Oxytocin and Negative Effects?

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Has anyone here noticed any negative side effects likely caused by administering Oxytocin drops to a male adolescent? If you have please list what you've noticed. Our son has been on it for about a year. Among other issues we've been dealing with these include him being more stand-offish and now possible gender dysphoria. I could link these back to Aspergers or his age (17), but as a parent trying to get to the root of our current challenges. Could his Oxytocin supplement and testosterone simply not balanced properly?

He's on a huge list of supplements and as I read more about the negative effects of Oxytocin my hair stands more on ends.

BTW, his supplements are prescribed by his DAN doc that got us out of the woods years ago, so not a quack, but this one makes me wonder.

Thanks for any help.
Tony

I am not a doctor, but maybe it's time to re-evaluate his medications, since he is coming toward the end of puberty.

If I understand correctly, Oxytocin is an opium derivative. As a result, there will be an increase in pain receptors as the body adjusts to the levels of opiate in the blood stream. It is these additional pain receptors that make quitting opiate derivatives (withdrawal) so difficult. It can take several days for the body to readjust to the lack of opiates.

You may want to be cautious regarding the subject of gender dysphoria. Those who are encouraged to go down this path face a 50% chance of attempting suicide. If he has begun to associate gender issues with arousal and stimulation, he may begin to think this is reflective of reality.

He may have come to see the stimulation of sensation as a primary focus of life (both drugs use and sexual ideation). This can be unhealthy as it is similar to an alcoholic who sees the world in terms of his next source of stimulation.

You're thinking Oxycontin (oxycodone). Oxytocin is a bonding hormone, produced from physical closeness with another person or playing with a friendly pet. I think the OP was talking about the latter. Oxycontin is a pill or an IV drip; it doesn't come in oral drop form.

Like how huge of a supplement list are we talking?

A lot of supplements have not been scientifically proven to treat anything, many jars say 'these claims have not been evaluated by the food & drug administration'. Not saying supplements are bad but the vast majority are not actually meant to cure or treat any serious conditions.

Also getting too much of certain supplements can cause problems, supplements that may conflict with each other may cause problems, some people have intolerances to certain supplements. Best option may be to wean him off the vast majority of them and then maybe slowly introduce the ones this doctor. You go to thinks are most nessisary, see how those effect him before having him take anymore. Maybe also get a second opinion from a different doctor as well. But yeah there will be no way to narrow down what the problem is if it is one of the supplements while he is taking so many.

Also it may be something else, I mean does he have any hobbies/positive outlets, is he doing ok at school or does he feel like a total outcast? How does he feel about taking so many supplements or does he not even have any input about it. Also that is a difficult life stage as its right between still kind of being a kid and moving towards adulthood so that in itself can cause some frustration and acting out.

Anyways though my opinion is, one should be taking a huge list of supplements without even having a great understanding of what each supplement is for, what it is supposed to do, if its even necessary or what the side effects can be.

Source??? Perhaps you are confusing the word Oxytocin with Oxycodone. Oxycodone and Hydrocodone are semisynthetic opioids derived from the opium poppy plant, are chemically similar to morphine. Several researchers are currently investigating the used of Oxytocin to treat addictive disorders, such as opium addition.

Oxytocin is normally given as a nasal spray. Oxytocin (a neuropeptide hormone) plays a key role in social behavior. When stress becomes overwhelming and turns into distress, the reserves of oxytocin in the blood supply diminish below the normal range thus producing anti-social behavior. Supplementing oxytocin through a nasal spray helps return the concentration of oxytocin in the blood supply back to their normal plasma range, thereby temporarily restoring normal social functioning.

Nasal sprays are commonly used in medical studies of psychiatric effects, because a nasal spray allows oxytocin to travel more readily from the bloodstream to the brain than an injection.

Oxytocin in nasal spray form is very similar to the consistency of water. It is clear and odorless. It has a rather short lifetime. It loses effectiveness in around 45 days and must be stored in a cool environment like a refrigerator. But it must not be frozen.

In general when you use this nasal spray it is recommended that you do not breath through your nose for 10 minutes and do not swallow. The liquid has to stay in your nose to absorb. Leave it to drip out. The only adverse side effect that I know of is if some of the nasal spray drips down your throat. The chemicals in the bottle are all harmless, but they can cause slight irritation in the throat, therefore you must try your best to not swallow any of it.

There is a optimum dose. You HAVE TO BE aware of this. Too much Oxytocin will not generate pro-social effects. If you feel dizzy or sleepy you are dosing TOO MUCH. If you don’t feel any effects too little obviously. 1 nostril may be enough.

According to the Encyclopaedia Brittanica...
So if you start lactating, you may want to cut back on the dosage.

People with ASD either really feel the side effects of pills, booze, drugs, etc. or really don't, at least from what I have seen.

Either they get high super-easily or they feel nothing.

Your son must be in the first camp.