TL; DR (Too Long; Didn't Read)
Oxytocin directly affects our muscle’s ability to grow and recover.
I will consider your mind blown. 🤯
WHY
In perimenopause, a whole lot is shifting with our hormones. We often focus solely on estrogens, progesterone, and testosterone, which do fall and can have deleterious effects on our health.
I’d also like to throw oxytocin into the mix—famously known as the love hormone. It is secreted with breastfeeding, orgasm, and bonding a parent to their child.
It, too, declines with age. Lucky us.
Some signs of low oxytocin include:
- Irritability
- Inability to feel affectionate or loving
- Heightened anxiety and fears
- Difficulty achieving orgasm
- Bigger appetite for sugary foods
- Feeling little joy in life
- Sleep disturbances like waking up overnight
- Aching muscles
Sounds just about right if you’re in midlife, doesn't it!!
WHAT
The aching muscles in the list above piqued my interest, sending me down a rabbit hole and prompting a flurry of studies. Lo and behold, oxytocin is intimately involved in muscle growth and recovery.
When we think about muscle aging, there are a few hallmarks:
- A deficiency or slowing down of muscle regeneration (after an injury or an acute stress, like exercise)
- Muscle atrophy or wasting, which is often called sarcopenia
It does seem that oxytocin is involved in the repair and maintenance of skeletal muscle and that it declines as we age, putting us more at risk for sarcopenia.
For my dark-roast Bettys, it also seems that oxytocin directly acts on muscle stem cells and activates pathways for muscle regeneration. UM… HOW COOL IS THAT?!
HOW
So there is a lot we still do not understand about oxytocin and its role on muscle. Perhaps down the line we might see peptide therapy available beyond its current scope of use.
Currently, we give oxytocin to women in labor, and there is some promising research for depression and psychological well-being in older adults. I’d like to see it available in the way we are seeing hormone therapy available for women in perimenopause.
While we wait for that, how about we adopt an oxytocin-rich way of living? If not for anything but those gym gains…😉
This is intensely personal, but to drive up oxytocin, you need to feel bonded to others, you need to feel safe, and you need to feel joyous.
I would start by making a list of activities, people, and things that make you happy—not just happy but better.
Here are a few idea starters from my own life that bring me immense joy to help you begin to orient joy in your own life:
💪 Lifting weights and feeling like I’ve won the day
😊 Cross-country skiing (my face once got frozen in a permasmile!)
☕️ Small delights like a morning cappuccino with extra foam and a Baci chocolate
🗓️ A date night on the calendar that I get to look forward to
🛏️ Making my bed in the morning
🎤 Leaving a 4-minute audio note to my friend and waiting for her equally long and detailed audio note.
🎶 Belting out a Lewis Capaldi song (current favorite: Someone You Loved)
😮 Spilling the tea / not holding back on current health topics with my friend (and chiropractor) at our weekly adjustment sessions
😢 Crying after a massage (tell me I’m not the only one?)
🗣️ Crushing my language learning in Duolingo
🛒 Going grocery shopping and organizing my fridge with glass Tupperware
🧴 Oiling up my hair, wrapping it in leggings, and having the time to do an extended evening skincare routine
💓 Orgasms!
NOW
Think about some of the activities in your life, past or present, that delight and tickle your soul. Perhaps it’s something you used to do that you really enjoyed that got lost in the busyness of life? Or something you would like more of—more physical activity, or more time spent with family, friends, or a pet?
The second step, of course, is to chase after it.
As I said in a previous newsletter, in life, you don’t get what you deserve; you get what you fight for.
In this case, fight for your joy.
Fight for your oxytocin.
What I Recommend
Unlock Deeper Sleep & More Energy
During perimenopause and menopause, you know how elusive good sleep can be. Between fluctuating hormones, increased stress, and the metabolic shifts happening in our bodies, deep and restorative sleep can seem impossible. And let’s be honest—when sleep is off, everything is off. Weight gain that won’t budge, brain fog, headaches, muscle mass loss, unpredictable appetites, low energy… sound familiar?
I’m always looking for effective, science-backed tools for myself and my Bettys. I’m excited to share my experience with Luna by Somavedic—a device that has made a noticeable impact on my sleep. Read about it HERE.
- Intrigued? Visit Somavedic to get 10% off Luna (the pretty blue/purple color). At checkout, be sure to use the code DRSTEPHANIE for Luna or any other model.
- BONUS! Somavedic also offers a 60-day money-back guarantee, so you can try this technology and be sure it’s the right device for you.
Meet Your Protein Goals
With Protein Powder—Many of my Bettys ask about protein goals, how to calculate what they need, and what to eat to reach their daily goal. While whole-food choices are great, protein powder can provide an additional boost.
I’m a fan of Equip Foods’ grass-fed beef isolate Prime Protein, which provides complete protein and is nutritionally equivalent to 4 oz of grass-fed beef. And without whey, it’s less likely to cause gastrointestinal problems. I appreciate Prime Protein’s simple ingredients and versatility:
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Mark your calendar for the Equip Foods Prime Protein Valentine’s special Feb. 17-21! Here’s what to do starting on Monday to B1G1 40% off.
- Go to equipfoods.com and add one bag of chocolate Prime Protein and one bag of any other flavor (yes, it can be chocolate again!) to your cart as a one-time purchase.
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- New and repeat customers are eligible for this deal.
With Meat Sticks—Make snacking easy! Paleovalley offers terrific-tasting meat sticks that are simple & portable for your whole family.
- Click HERE to save 20% off sitewide. That means meat sticks and anything else that strikes your snack fancy.
- The discount will be auto-applied at checkout. Save through Feb. 28.
Health Optimisation Summit Comes to Austin
It’s official! I’m speaking at the Health Optimisation Summit in Austin, Texas! I'll be talking about perimenopausal strategies like muscle, meals, and stress management.
Europe’s biggest health event lands in Austin on April 12-13. You'll hear game-changing health insights from nearly 40 industry-leading experts covering topics from biohacking and nutrition to functional and preventative medicine.
Spend two full days at the Palmer Events Center surrounded by Paleo-inspired wisdom, innovative health tech, and a community that feels like family.
If you purchase your ticket now and use code DRSTEPHANIE, you'll save 10% on VIP or General Admission.
EVEN BETTER! Premium Membership
DON'T MISS OUT! Join other like-minded Bettys in a community where you can get exclusive access and resources.
- Early and ad-free weekly BETTER! podcasts.
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