Comments on: 9 Beneficial Effects of Oxytocin + 34 Ways to Increase it

By: Daniel

Daniel — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 19:25:51 +0000

So that’s why I struggle so much socially and under pressure is because of my AA variation of this gene? Please tell me there is a way to change it or do something about it? Cortisol seems to take forever to get out of my body and also prevents me from wanting to do anything about it because I’m so stressed. Plus I have the worrier gene. So this make everything twice as difficult for me when stress Is a factor. Everything in life is stressful so I’m always crippled. Please when can gene therapy be a thing. I’m tired of these bad genes.

By: Dan Glick

Dan Glick — Thu, 10 May 2018 17:35:47 +0000

[email protected] My results really seem to go both ways with no clear answer. I am trying to determine if I would benefit from Intranasal Oxytocin. My results were as follows…

rs53576 – AG
rs1042778 – GG
rs237887 – GG
rs13316193 – TT
rs2268491 – CT
rs2254298 – GG
rs4686302 – CC
rs2268494 – TT
rs237897 – AA

By: ted bennet

ted bennet — Sun, 15 Apr 2018 21:48:58 +0000

Sounds like Karma.

By: Mary Davis

Mary Davis — Wed, 21 Mar 2018 13:46:25 +0000

Hi Amanda
I don’t have any answers for you. However I am in the exact same boat as you. Everything you’ve experienced I’ve been experiencing for 2+ years and I have been searching for an answer. I have not tried oxytocin sprays but I feel like I have tried everything naturally to help and it’s not improving. If you found help I would love to hear what worked for you. I am glad to hear that it’s not a tumor for you. That can be so scary

By: Amanda

Amanda — Sun, 26 Nov 2017 16:48:35 +0000

I’m not sure if anyone is still checking on this article, but I have some concerns that this might be able to shed light on. I am a 27 year old female, normally a hyperempathetic person; I’m far more sensitive to other people’s emotions than the average person and I’m easily emotionally overwhelmed (for example I usually can’t watch the news without getting so distressed that I need to leave the room). However, almost 2 months ago I noticed a drastic change seemingly overnight – I felt emotionally flat, unable to respond appropriately to emotional facial cues, and very emotionally detached from loved ones. I am a nanny and a preK teacher and one of the most notable changes was that I was suddenly unable to emotionally bond with the children I work with, which anyone who knows me can tell you is EXTREMELY abnormal for me since I adore kids. If I do have an emotional response it’s not at full strength, so to speak, and I can feel as if there’s something in my head blocking me from feeling normal. I’ve gone back and forth with psychiatrists with no luck, and most recently I had an MRI for a pituitary tumor since my prolactin levels have been elevated since last year, in addition to drastic mood swings and weak ovulation. The MRI showed no abnormality but it’s unsure of whether this is because there is no growth or because the growth is so small it’s undetectable.

My initial suspicion was that I had a dopamine problem because I have also been unable to feel fully happy or excited even in a “good” mood. Now with the additional lack of empathy and detached feelings I am wondering if I need to push my endocrinologist to test for an oxytocin deficiency. I’m not sure if this would be related to the high prolactin/dopamine problem and if taking bromocriptine would fix it, or if I do need to specifically see if something is wrong with the oxytocin. Any suggestions?

By: Nattha Wannissorn, PhD

Nattha Wannissorn, PhD — Sat, 22 Apr 2017 23:23:58 +0000

In reply to Janet. We know the difference but we are trying to keep things simple for the lay readers.

By: Janet

Janet — Sat, 22 Apr 2017 20:14:53 +0000

Joe, I have noticed in several places on your site you call SNPs genes (do you have this gene, etc). Everyone has the oxytocin gene. I see the same mistake with people saying they have the MTHFR gene or similar misunderstandings. There are usually about 2000-5000 published SNPs on any given gene (1738 on the OXTR gene), and only a small number of those are pathogenic. Those are the ones we look for in the 23andMe and similar tests. I know you know that, but it would be nice to have the correct terminology to avoid confusion.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Mon, 27 Mar 2017 22:26:46 +0000

Wow 3 of my genes for this group have autistic alleles and I’ve got a few bad oxytocin producing genes which explains my whole social life, especially growing up. It helps to know what boosts oxytocin but I would love to be able to change these alleles if I could.

By: Sophie Reason

Sophie Reason — Thu, 05 Jan 2017 01:28:36 +0000

Jules,can you tell me more about this…am fascinated.

By: Samantha

Samantha — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 02:27:49 +0000

There is some literature that says rs53576 works by differential susceptibility. people with AA will function better in socially positive and supportive environments and worse in socially harmful environments. People with GG are relatively unaffected regardless of what environment they are in. Differential Susceptibility framework would imply that having
AA or AG > GG in very socially positive and nurturing environments, while AA or AG < GG in socially harmful environments (childhood maltreatment, bullying, lots of adverse events).

https://www.semel.ucla.edu/sites/all/files/SCole%20Oxytocin%20receptor%20gene%20variation….pdf

By: Ted Hu

Ted Hu — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 20:57:55 +0000

I’m Asian – Chinese Taiwanese 50/50. With some neanderthal thx to Mediterranean travelers that visited se Asian no doubt. Most Asians are pragmatic. I am over empathic as is my mom. I suspect rice enculturation (worth googling) and population density are at play. Adaptations to that effect that haven’t been necessary for others. Though goto nyc. You do wonder.

By: Ruji C. (@ruji_says)

Ruji C. (@ruji_says) — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 00:14:19 +0000

Thanks for this superbly informative post! I used it as a reference in writing this paper on genetic variations in the gray areas of the autism spectrum:

Chapnik, R., & Depresso, D. (2015, December 10). The Halfsperger’s syndrome gene: A case study in the gray areas of the autism spectrum. Don Depresso: Comics about a depressed guy and charts by his manic alter ego. Retrieved from http://dondepresso.rujic.net/post/134969320440/halfspergers-syndrome-gene

By: Immajenn

Immajenn — Sat, 14 Nov 2015 02:22:33 +0000

If you want some really excellent (and easy to accomplish) interpretation of 23andMe raw data results:

Sterling App at MTHFRSUPPORT.com
My Dr Recommends (who specializes in Neutrogenomics & Epigenetics) recommends Sterling App Varient Report at mthfrsupport.com for MTHFR & many other methylation, neurotransmitter, organic acids, mitochondrial, transulferation, phase 1 & 2 liver snp polymorphisms / mutations.
It is pretty much snp ID, whether you have homozygos or heterozygous mutations and I think the rsID link out to dbSnp.
You either need to be really well versed or review with a health care partitioner that is, or your brains will leak.
It generates a 60 page Varient report. $30
MTHFRSUPPORT.COM just did an 8 week live we binary master class on snps. I dingy know if they are going to sell the transcripts to the public (wouldn’t surprise me), but my Dr said there was some amazing info in the webinar & she learned a ton more. They have a sample report.

Livewello.com
I really like livewello.com. Get their varient report (which is not as awesome or extensive) for $20, which gives you access to creating your own varient report templates (or using ones that others in the community have made).
I take a lot of the snps that I needed more info on from Sterling App and either found or created my own templates (for example one for a kidney disorder that I think I may have. It is my go to if I find a snp mentioned that I want to research further (like hemochromatosis, or PKU, or amino acid conversion) I think this is an essential tool, and it is really geared for peop l e that are trying to figure out health stuff.
I think it is probably the easiest for the ‘lay person’ to understand because they really have some explanations & info that draw from snpDB, genecards, malcards, wiki gene & a bunch of other stuff. I use it a lot to research snps from MTHFR, to Oxytocin, to Parkinson, to BH4 deficiency, to some Mitochondrial Disorders & dis orders of inborn metabolism. You can populate it and have it pull info from any of the 600,000 snps that 23andme.com has in your raw data.
If 23andMe map o ed the gene, you can find our info.
You don’t need their paid ‘monthly subscription for curated reports’.
They also have a very active online / social community forum. I have probably learned the most from livewello.com.
you can create a free acount to poke around before comiting $20, but you don’t get access to their varient report templates.

You can also find our create health tools for tracking your supplement program or labs. There is an app there that a Dr created that tracks your OAT or Organic Acid Tests.

You can also run your 23andme raw data through Prometheous and get a lot of information that is similar to the health info that 23andMe.Com was providing before the FDA blocked them from doing so. I think it is $5-10 dollars. You can view a sample report. There is a stuff from you have (xyz greater chance of bowel cancer, alzheimers, parkinsons) to you are a super taster, or have a rare eye color. It is good, but I dont really use it since I discovered Sterling App and Livewello.com

You can get a report from genetic genie too for $5, but is is like 5 pages, compared to the 60 on mthfrsupport.com.

I have all, but for my purposes (I have a TON of health issues) I find that I am using the Sterlings App combined with livewello.com resources & custom templates & varient reports.

I also run a lot of the stuff that I find on selfhacked through Livewello.com

You have a FANTASTIC site John. I’d love to see you do a review on livewello.com & Sterlings App. I think you would really like them based on all the things you write, and it may be a really good reference / research tool for you.
I have learned so much from reading your blog, and am glad you have started to cover more genetic stuff.

Thanks for the hard work.

I don’t post much (really sick), but I thought this info was worth sharing.
-Imajenn

PS, I don’t know if my post on the different ‘varient compilers / readers’ mentioned above is helpful.
feel free to move it to a different post or two, or butcher it for a more intelligent rewrite, if you do desire.

By: Joseph M. Cohen

Joseph M. Cohen — Sun, 14 Jun 2015 00:45:24 +0000

In reply to Steve.

They DO TEST FOR IT – they give you the raw data…but they don’t interpret it for you.

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 13 Jun 2015 22:47:13 +0000

Is 23andme even worth it for mental health when it doesn’t test for MTHFR variants?

https://customercare.23andme.com/hc/en-us/articles/202907420-Does-the-23andMe-service-include-analysis-of-the-MTHFR-gene-

By: Dmitry

Dmitry — Thu, 07 May 2015 08:38:03 +0000

Joseph, is L. Reuteri worth to try? In comparison with spray and lozenge.

By: dollartlover

dollartlover — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 17:41:57 +0000

In reply to Santiago. Where do you get the info on what these markers mean? 123andMe is only giving raw results now, so I don't know how to interpret them.....

By: dollartlover

dollartlover — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 17:29:41 +0000

123me seems to be in a holding pattern pending governmental okays….any idea how long it will be before this is completed?

By: Joseph M. Cohen

Joseph M. Cohen — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 16:10:42 +0000

In reply to jules. Thx :)

By: jules

jules — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 15:18:09 +0000

I’ve recommended it before but I’ll do it again– karezza (and the bonding behaviors in the pdf from reuniting.info– I’d link it but I’m at work and apparently it’s blocked for being “r rated” lol) are fantastic for boosting oxytocin levels. After my first successful attempt, all of those nagging feelings of loneliness in an apathetic universe evaporated. I was giggly and beaming for days and I had “Love Train” by The O’Jays on repeat. It was like falling in love all over again.

By: Joanna

Joanna — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 23:43:55 +0000

In reply to Santiago. Thats cool! I never really thought of it that way

By: Santiago

Santiago — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 22:31:51 +0000

In reply to Joanna. you should pursuit a political career. Great profile for that.

By: Jean

Jean — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 21:05:50 +0000

In reply to Jean. For those who might get confused: I'm a male even if it sounds quite feminine. The name is after the famous Finnish composer "Jean Sibelius".

By: Jean

Jean — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 21:03:14 +0000

rs53576(A;G) intermediate level of empathy – OK
rs1042778(G;T) GG or GT are the social versions –
rs237887(A;G) AG and AA (both 18.1) had the highest empathy in “perspective taking” –
rs13316193(C;T) CC/CT has been associated with empathy –
rs2268491(C;C) CT had the highest level of empathy – ?
rs2254298(G;G) AG is the most empathetic version – OK
rs4686302(C;C) For males, CC is the most empathetic, especially with emotional empathy –
rs2268494(T;T) TT is the social version –
rs237897(A;G) unknown

Quite high. This is probably why I am able to have girls as best friends as well (non-sexual, I see the individual). I also feel that it’s natural to help others or comfort and listen to someone who’s miserable. I really don’t do this for “good karma points”, because I don’t believe in karma. I just believe that life is all about helping other people and be able to offer help and/or comfort even when they don’t ask for it, because you can sense that they are having a hard time. Easing someone’s pain or discomfort feels great and makes my heart sing. However I have to do this selectively, because ultimately I have to help myself in order to help others.