Who wouldn’t want to know if their partner is in it for the long haul? Scientists say Oxytocin, the “cuddle hormone,” can predict which couples will stay together and for how long.
Researchers looked at 163 twenty-somethings and found that those who were in new relationships had higher levels of Oxytocin than their single counter-parts. Those who had the highest levels of the hormone were still together after six months. This suggests, “Oxytocin in the first months of romantic love may serve as an index of relationship duration.”
This theory led one of our favorite websites, Jezebel, to think about an interesting relationship blood test. “You get tested for oxytocin right when you first meet, and then the doctor tells you whether you should keep dating or just throw in the towel now…it could save you a lot of time.” True, this would be a time saver. But wouldn’t it also take some of the fun out of it?
We suggest the tried and true method of listening to your gut: If you have the butterflies and can’t stop thinking about this new person, you may have found “the one” (or at least someone to date for six months).
