Simmering sexual passion and chemistry between new partners wanes anywhere between one to two years of togetherness, replaced by a desire for companionship, according to novel research in Sexual health. Scientists from Italy have now been able to place a finger on probable reasons for the waxing and waning of passion between couples after a period of togetherness.
Hormones rule is what the researchers say. Love hormones, responsible for the body Chemistry that endears sexual attractiveness between partners, is on the high in the initial period of a love relationship. When couples move on to being comfortable with each other and reach certain stability, there are other hormones that take over and replace these passion inducing hormones. This change in hormone attitude is thought of as a probable cause of decrease in sexual enchantment, wrongly perceived as negative. According to Dr Petra Boynton, part of the British Psychological society, waning of passion could also lead to partners consuming hormone supplements to relive the passion flush.According to the researchers, neutrophins, the love hormones, were present in higher levels in the blood of those volunteers who were experiencing the initial flush of love. Testosterone was also on the high with women in love while men in love showed reduced levels of testosterone. The findings also revealed that those partners who were together anywhere between one and two years had almost zero presence of neutrophins, although the relationship was intact. Further, it was discovered that these passion hormones were replaced with the hormone oxytocin, which is known to promote the need of warmth and togetherness. Incidentally oxytocin levels are high in pregnant and lactating mothers, which throw light on the reasons for desire to cuddle and communicate with a loved one.
University of Pavia also conducted a Parallel research that found levels of a chemical conduit called Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), elevated by romantic vigor. When the time of companionship increased to one or two years, NGF levels had come down to normal. Researchers have also raised doubts on whether nascent stages of romance encourages nerve growth, necessitated by the need to record novel experiences in the brain.Ofcourse, this area is yet to be explored and more research is necessary to make any conclusive statements. Apprehension also abounds among researchers, if the identification of love-hormones would eventually lead to consumption of supplements in order to stimulate the bygone passion.
