Oxytocin Nasal Spray
Intranasal is the route almost all human oxytocin research on social behaviour has used — this is the format the literature describes.
The bonding neuropeptide, with a substantial intranasal research literature on trust, empathy and social behaviour.
1 bottle
10ml · 5mg
R 540
VAT inclusive · Shipped nationwide from Johannesburg · Research use only
What’s in each spray
The spray arrives already in solution, so the arithmetic is done for you. Figures assume a standard 0.1 mL metered pump.
Per bottle
5mg
in 10ml
Per mL
500mcg
concentration
Per spray
50mcg
at 0.1 mL a spray
Sprays
~100
per bottle, before priming
Why Oxytocin as a nasal spray
Oxytocin given by injection acts mainly on the body — that is how it is used in childbirth. The research on trust, empathy and social behaviour is a different field, and it is almost entirely intranasal, because the nose offers a route toward the brain that an injection into the bloodstream largely does not.
That body of work took off with a 2005 study in Nature in which participants given intranasal oxytocin handed more money to a stranger in an investment game — a measure of trust. Hundreds of intranasal studies have followed, on social recognition, emotional processing, and research in autism and social anxiety.
About Oxytocin
Oxytocin is a naturally occurring neuropeptide hormone produced in the hypothalamus. It has long been known for its role in childbirth and lactation, but is increasingly studied — particularly via intranasal administration — for its central effects on social behaviour. The research press often calls it the “bonding hormone”.
Intranasal oxytocin has a substantial research literature examining trust, empathy, social recognition and emotional bonding, along with exploratory work in social anxiety and autism spectrum research contexts. The “connection” positioning tracks directly with what the published research investigates.
Read the full Oxytocin compound profileWhat the research covers
Published findings, not promised outcomes. Studies are listed under Sources below.
Trust
Kosfeld et al. (2005) found intranasal oxytocin increased the money participants entrusted to others, without changing their general appetite for risk.
Dose and delivery
Quintana and colleagues have shown the delivery device and the dose both change the result, and that lower intranasal doses sometimes outperform higher ones.
Reproducibility
A 2016 review by Walum, Waldman and Young found many early intranasal oxytocin studies were underpowered, and warned that a number of headline findings may not replicate.
Where the evidence is thin
This is the best-studied compound in the range and also the one with the most public reckoning over its evidence. The trust study became famous; later replications were mixed. Treat single striking results with caution and look for effects that have held up across several studies.
Spray, vial or pen
Oxytocin comes in all three formats. The compound is the same; what changes is the preparation and how it goes in.
Nasal spray
This pageR 540
10ml · 5mg
- Preparation
- Ready to use
- Delivery
- Intranasal, no needles
Using a nasal spray properly
- 1
Prime the pump
Before the first use, pump into the air until a fine, even mist comes out. Those first few sprays are not counted in the bottle total.
- 2
Clear your nose
Blow your nose gently first. A congested nose absorbs poorly and more of the spray runs straight out.
- 3
Aim away from the middle
Tilt your head slightly forward and point the nozzle toward the outer wall of the nostril, not the septum.
- 4
Breathe in gently
Press once while breathing in softly through the nose. A hard sniff pulls the spray down the throat instead of leaving it in the nose.
- 5
Alternate nostrils
Between sprays, alternate nostrils. That spreads the dose over more of the nasal lining.
Storage
Keep the bottle upright with the cap on, and in the fridge once opened. The amber glass protects the solution from light, but not from heat: don’t leave it in a parked car or a sunny window, especially in a South African summer. Don’t freeze it, and don’t share a nozzle between people.
Questions about the Oxytocin spray
Sources
- Kosfeld M et al. Oxytocin increases trust in humans. Nature. 2005.
- Quintana DS et al. Advances in the field of intranasal oxytocin research: lessons learned and future directions for clinical research. Mol Psychiatry. 2021.
- Walum H, Waldman ID, Young LJ. Statistical and methodological considerations for the interpretation of intranasal oxytocin studies. Biol Psychiatry. 2016.
Order Oxytocin Nasal Spray in South Africa
Add it to your order slip and send it when you’re ready. We’ll confirm stock, pricing and delivery on WhatsApp before you pay a cent.
For Research Use Only — not for human consumption.