Skip to content

Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 17 · 2013

3 results

Intranasal oxytocin attenuates the cortisol response to physical stress: a dose-response study.

Cardoso C, Ellenbogen MA, Orlando MA, Bacon SL, Joober R

Psychoneuroendocrinology11 Aug 2012Cited by 152 (Europe PMC)

PMID22889586 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.07.013 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-22889586
Publisher pagePubMedAsk about this study
Jump to 3 results

Summary

The text of this summary is not shown here, because the article license does not allow reuse. Read it at the source (opens in a new tab)

Text rights: Publisher copyright. Results still quote short attributed sentences.

Results from this study3

3 results from studies that gave the peptide. 3 results from people.

  1. 01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In healthy males, 24 IU intranasal oxytocin attenuated the salivary cortisol response to vigorous exercise relative to placebo.

    In plain wordsIn healthy men, a 24 IU dose of oxytocin lowered the cortisol rise during hard exercise, compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    DecreaseSalivary cortisol response to exercise, 24 IU
    Study

    n = 17

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Stress hormones · Endocrine and hormones
    Studied dose
    24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    The 24IU dose of oxytocin attenuated cortisol levels relative to placebo (F(1,16)=4.496, p=.05, partial η(2)=.22) and the 48IU dose, although the latter fell just short of statistical significance (F(1,16)=3.054, p=.10, partial η(2)=.16).
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Seventeen males participated in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, and within-subject experiment. Participants engaged in vigorous exercise for 60min following the administration of placebo or intranasal oxytocin on three occasions.
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In healthy males, 48 IU intranasal oxytocin did not significantly change the salivary cortisol response to vigorous exercise relative to placebo.

    In plain wordsIn healthy men, a 48 IU dose of oxytocin did not significantly change the cortisol rise during hard exercise, compared with placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeSalivary cortisol response to exercise, 48 IU
    Study

    n = 17

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Stress hormones · Endocrine and hormones
    Studied dose
    48 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    There was no difference in the cortisol response to exercise in participants who were administered 48IU of intranasal oxytocin relative to placebo.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Seventeen males participated in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, and within-subject experiment. Participants engaged in vigorous exercise for 60min following the administration of placebo or intranasal oxytocin on three occasions.
  3. 03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In healthy males, intranasal oxytocin had no effect on mood during exercise.

    In plain wordsIn healthy men, intranasal oxytocin had no effect on mood during exercise.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeMood ratings
    Study

    n = 17

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Anxiety and mood · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Intranasal oxytocin had no effect on mood.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Seventeen males participated in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, and within-subject experiment. Participants engaged in vigorous exercise for 60min following the administration of placebo or intranasal oxytocin on three occasions.

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 2Current

    11 Oct 2026, 01:30 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    9 Oct 2026, 02:49 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

PepBank is a research reference. Talk to a doctor before you use any peptide.