READ: The hormone that gets us drunk on love - How chemical oxytocin is similar to alcohol as it makes us more trusting and generous

Love really can be intoxicating. Research shows that a hormone released by new mothers, lovers and even doting dog owners has many of the same effects as alcohol.

Oxytocin, known as the ‘love hormone’, engenders trust and generosity – but, just like a drink or two, it can also fuel aggression.

The similarities between oxytocin and alcohol are ‘striking’, say British researchers. The hormone is produced by women during labour to help them bond with their baby.
It is also released during lovemaking, leading to it being nicknamed the ‘cuddle chemical’. Other loving touches, from hugging a teddy bear to patting a pet dog, also trigger its release.

But the hormone has a dark side, with some psychopaths having more than ten times the normal amount.

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Birmingham University researchers re-examined previous studies and discovered that just like a glass or two of wine, oxytocin makes us feel more generous, trusting and empathic.

And by making us more relaxed, it lowers our sense of fear, which could lead to us taking risks that we otherwise wouldn’t. But it also fuels aggression, arrogance and envy.

Writing in the journal Neuroscience and Behavioural Reviews, researcher Dr Ian Mitchell says oxytocin – which can be bought as a nasal spray – could give the Dutch courage we need for first dates, job interviews or other nerve-racking situations. But he suggests relying on natural forms instead.

‘If you are anxious about going for an interview, a quick embrace from your partner could certainly help,’ he said.

While it might seem odd that a substance that evokes feelings of trust also causes anger, Dr Mitchell says it makes perfect sense. He believes that new mothers are programmed to become aggressive when oxytocin surges as this reaction will help protect their babies from harm.

Oxytocin’s many effects mean that scientists the world over are investigating it as a possible treatment for everything from anorexia to autism.

Birmingham University researcher Dr Steven Gillespie said: ‘I don’t think we’ll see a time when oxytocin is used socially as an alternative to alcohol. But it is a fascinating neurochemical and, away from matters of the heart, has a possible use in treatment of psychological and psychiatric conditions.

‘Understanding exactly how it suppresses certain modes of action and alters our behaviour could provide real benefits for a lot of people.

‘Hopefully this research might shed some new light on it and open up avenues we hadn’t yet considered.’

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