Oxytocin and Nutrition: Biological Mechanisms and Clinical Implications in Nutritional Psychiatry

Abstract

Background: Oxytocin (OXT) is a hypothalamic neuropeptide that, beyond its classical roles in parturitio n and lactation, acts as a multifunctional regulator of social cognition, attachment, trust, stress responses, r eward, feeding, and energy metabolism. Within nutritional psychiatry, modulation of the OXT system by d iet, micronutrients, and the gut microbiome is attracting growing interest.

Objective: This review organizes the interface between OXT and nutrition across receptor pharmacology, biosynthesis, the gut–brain axis, feeding and metabolism, and psychiatric disorders, explicitly distinguishin g established findings, suggestive associations, and hypotheses, and presents concrete clinical strategies tha t healthcare professionals can implement.

Main Text: The OXT receptor is a G-protein–coupled receptor acting through the Gq/11–phospholipase C pathway, and its ligand affinity depends on divalent cations such as magnesium and zinc, whereas amidati on of mature OXT requires copper and vitamin C. The gut epithelium secretes OXT in a secretin-dependen t manner, and certain lactobacilli can stimulate central OXT release. Exogenous OXT modestly reduces re ward-driven and solid-food intake, but its effect on total energy intake is inconsistent and dose-dependent. Intranasal OXT monotherapy has not shown consistent efficacy for the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder or the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Building on these findings, the review organizes conc rete, safety-conscious, multidisciplinary strategies for outpatient psychiatry, home-visit nursing, and psych ological counseling.

Conclusion: OXT is reliably involved in feeding, metabolism, social behavior, and stress, its receptor func tion may depend on the micronutrient environment, and it interacts bidirectionally with the gut microbiota. However, a causal pathway whereby specific nutrient supplementation improves psychiatric symptoms via the central OXT system has not been established. Correcting nutritional deficiencies and improving dietary quality can complement standard care, but OXT should not be oversimplified as a single therapeutic targe t; rather, its clinical value lies in multidisciplinary efforts to build the biological and social foundation on w hich OXT functions.