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Study · Randomized controlled trial · n = 14 · 2014

7 results

Plasma oxytocin concentrations following MDMA or intranasal oxytocin in humans.

Kirkpatrick MG, Francis SM, Lee R, de Wit H, Jacob S

Psychoneuroendocrinology19 Apr 2014Cited by 85 (Europe PMC)

PMID24882155 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC4088952 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.04.006 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-24882155
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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 study7

4 results from studies that gave the peptide. 4 results from people.

  1. 01HumanRandomized controlled trialPharmacokinetics

    In healthy MDMA users, intranasal oxytocin at 40 IU increased plasma oxytocin levels.

    In plain wordsIn healthy MDMA users, nasal oxytocin at 40 IU raised oxytocin levels in the blood.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreasePlasma oxytocin after intranasal oxytocin 40 IU
    Study

    n = 14

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Pharmacokinetics · Pharmacology
    Studied dose
    40 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Measurements

    plasma oxytocin
    48 pg/ml
    intranasal oxytocin 40 IU

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Intranasal oxytocin (40IU, but not 20IU) increased plasma oxytocin levels to 48.0pg/ml, 30-60min after nasal spray administration.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Fourteen healthy MDMA users participated in a 4-session, double-blind study in which they received oral MDMA (0.75 and 1.5mg/kg), intranasal oxytocin (20IU or 40IU), and placebo.
  2. 02HumanRandomized controlled trialPharmacokinetics

    In healthy MDMA users, intranasal oxytocin at 20 IU did not increase plasma oxytocin levels.

    In plain wordsIn healthy MDMA users, nasal oxytocin at 20 IU did not raise oxytocin levels in the blood.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changePlasma oxytocin after intranasal oxytocin 20 IU
    Study

    n = 14

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Pharmacokinetics · Pharmacology
    Studied dose
    20 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Intranasal oxytocin (40IU, but not 20IU) increased plasma oxytocin levels to 48.0pg/ml, 30-60min after nasal spray administration.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Fourteen healthy MDMA users participated in a 4-session, double-blind study in which they received oral MDMA (0.75 and 1.5mg/kg), intranasal oxytocin (20IU or 40IU), and placebo.
  3. 03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In healthy MDMA users, intranasal oxytocin had no cardiovascular effects.

    In plain wordsIn healthy MDMA users, nasal oxytocin had no effects on the heart or blood pressure.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeCardiovascular effects of intranasal oxytocin
    Study

    n = 14

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Blood pressure · Cardiovascular
    Studied dose
    20 IU or 40 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    oxytocin had no cardiovascular or subjective effects.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Fourteen healthy MDMA users participated in a 4-session, double-blind study in which they received oral MDMA (0.75 and 1.5mg/kg), intranasal oxytocin (20IU or 40IU), and placebo.
  4. 04HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome

    In healthy MDMA users, intranasal oxytocin had no subjective effects.

    In plain wordsIn healthy MDMA users, nasal oxytocin had no effects on how people felt.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeSubjective effects of intranasal oxytocin
    Study

    n = 14

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Anxiety and mood · Mental health and mood
    Studied dose
    20 IU or 40 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    oxytocin had no cardiovascular or subjective effects.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Fourteen healthy MDMA users participated in a 4-session, double-blind study in which they received oral MDMA (0.75 and 1.5mg/kg), intranasal oxytocin (20IU or 40IU), and placebo.

Natural levels measured3

These results measure the body's own peptide. Nobody was given the peptide. They are not evidence about taking it. They are left out of key results, evidence counts and charts.

  1. 05HumanEndogenous levelRandomized controlled trialMechanism

    In healthy MDMA users, oral MDMA at 1.5 mg/kg increased the body's own plasma oxytocin to a mean peak of 83.7 pg/ml, compared with 18.6 pg/ml after placebo.

    In plain wordsIn healthy MDMA users, MDMA at 1.5 mg/kg raised the body's own oxytocin in blood more than placebo.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreasePlasma oxytocin after MDMA 1.5 mg/kg
    Study

    n = 14

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Receptor activity and mechanism · Endocrine and hormones

    Measurements

    peak plasma oxytocin
    83.7 pg/ml
    MDMA 1.5 mg/kg
    plasma oxytocin
    18.6 pg/ml
    placebo

    Source sentences

    Summary
    MDMA (1.5mg/kg only) increased plasma oxytocin levels to a mean peak of 83.7pg/ml at approximately 90-120min, compared to 18.6pg/ml after placebo.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Fourteen healthy MDMA users participated in a 4-session, double-blind study in which they received oral MDMA (0.75 and 1.5mg/kg), intranasal oxytocin (20IU or 40IU), and placebo.

    This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.

  2. 06HumanEndogenous levelRandomized controlled trialMechanism

    In healthy MDMA users, oral MDMA at 0.75 mg/kg did not increase the body's own plasma oxytocin; only 1.5 mg/kg did.

    In plain wordsIn healthy MDMA users, the lower MDMA dose did not raise the body's own oxytocin in blood.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changePlasma oxytocin after MDMA 0.75 mg/kg
    Study

    n = 14

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Receptor activity and mechanism · Endocrine and hormones

    Source sentences

    Summary
    MDMA (1.5mg/kg only) increased plasma oxytocin levels to a mean peak of 83.7pg/ml at approximately 90-120min, compared to 18.6pg/ml after placebo.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Fourteen healthy MDMA users participated in a 4-session, double-blind study in which they received oral MDMA (0.75 and 1.5mg/kg), intranasal oxytocin (20IU or 40IU), and placebo.

    This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.

  3. 07HumanEndogenous levelRandomized controlled trialMechanism

    In healthy MDMA users, subjective and cardiovascular responses to MDMA were not related to plasma oxytocin levels, although the sample for this analysis was small.

    In plain wordsIn healthy MDMA users, responses to MDMA were not linked to the body's own oxytocin levels, in a small sample.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeRelation of MDMA responses to plasma oxytocin
    Study

    n = 14

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Receptor activity and mechanism · Endocrine and hormones

    Source sentences

    Summary
    The subjective and cardiovascular responses to MDMA were not related to plasma oxytocin levels, although the N was small for this analysis.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Fourteen healthy MDMA users participated in a 4-session, double-blind study in which they received oral MDMA (0.75 and 1.5mg/kg), intranasal oxytocin (20IU or 40IU), and placebo.

    This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.

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.

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