7 | id == 7
7 | category_id == 2
7 | category_order == 2
7 | category_name == Relationships
7 | category_color == #C47AC0
7 | slug == increase-your-chances-of-a-romantic-relationship
7 | title == How to Increase Your Chances of a Romantic Relationship (5HT1A)
7 | meta_description == Personalized genetics blog article
7 | summary == <p style="text-align:justify"><strong>Do you have a hard time going on dates or falling in love? A variation in one kind of serotonin receptor might be at fault. Fortunately, we&rsquo;ve got recommendations to help you feel more comfortable forming close relationships.</strong></p>
7 | overall_score_text == Likelihood of Romantic Relationship (HTR1A)
7 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/Have-a-Hard-Time-Connecting-with-People-The-Answer-May-Lie-In-Your-Genes_JPG.jpg
7 | author_id == 1
7 | author_name == Jasmine Foster
7 | author_title == BSc, BEd
7 | author_order == 36
7 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Jasmine.jpg
7 | 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>
7 | reviewer_id == 2
7 | reviewer_name == Joe Cohen
7 | reviewer_title == BS
7 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
7 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
7 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
7 | publish_date == 2019
7 | publish_date == 7
7 | publish_date == 22
7 | avg_rating == 4.5
7 | tags_id == 5
7 | tags_name == 5HT1A Gene
7 | tags_id == 9
7 | tags_name == Alexithymia
7 | tags_id == 1
7 | tags_name == Dating success
7 | tags_id == 10
7 | tags_name == Dysautonomia
7 | tags_id == 7
7 | tags_name == Fibromyalgia
7 | tags_id == 8
7 | tags_name == IBS
7 | tags_id == 11
7 | tags_name == Psychedelics
7 | tags_id == 6
7 | tags_name == PTSD
7 | permissions_favorite == False
7 | permissions_rate == False
7 | content_article == <p style="text-align: justify;">The thing we need to understand when we are studying the influence of DNA on our lives is that any single gene very rarely exerts a lot of influence.&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Rather, each gene interacts with the next, gradually building into something observable like a condition or personality trait.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Thus, when we discover a gene (or a SNP within a gene) that has a significant impact on its own, it is worth exploring further and deeper. <em>5HTR1A</em>, which codes for the 5HT1A serotonin receptor, is one such gene.</p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;">Serotonin Receptors, Dating, and Romance</h2> <p style="text-align: justify;">Serotonin levels strongly influence mood, social behavior, and even morality [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3817523/">R</a>].</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">It&rsquo;s unsurprising, then, that serotonin is entangled in the science of romance and dating [<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/srep07049">R</a>].</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">The Chinese Love Study</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">*6856676671144866*</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">In one highly publicized study, researchers found a surprisingly robust link between <em>5HTR1A </em>variants and relationship status [<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/srep07049">R</a>].</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Researchers studied the SNP rs6295 and found it affects the number of 5HT1A serotonin receptors a person expresses in their brain, which in turn increases or decreases the number of neurons firing [<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/srep07049">R</a>].</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Young Chinese adults with a &lsquo;GG&rsquo; genotype had about a 50% chance of being in a relationship. Even a single copy of the &lsquo;C&rsquo; allele resulted in a lower chance of being in a relationship (around 20% chance less likely to be in a relationship). That may not sound like much, but in the world of DNA research, it&rsquo;s a huge effect for a single SNP to have [<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/srep07049">R</a>].</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="display: block; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; padding: 20px; background-color: #e8ebfc;">Young adults with the &lsquo;GG&rsquo; genotype are significantly more likely to be in a romantic relationship than people with even one &lsquo;C&rsquo; allele.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">*2164911809903267*</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Comfort or Discomfort in Close Relationships</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">Up to 10% of the population find it very difficult to identify, understand, and describe their own emotional responses. These people have an inability to elaborate beyond a few limited adjectives such as "happy" or "unhappy" when describing these feelings.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">In simple terms, we would probably call this a lack of emotional self-awareness or emotional intelligence. In clinical psychological terms, these people have alexithymia, and they are more likely to have the &lsquo;CC&rsquo; variant at rs6295 [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25247748/">R</a>].</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">This is not to say that everyone with &lsquo;CC&rsquo; has alexithymia&mdash;or even that they&rsquo;re automatically bad with emotions. Remember that many genes work together to create complex traits like emotional intelligence; this one just happens to have a larger impact than most.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Because of the alexithymia connection, the authors of the Chinese study suggested that the &lsquo;C&rsquo; allele may make people less comfortable with close emotional bonds; if true, this discomfort might also make people less likely to enter into a romantic relationship [<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/srep07049">R</a>].</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">For more information on serotonin receptors and emotional intelligence, check out the <a href="../article/alexithymia-5ht1a-35">sister post on 5HT1A and alexithymia</a>.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="display: block; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; padding: 20px; background-color: #e8ebfc;">The &lsquo;C&rsquo; allele may make people less comfortable forming and maintaining close emotional bonds.</span></p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Less Serotonin, Less Love?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">Romantic or love-related behaviors, such as pair bonding and affection, are associated with serotonin levels in the brain [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9501748">R</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6444893">R</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5898967/">R</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10722194">R</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1838412">R</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25247748">R</a>].</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">In animals, decreasing serotonin (using drugs that bind 5HT1A receptors) reduces female interest in sexual activity and induces aggression towards male mates [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1838412">R</a>].&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The minor C allele at rs6295 leads to higher expression of 5HT1A autoreceptors, a lower expression of postsynaptic receptors, and decreased overall activity in serotonin neurons. These changes may prevent people with the C allele from feeling love as strongly as those without the C allele [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25247748">R</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3432037/">R</a>].</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="display: block; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; padding: 20px; background-color: #e8ebfc;">The &lsquo;C&rsquo; allele is linked with more 5HT1A autoreceptors and, thus, less overall serotonin activity. As a result, people with the &lsquo;C&rsquo; allele may be less likely to form romantic bonds.</span></p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Serotonin Receptors and Sex Drive</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">If you&rsquo;ve ever taken SSRI or SNRI antidepressants, you probably know all about serotonin&rsquo;s relationship with sex drive. SSRIs and SNRIs, which increase serotonin between neurons, often significantly reduce libido and sexual function in the people who take them [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3108697/">R</a>].</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">In multiple studies of male rats, drugs that bind to (postsynaptic) 5HT1A serotonin receptors increase sexual behavior. Furthermore, when brain serotonin activity is suppressed (by, for example, chronic stress), rats engage in less sexual activity [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8981617">R</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9228408">R</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3986541/">R</a>].</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Unfortunately, applying rat research to people is tricky, and we couldn&rsquo;t find any studies investigating whether 5HTR1A affects sex drive in humans. If the link translates across species, however, increased libido may help explain why people with the &lsquo;GG&rsquo; genotype at rs6295 are more likely to be in a relationship.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="display: block; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; padding: 20px; background-color: #e8ebfc;">Serotonin has a complex relationship with libido, but the &lsquo;GG&rsquo; genotype at rs6295 may be linked to increased sex drive.</span></p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Release the Love Hormone</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">We can dive even deeper into serotonin&rsquo;s link to romance: in rats, a drug that binds to the 5HT1A receptor triggers the release of <a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/the-social-chilled-out-and-empathetic-genes-oxytocin-receptor-snps/">oxytocin</a>, AKA the love hormone [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9678651">R</a>].</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Oxytocin creates feelings of love and affection in our brains. It reduces aggression and promotes social bonding and sexual activity (another connection to sex drive!) in both animals and humans [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17383105">R</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3183515/">R</a>].</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Through the release of oxytocin, increased 5HT1A receptor activity could make a person more likely to form social bonds with other people&mdash;and certainly more likely to date.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="display: block; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; padding: 20px; background-color: #e8ebfc;">5HT1A can trigger the release of oxytocin, a hormone that promotes social bonding and affection.</span></p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">5HT1A: Presynaptic vs Postsynaptic Receptors</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">This receptor is tricky in terms of its mechanism, because it depends where it's activated [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19725031">R</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3927969/">R</a>].</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">For a signal to be sent in the brain, two neurons are involved: one which sends the signal and one which receives it. The first is the presynaptic neuron; the second is the postsynaptic neuron. In serotonin signalling, both the presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons have 5HT1A receptors; the presynaptic receptors are also called autoreceptors [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3243741/">R</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3927969/">R</a>].</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">If the postsynaptic receptors are activated, they have all of the anti-anxiety and mood boosting benefits that you would expect. However, increased autoreceptor activity causes a reduction in serotonin [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3927969/">R</a>].</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">In order to counteract this, you either need to desensitize the autoreceptors (chronic SSRIs do that), or increase serotonin by a lot [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3927969/">R</a>].</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="display: block; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; padding: 20px; background-color: #e8ebfc;">Broadly speaking, the presynaptic receptor (or autoreceptor) decreases overall serotonin activity in the brain, while the postsynaptic receptor increases it.</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;">Your 5HTR1A Gene Results for Relationship Status</h2> <p>*2164911809903267*</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">People with the &lsquo;GG&rsquo; genotype at rs6295 are more likely to be in a relationship than those with the &lsquo;CG&rsquo; or &lsquo;CC&rsquo; genotypes. But it is important to remember that these results are based on limited studies and will need to be followed up further in the future before we make definitive conclusions.&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Primary SNP: rs6295</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="display: block; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; padding: 20px; background-color: #e8ebfc;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = More likely to be in a romantic relationship, higher sex drive<br />&lsquo;C&rsquo; = More discomfort with close relationships, less emotional self-awareness, higher risk of stress-related disorders</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">*6856676671144866*</p> <h5 style="text-align: justify;">Special Note About SNP Orientation</h5> <p style="text-align: justify;">If you click on a referenced study, you may see the authors discuss the C and G alleles as if they mean the complete opposite that we do. For example, we may say the "C" allele is associated with some effects, whereas if you click on the study, it'll actually say the "G" allele. This is not a mistake. We do this because of the way rs6295 is generally reported in the scientific literature.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Rs6295&rsquo;s other name is C-1019G. The name gives us some information: this SNP involves a change from C to G at a position -1019. The minus sign furthermore tells us which strand of DNA (you know the double helix? It&rsquo;s made of two <em>strands</em>) we should refer to.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">On SelfDecode, we report and analyze SNPs on the positive (+) strand. That means, in order to be accurate, we have to flip the orientation of any variant given on the negative strand. If the negative strand has a G, the positive strand will have a C, and vice versa. A &lsquo;GG&rsquo; in a study on the negative strand is &lsquo;CC&rsquo; on the positive strand.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">In other words, it looks like we&rsquo;re using the opposite of the studies because we are!</p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;">Recommendations to Feel More Comfortable Dating</h2> <p style="text-align: justify;">If you have trouble forming and staying in close relationships, and you have one or more &lsquo;C&rsquo; alleles at rs6295, take heart! You may be able to kick your dating discomfort with careful lifestyle and supplement choices.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Remember that biology is complicated, and many substances can interact in unexpected ways. So, the first and most important thing is to talk to your doctor about any new diets, exercise regimes, or supplements you add to your daily routine.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">*3004157077213683*</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Lifestyle</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">First, if you&rsquo;re looking to improve your dating prospects, hit the gym!</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Get plenty of aerobic (cardio) exercise. Besides helping you get fit, activities like jogging, biking, hiking, and swimming may maintain or increase serotonin in the brain and desensitize the 5HT1A autoreceptor, even under stress [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4386483/">R</a>, <a href="https://www.e-jer.org/journal/view.php?number=2013600204">R</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2536543/">R</a>].</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Diet</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">It&rsquo;s important to meet all of your nutritional requirements, but in order to support your 5HT1A receptors, keep a close eye on the following.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/21-proven-science-based-reasons-magnesium-amazing-including-drawbacks/">Magnesium</a> and <a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/literally-everything-wanted-know-zinc-backed-science/">zinc</a> can help amplify the effects of serotonin on the 5HT1A receptor [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1839984">R</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19429156">R</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5104769/">R</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2867462">R</a>].&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-22-science-based-health-benefits-of-fish-oil/">Omega-3's</a>&nbsp;and <a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/health-benefits-butyrate-derivatives-sodium-butyrate-phenylbutyrate-trybutyrine-butyric-acid-butyrate-prodrugs-butyrate-producing-bacteria/">butyrate</a> (which you get from dietary fiber) beneficially interact with 5HT1A receptors [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25855059">R</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3904789/">R</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18817816">R</a>].</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Supplements</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">Among the strongest available supplements to increase brain serotonin is <a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/5-htp-serotonin-depression-risks-benefits/">5-HTP</a>. This compound is a precursor to serotonin; that is, your body can transform it into serotonin. Plus, it crosses the blood-brain barrier, which means that it can actually get into your brain if you take it as an oral supplement [<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/mp201150">R</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3415362/">R</a>].</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Other supplements can synergize with 5-HTP or can be alternative options.&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/cannabidiol-cbd/">CBD</a> was found to calm the nervous system down in response to stress, and reduce its 'delayed emotional consequences' by helping 5-HT1A activity (rats) [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2697769/">R</a>].</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/the-benefits-of-lithium/">Lithium</a> enhances the sensitivity of postsynaptic 5HT1A receptors (rats) [<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/syn.890010302">R</a>].</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/saint-johns-wort/">St. John&rsquo;s Wort</a> increases the number of postsynaptic 5HT1A receptors [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11277608">R</a>].&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/rhodiola/">Rhodiola rosea</a> root extract may help make 5HT1A receptors (postsynaptic) more sensitive as well. In a study on rats, it was able to reverse the effects of nicotine on 5HT1A receptors [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22921986">R</a>].</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Drugs</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">A small trial found that people with the minor C allele were more likely to do well with fluoxetine (an SSRI) for depression, which indicates that increasing serotonin can help counteract the negative effects of this genotype. However, we do not recommend that you take an antidepressant drug or take any medical actions solely to solve problems with this SNP [<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16302021/">R</a>].</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">As always, remember its important to speak with your physician before starting a new supplement, drug, or exercise regimen.&nbsp;</p>
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7 | content_learn_more_2164911809903267_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your HTR1A gene makes you less likely to be in a relationship. You have moderately increased 5HT1A autoreceptors, which translates into lower brain serotonin. If you want to be more comfortable dating, you’ll want to increase serotonin. Keep scrolling to see how.
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rsIDs = rs6295
rsStatus = rs6295,HTR1A,chr5,63962738,C,A,G,,40,0,Normal
