10 | id == 10
10 | category_id == 2
10 | category_order == 2
10 | category_name == Relationships
10 | category_color == #C47AC0
10 | slug == oxytocin-empathy
10 | title == Are You Genetically More Empathetic? (OXTR)
10 | meta_description == Personalized genetics blog article
10 | summary == <p style="text-align:justify"><strong>When you see another person suffering, do you feel their pain? This little superpower is called empathy, and it&rsquo;s regulated by your oxytocin genes. In this post, we&rsquo;ll explore whether yours are working correctly and what you can do to support them.</strong></p>
10 | overall_score_text == Empathy Score (based on OXTR Gene)
10 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/Oxytocin-and-Empathy_JPG.jpg
10 | author_id == 1
10 | author_name == Jasmine Foster
10 | author_title == BSc, BEd
10 | author_order == 36
10 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Jasmine.jpg
10 | author_intro == <p><strong>Jasmine received her BS from McGill University and her BEd from Vancouver Island University.</strong></p>    <p>Jasmine loves helping people understand their brains and bodies, a passion that grew out of her dual background in biology and education. From the chem lab to the classroom, everyone has the right to learn and make informed decisions about their health.</p>
10 | reviewer_id == 2
10 | reviewer_name == Joe Cohen
10 | reviewer_title == BS
10 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
10 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
10 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
10 | publish_date == 2019
10 | publish_date == 8
10 | publish_date == 7
10 | avg_rating == 4.333333333333333
10 | tags_id == 18
10 | tags_name == Autism
10 | tags_id == 15
10 | tags_name == Empathy
10 | tags_id == 19
10 | tags_name == Generosity
10 | tags_id == 16
10 | tags_name == OXTR Gene
10 | tags_id == 14
10 | tags_name == Social Smarts
10 | permissions_favorite == False
10 | permissions_rate == False
10 | content_article == <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Love, Empathy, and Evolution</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Most babies will start trying to comfort people in distress by the time they&rsquo;re a year old&mdash;but where does this behavior come from? Why can we sometimes literally feel the pain of other people? [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3021497/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5513638/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Empathy is one of the most important foundational traits for social interactions and relationships. Without it, human beings could only ever act selfishly, uncaring about the suffering of other people. With it, we are motivated to work together and to support each other [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5513638/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As it happens, empathy is one of humanity&rsquo;s most valuable evolutionary assets as well. Empathy promotes altruism, the tendency to take actions that benefit others at personal cost. Altruism, in turn, promotes cooperative family groups and larger social structures like villages [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17550343"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It&rsquo;s fair to say that the human species wouldn&rsquo;t be as successful as we are without our ability to cooperate.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400; display: block; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; padding: 20px; background-color: #e8ebfc;">Empathy is the ability, or perhaps instinct, to feel (and try to fix) the suffering of others. Without it, cooperative social groups are unlikely to succeed.</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Dictator Game</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Dictator Game is a very simple experiment involving two anonymous &ldquo;players:&rdquo; the Dictator and the Recipient. The Dictator is given a sum of either real or fictional currency and asked to allocate a certain amount (which may be zero) to the Recipient, who has no influence on the Dictator [</span><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0005535"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In theory, a Dictator with no or low empathy would give nothing to the Recipient, while a Dictator with high empathy would give half or more away [</span><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0005535"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a study of 301 people, over 47% were generous (half or more) givers. These highly empathetic participants had the most active and efficient oxytocin receptors (OXTR); they were especially likely to have the &lsquo;G&rsquo; allele at rs1042778 and the &lsquo;T&rsquo; allele at rs2268494 [</span><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0005535"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h4><span style="font-weight: 400;">Why is OXTR important?</span></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We&rsquo;ve known for decades that </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/the-social-chilled-out-and-empathetic-genes-oxytocin-receptor-snps/"><strong>oxytocin</strong></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, sometimes called the love hormone, is vital for social bonding and empathy. That may be why the oxytocin receptor gene, </span><a href="https://selfdecode.com/blog/gene/oxtr/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">OXTR</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, is among the best-studied genes in the human genome [</span><a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0269881112473788"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">OXTR rs53576 is the best-studied SNP in this gene, but many more are likely to influence the efficiency of your oxytocin receptors.</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Emotional Empathy</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These days, it&rsquo;s generally accepted that oxytocin increases emotional empathy. The more oxytocin we have and the more active our oxytocin receptors are, the more likely we are to feel the pain of others and to respond with altruism and generosity [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6079225/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25103924"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In genetic terms, the more active your </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">OXTR</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://selfdecode.com/blog/gene/cd38/?utm_source=seo&amp;#38;utm_medium=selfhacked&amp;#38;utm_campaign=id00002"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">CD38</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> genes are, the more empathy you&rsquo;re likely to feel [</span><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0005535"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28865941"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h4><span style="font-weight: 400;">Why is CD38 Important?</span></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In recent years, this gene was identified as part of the pathway that releases oxytocin in the brain. More CD38 activity releases more oxytocin and enhances empathy and social communication [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3327852/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22336563"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400; display: block; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; padding: 20px; background-color: #e8ebfc;">OXTR (the oxytocin receptor) and CD38 (an oxytocin-releasing protein) may be the most important genes promoting generous giving and emotional empathy.</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Your OXTR Gene Results for Empathy</span></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">*2888555097884637*</span></p> <p><strong>OXTR rs53576</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2936623/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = More empathy and trust, more optimism</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = Less empathy and trust, more pessimism</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>OXTR rs2268494 </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">[</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4187267/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = More empathy in relationships, better communication with a partner</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = Less empathy in relationships, poorer communication with a partner</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>OXTR rs2254298 </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">[</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22357335"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;AG&rsquo; = The most empathy</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;AA&rsquo; = Less empathy</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;GG&rsquo; = Least empathy, less supportive of romantic partner</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>OXTR rs1042778 </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">[</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23974948"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = More empathy in relationships, more generosity, more total oxytocin in the body</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = Less empathy in relationships, less generosity</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>OXTR rs237887</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0005535"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25092245"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = More empathy, lower risk of autism</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = Less empathy, higher risk of autism</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>OXTR rs2268491 </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">[</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22357335"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25092245"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = Less empathy, higher risk of autism</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = More empathy, lower risk of autism<br /></span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">People with the 'CT' genotype showed the highest empathy in one study, followed by 'TT' and 'CC.' The difference between 'CT' and 'TT' may not be statistically significant [<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22357335/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">R</a>].</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another study found that the 'T' allele was linked with reduced rates of autism [<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25092245/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">R</a>].</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>OXTR rs13316193</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25092245"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;C&rsquo; = More empathy, lower risk of autism</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = Less empathy, higher risk of autism</span></li> </ul> <p><a href="https://selfdecode.com/blog/gene/cd38/?utm_source=seo&amp;#38;utm_medium=selfhacked&amp;#38;utm_campaign=id00002"><strong>CD38</strong></a><strong> rs3796863</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28865941"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;T&rsquo; = More oxytocin released, more sensitive parenting</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Less oxytocin released, poorer social communication</span></li> </ul> <p>*2649233123305583*</p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Does Low Oxytocin Cause Autistic Traits?</span></h2> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Autism and Empathy</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Autism is a widely-defined developmental disorder that causes poor social communication skills, repetitive behavior, and fixation on special interests [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31147901"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">People with autism also don&rsquo;t seem to experience empathy in the same way that neurotypical people do, and oxytocin may be behind the deficit [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31147901"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-019-04080-3"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5544319/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One review of eight studies found four OXTR SNPs with significant links to autism: rs7632287 (&lsquo;A&rsquo; risk allele), rs237887 (&lsquo;A&rsquo; risk allele), rs2268491 (&lsquo;T&rsquo; risk allele), and rs2254298 (&lsquo;A&rsquo; risk allele) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25092245"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Other studies have found that a nasal oxytocin spray can reduce the severity of autistic behaviors and improve the social and emotional awareness of people with autism, though some respond much more strongly than others [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29955161"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28766270"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5544319/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rat Brains Without CD38</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A recent study sought to confirm the role of oxytocin deficits in the development of autism. Researchers produced genetically modified rats without the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">CD38</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene, which codes for an oxytocin-releasing protein. Without CD38, the rats&rsquo; brains could not experience the effects of oxytocin because it couldn&rsquo;t be released from neurons [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30844310"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These CD38-negative rats developed signs and symptoms that are often used to model autism. They were much less flexible in their behavior and habits, unable to adapt to change without </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/63-factors-raising-stress-cortisol-level-backed-science/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">stress</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. They also had abnormal development in the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for social interactions [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30844310"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400; display: block; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; padding: 20px; background-color: #e8ebfc;">Autism is a developmental disorder marked by poor social communication skills and lower than average empathy. These deficits may be caused by a dysfunctional oxytocin system.</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Recommendations for Increasing Empathy</span></h2> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">What to Prioritize</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you have the &lsquo;G&rsquo; allele in CD38 rs3796863, you may release less oxytocin than other people in response to the same stimulus. You&rsquo;ll need to focus on increasing oxytocin release in your brain.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you have any of the detrimental OXTR variants, you may have reduced activity or sensitivity of your oxytocin receptors. You&rsquo;ll need to focus on increasing that sensitivity rather than just increasing oxytocin itself.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you choose to follow any of the strategies below, make sure you talk to your doctor about any potential side effects or interactions.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">*9097783345729661*</span></p> <h4><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lifestyle</span></h4> <p><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/health-benefits-yoga/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yoga</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> has been found to increase oxytocin levels throughout the body and nervous system [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30732846"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30233119"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. It also helps reduce stress: practicing yoga typically improves your breathing, lowers your heart rate, and reduces overall blood pressure. All of these physical effects help regulate your </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/reasons-cortisol-low-high/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">HPA axis</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which not only reduces stress levels, but also enhances your ability to cope when especially stressful situations arise [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22891145"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25558129"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/massage-health-benefits/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Massages</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> help stimulate the production and release of oxytocin throughout the brain, which is probably one of the main reasons why massages are so good at reducing stress and improving mood [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23251939"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9924739"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/top-14-proven-health-benefits-exercise-references-mechanisms/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Exercise</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> triggers the production and release of oxytocin in the brain, and may even increase the activity of the OXTR gene itself [</span><a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1757-899X/180/1/012177"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29143998"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19638362"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. In fact, increased oxytocin levels may also be why exercise is so beneficial for the heart and circulatory system [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31112739"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27268060"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26958805"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25094035"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19638362"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. Exercise also has strong psychological benefits, such as increasing your overall </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/factors-counteract-stress-response/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">resilience against stress</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11148895"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12810557"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Given oxytocin&rsquo;s close ties with physical contact and social bonding, it shouldn&rsquo;t be surprising that sexual activity increases oxytocin activity. In other words, having sex may strengthen relationships on a biochemical level. According to a study of male rats, sex may also increase the expression of oxytocin receptors [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3782434"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3715561/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">More generally, pleasant physical contact with other people and companion animals increases oxytocin release. If you want to increase the amount of oxytocin in your brain quickly and easily, hug your friends and pet your cats and dogs [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18842740"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5645535/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]!</span></p> <h4><span style="font-weight: 400;">Diet</span></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In middle eastern traditional medicine, women use </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/benefits-fenugreek/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">fenugreek</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to increase oxytocin and promote lactation. Fenugreek is a versatile plant; you can add the greens (also called </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">methi</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">) to your salads or make tea with the seeds [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4561638/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/21-proven-science-based-reasons-magnesium-amazing-including-drawbacks/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Magnesium</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is required for oxytocin to bind to its receptor. If you have the &lsquo;A&rsquo; allele of rs53576, you have less receptor activity already; it&rsquo;s especially important for you to get enough magnesium and keep your receptors working as well as they can [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1135623/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h4><span style="font-weight: 400;">Supplements</span></h4> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In 42 healthy adults, high doses of </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/need-know-vitamin-c-32-science-based-health-benefits/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">vitamin C</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (3000 mg per day) increased oxytocin release and sexual activity and decreased </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/natural-treatments-depression/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">depression</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> scores [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12208645"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to a handful of studies, </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/melatonin/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">melatonin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> boosts sensitivity to oxytocin by increasing OXTR expression. Melatonin is considered generally safe with few (if any) serious side effects [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2730229/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4273450/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. For a comprehensive list of strategies to increase melatonin naturally, check out </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/melatonin-part-2/#Factors_That_Increase_Melatonin_Levels"><span style="font-weight: 400;">this SelfHacked post</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, the </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/probiotics-good-bacteria/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">probiotic</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> bacterium </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-12-scientific-health-benefits-of-l-reuteri/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lactobacillus reuteri</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> may increase the expression of oxytocin receptors in your brain [</span><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0078898"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p>
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10 | content_learn_more_2888555097884637_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your oxytocin genes make you somewhat less empathetic toward others. If you want to feel more empathy, you’ll need to increase OXTR expression, sensitize your oxytocin receptors, or increase oxytocin release. Keep scrolling to see how.
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rsIDs = rs3796863,rs2268494,rs2268491,rs13316193,rs237887,rs1042778,rs7632287,rs2254298,rs53576
rsStatus = rs3796863,CD38,chr4,15848363,G,A,T,,33,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs2268494,OXTR,chr3,8760360,T,A,C,G,33,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs2268491,OXTR,chr3,8758712,C,T,,,40,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs13316193,OXTR,chr3,8761057,T,A,C,,36,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs237887,OXTR,chr3,8755356,G,A,C,,16,13,HET
rsStatus = rs1042778,OXTR,chr3,8752859,G,A,C,T,25,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs7632287,,chr3,8749760,G,A,,,41,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs2254298,OXTR,chr3,8760542,G,A,T,,37,0,Normal
rsStatus = rs53576,OXTR,chr3,8762685,A,G,T,,28,15,HET
