the MDMA session compared to a typical level of 18.6. So this is a massive increase in oxytocin.
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It turns out that MDMA causes massive release of oxytocin. This neuropeptide that's associated with pair bonding and with bonding generally.
But one of the lesser appreciated effects of MDMA is that it causes huge increases, massive increases in the amount of oxytocin that's released into the brain and body.
while most of the attention has been focused on the dopaminergic and serotonergic aspects of the MDMA response, it's clear to me, based on my read of the literature, that the enormously elevated oxytocin that occurs during the consumption of MDMA is part of the reason why people experience during the MDMA session and post MDMA session, a much greater degree and depth of kinship or feeling of connection with that person.
the average levels of oxytocin in the bloodstream of people that were given 1.5 milligrams per kilogram of MDMA which is 83.7 picograms per milliliter that equates to nearly a five-fold increase in the amount of circulating oxytocin when people are under the influence of MDMA
one of the things that's been explored in both the animal literature and the human literature is that MDMA doesn't just increase dopamine and doesn't just increase serotonin but it also profoundly increases levels of oxytocin release in the brain
methylene dioxy methamphetamine is it's very interesting because it dramatically increases dopamine but not nearly as much as it increases serotonin and it also leads to enormous increases in Oxy oxytocin and it's not really a classic psychedelic it's uh an empathogen
MDMA increased oxytocin levels 10-30x. Increasing friendliness and sociability for 5 hours. Study was 15 healthy volunteers. 100 mg dose.