Since i was a kid, I have always heard of the word love.
“I think I’m in love” or “I love you”? You probably might have indulged these words yourself right? This expression is used on the regular basis mostly by the youth though some of the older generations do patronize it too. Have you ever taken time off your busy schedule to wonder the meaning of the word “LOVE” and what really goes into it? How it comes to play in the human life and how it works? Can it be explained biologically or it’s just a feeling?
Some people actually believe love is an expression or feeling which cannot be explained and we just have to accept it when we experience it. Today I want to delve into the biochemical perspective of love. Love can be described as a strong or constant feeling of affection for a person (e.g. love between a couple), or a deep interest and pleasure in something (e.g. love for fashion or soccer).
From the biochemical view the equation of love can be said to be like this:
Testosterone + estrogen + dopamine + noradrenaline + oxytocin + vasopressin = love 😍
From the above equation we can say that the process of falling in love involves some hormones and neurotransmitters which can be concluded as an action of the brain since they are all linked to the brain one way or the other.
I found out in the cause of my research that love has 3 stages. So i decided to share.
THE THREE STAGES OF LOVE
Love can generally be categorized into 3 stages:
Stage 1: LUST
Lust is the craving for sex, and is driven by oestrogen and testosterone, which are sex hormones found in both males and females. A mix of chemical changes occurs after sexual intercourse, which “may serve many functions, to relax the body, induce pleasure and satiety, and perhaps induce bonding to the very features that one has just experienced all this with”.
Testosterone is the steroid hormone which, in mammals, is primarily found in the testes of males and the ovaries of females. This hormone is vital to health and well being as well as in sexual functioning. Females are more sensitive to testosterone, but males produce forty to sixty times more of this hormone.
Testosterone plays a key role in:
- maintaining muscle mass and strength
- maintaining bone density
- penile erection frequency
- mental and physical energy
Testosterone drives the sexual activity in men. It can also affect women during sexual activity. Along with estrogen and progesterone, testosterone maintains genital structure and function.
Estrogen is a steroid hormone which functions as the primary female sex hormone. This can be found in both males and females, but most predominantly in women.
Functions of this steroid include:
- promoting the formation of female secondary sex characteristics
- slowing down height growth
- increasing metabolism
- reducing muscle mass
- maintaining vessels and skin
Hormones greatly influence one's love life. We hate or love a person because of hormonal reactions. For example, before ovulation, a woman's hormones are in full force, therefore, she can be easily aroused. Estrogen and testosterone help a woman to be mentally sharp and be more extroverted. Also, it determines the youthfulness of a woman.
Stage 2: ATTRACTION
People who have fallen into this love-struck phase can think of nothing else but their new lover. Characteristics of this stage include:
- feelings of exhilaration
- intrusive, obsessive thoughts about the object of one's affection
- lost of appetite or sleep
A group of neuro-transmitters called 'monoamines' play an important role in influencing our emotions:
Dopamine
Dopamine is also known as “the pleasure chemical” because it produces feelings of bliss. It is one of the many chemicals released during sexual intercourse.
Norepinephrine
Norepinephrine is similar to adrenalin It makes us start to sweat, and causes our hearts to race. According to Profession Helen Fisher, dopamine and norepinephrine together produce elation, hyperactivity, sleeplessness, craving, loss of appetite, and focused attention. In other words, couples in this stage of love often focus on little else but their relationship.
Serotonin
People in love may experience lower levels of serotonin, a neuron-transmitter associated with anxiety and depression. This is similar to people with obsessive-compulsive disorders , which can possibly explain why lovers in this stage are so “obsessive” about each other.
Stage 3: ATTACHMENT
People couldn't possibly stay in the attraction stage forever. After the attraction stage comes attachment, which determines if a relationship is going to last.
Attachment is a long-term commitment. Couples bond as they go on to get married and have children. Two important hormones are released by the nervous system, which are believed to play a vital role in the social attachment between two people:
Oxytocin
In romantic love, when two people hug, touch and have sex, Oxytocin also known as the “cuddle chemical” is released, which begins creating an emotional bond, the more hugging and sex, the greater the bond. Oxytocin evokes feelings of contentment, reductions in anxiety and feelings of calmness and security around our partner, gradually leading to attachment a bond that keeps couples together, and giving them the desire to stay faithful and protect each other.This is the same chemical produced when a mother is giving birth or when a baby suckles his mother’s breast. It produces a strong bond of affection and it’s what keeps the relationship going as they stay together.
Vasopressin is made in the brain, by both men and women. However, the male hormone testosterone enhances the effect of vasopressin, so men experience stronger effects. Vasopressin strengthens the bond between lovers. This is what makes a man more responsible and makes him feel the need to protect his loved ones. This chemical is capable of causing a man to stick with one woman thus the name the “monogamy chemical” . And mind you, I am not saying a polygamous person lacks this chemical.
The next time you feel a surge of attraction towards someone, feel like you are in love or you look at your object of affection and you wonder what is causing all those mushy feelings? Just know your brain is at work in conjunction with all these chemicals. And trust me love is a beautiful thing.