Invidia
01-02-06, 18:10
Passion fades after two years
Lust has a lifespan of just two years, scientists believe.
After this, the chemical that makes new lovers irresistible to eachother seems to disappear from their systems.
But there is some consolation.
As the passion fades away, a 'cuddle hormone' apparently kicks in, helping the couple to survive the loss of that first spark of romance. Researchers in Italy used blood tests to establish the levels of a variety of hormones in volunteers.
Some were just starting out with a new partner while others had been in an established relationship for years. They found a nerve growth factor called neurotrophins exceeded normal levels in those enjoying the lovestruck early stages of romance.
'The cuddle hormone'
But it was missing from the volunteers who had been settled with their partners for up to two years.
The scientists, from the University of Pisa, Italy, found they had been replaced by oxytocin, which they nicknamed 'the cuddle hormone', in those who had been together for several years.
Oxytocin is a chemical known to induce labour and milk-production in pregnant and new mothers.
However it also seems to thrive in couples enjoying long, loving relationships. The results were reported in the journal Chemistry World, published by the Royal Society of Chemistry.
"If lovers swear their feelings to be ever-lasting, the hormones tell a different story," biochemist Michael Gross said in his report.
"It shows that different hormones are present in the blood when people are acutely in love.
"There is no evidence of the same hormones in people who have been in a stable relationship for many years.
"In fact the love molecules can disappear as early as 12 months after a relationship has started to be replaced by another chemical glue that keeps couples together.
"It may be the only thing that science can offer as a real-world analogy to Cupid's arrows."
Lust has a lifespan of just two years, scientists believe.
After this, the chemical that makes new lovers irresistible to eachother seems to disappear from their systems.
But there is some consolation.
As the passion fades away, a 'cuddle hormone' apparently kicks in, helping the couple to survive the loss of that first spark of romance. Researchers in Italy used blood tests to establish the levels of a variety of hormones in volunteers.
Some were just starting out with a new partner while others had been in an established relationship for years. They found a nerve growth factor called neurotrophins exceeded normal levels in those enjoying the lovestruck early stages of romance.
'The cuddle hormone'
But it was missing from the volunteers who had been settled with their partners for up to two years.
The scientists, from the University of Pisa, Italy, found they had been replaced by oxytocin, which they nicknamed 'the cuddle hormone', in those who had been together for several years.
Oxytocin is a chemical known to induce labour and milk-production in pregnant and new mothers.
However it also seems to thrive in couples enjoying long, loving relationships. The results were reported in the journal Chemistry World, published by the Royal Society of Chemistry.
"If lovers swear their feelings to be ever-lasting, the hormones tell a different story," biochemist Michael Gross said in his report.
"It shows that different hormones are present in the blood when people are acutely in love.
"There is no evidence of the same hormones in people who have been in a stable relationship for many years.
"In fact the love molecules can disappear as early as 12 months after a relationship has started to be replaced by another chemical glue that keeps couples together.
"It may be the only thing that science can offer as a real-world analogy to Cupid's arrows."