Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health How Oxytocin Shapes the Friendships That Protect Your Health
Oct 11, 2025
Discover how strong friendships can boost your health and survival rates just like diet and exercise. Learn about the bonding hormone oxytocin, which influences trust and connection. Animal studies reveal the evolutionary roots of friendship as a survival strategy. Explore how oxytocin impacts motivation and social rewards, and find practical tips to deepen your bonds. A fun two-week challenge encourages shared activities, helping you enrich your connections and enhance your well-being.
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Oxytocin Guides Trust And Bonding
- Oxytocin shapes who you trust and how quickly you bond by signaling familiarity and reward.
- Strong oxytocin signaling speeds trust decisions and makes social connections feel rewarding.
Vole Research Shows Bonding Delays
- Prairie vole experiments show oxytocin receptor loss delays bonding from one day to about a week.
- Missing receptors make friendships form slower and feel less stable.
Oxytocin Affects Social Motivation
- Weak oxytocin signaling reduces motivation and the emotional payoff of social contact.
- Receptor-deficient voles didn't prefer friends and showed less effort to reach companions.