New Research Reveals That Sexual Activity and Oxytocin Accelerate Wound Healing by Nearly Twice. Scientists Investigate How Intimacy, Affectionate Touch, and Stress Reduction Affect Tissue Regeneration.
Intimate closeness can significantly speed up skin damage healing—especially when combined with the effects of the "love hormone," oxytocin. This conclusion was reached by researchers at the University of Zurich, following a clinical experiment involving young couples. The study found that small wounds in lovers healed nearly twice as fast as usual. The findings were published in the prestigious journal JAMA Psychiatry.
The Impact of Close Relationships on Health
The connection between the quality of close relationships and physical health has long attracted scientists' attention. Previous large-scale studies have shown that people in happy partnerships tend to live longer and suffer less from chronic diseases. Emotional support and bodily affection can reduce stress levels, strengthen the immune system, and, in turn, positively affect well-being. The new experiment focuses on a specific aspect of this connection—the speed of wound healing influenced by intimacy.
The Swiss Scientists' Experiment
To assess how intimacy affects tissue regeneration, a team of researchers from the University of Zurich (Switzerland) organized a randomized double-blind study. The experiment involved 80 healthy young couples (a total of 160 individuals) with an average age of about 27 years. In the laboratory, each volunteer was given four small standard wounds on their forearms. The couples were then divided into four groups with different combinations of interventions over the following week:
- Oxytocin + Gratitude Exercise: Participants used a nasal spray with oxytocin twice daily and completed a 10-minute "Partner Appreciation Task" (PAT) each day, during which they expressed gratitude and compliments to each other.
- Oxytocin without Exercises: Participants received the oxytocin spray twice daily but did not engage in any special couples' tasks.
- Placebo + Exercise: Participants used an inert placebo spray but performed the same PAT exercise with positive conversations and compliments.
- Placebo without Exercises (Control): Participants used the placebo spray and did not receive any additional tasks.
Throughout the week, all participants self-administered the spray (oxytocin or placebo) according to schedule. Medical professionals evaluated the condition of the wounds 24 hours and 7 days post-injury, recording the size, depth, and healing progress of each wound using a standard scale.
Oxytocin—The "Love Hormone" in Action
Oxytocin is a neuropeptide often referred to as the "love hormone" or the "hug hormone." It is naturally produced in a mother's body during childbirth and breastfeeding, as well as released in humans during pleasurable physical contacts—embracing, caressing, and intimacy. This hormone strengthens social bonds, reduces anxiety, and lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Previous studies have shown that oxytocin can accelerate the healing of minor mucosal injuries—likely due to its anti-inflammatory effects. The Swiss scientists hypothesized that additional oxytocin could enhance the positive influence of intimacy on wound healing, thereby acting as a catalyst for the recovery process.
Intimate Closeness Accelerates Tissue Regeneration
The experiment's results confirmed that neither oxytocin alone nor just positive conversations with a partner had noticeable effects. However, couples who received both oxytocin and engaged in the gratitude exercise experienced significantly faster healing. A week after the injury, the size and depth of the wounds in this group were significantly smaller—nearly half the size compared to the control group. The effect was especially pronounced among participants in the "oxytocin" group who maintained natural physical closeness with their partners (frequently touching, hugging, and engaging in sexual activity)—these couples had the quickest healing by the end of the study.
Stress Reduction as a Healing Mechanism
The researchers linked accelerated healing primarily to reduced levels of stress hormones. Chronic stress is known to hinder tissue regeneration: cortisol suppresses the immune system and impedes normal recovery. In the new study, couples who actively expressed intimacy exhibited lower cortisol levels throughout the experimental week. Simply put, affectionate touches and sexual activity helped participants feel calmer, allowing their bodies to allocate more resources to healing the wounds. Importantly, the intake of oxytocin alone did not reduce stress—the hormone only revealed its potential in conjunction with real warm relationships between partners.
New Rehabilitation Methods
The authors of the study note that such approaches could form the basis of new psychosocial rehabilitation methods. As demonstrated, intimacy and emotional support can accelerate physical recovery, making them useful in working with patients after injuries and surgeries. For example, hospitals could encourage the involvement of patients' partners in the recovery process—creating conditions for private communication, tactile contact, and joint positive activities. Integrating such practices into standard treatment and rehabilitation programs could enhance effectiveness and significantly speed up patient recovery.
Prospects and Further Research
This new work demonstrates the fundamental possibility of "healing with love" not only emotional wounds but also very real physical ones. For the medical field, this signifies the potential for developing combined therapeutic approaches, where, alongside medications, relationships and psychology are engaged. Experts believe that increasing the dose of oxytocin could further amplify the effect, particularly in older adults with weakened immune systems, where healing is usually slowed. Further research on a larger sample of patients will help clarify under what conditions intimacy most effectively impacts health. If future trials confirm the current findings, implementing stress reduction programs and fostering positive relationships might become a new niche in the healthcare system—an area of interest to both physicians and investors seeking innovative solutions to improve quality of life.
