Hormones Stimulated After Sexual Intercourse
Prolactin is the primary hormone consistently and substantially elevated after orgasm during sexual intercourse, with levels increasing by approximately 400% more following intercourse compared to masturbation, and remaining elevated for over 60 minutes. 1, 2
Primary Hormonal Response
Prolactin
- Prolactin levels increase immediately after orgasm and remain elevated throughout the post-orgasmic period for over 1 hour in both men and women 3, 2
- The magnitude of prolactin increase following penile-vaginal intercourse is 400% greater than following masturbation in both sexes, suggesting intercourse produces greater physiological satiety 1
- Prolactin represents the most reliable and sustained neuroendocrine marker for orgasm, serving as a feedback mechanism that modulates sexual arousal and reproductive function 3, 2
Oxytocin
- Oxytocin levels increase acutely after orgasm, with measurements showing significantly higher values 1 minute post-orgasm compared to baseline (p < 0.05) 4
- However, oxytocin increases are less consistent and less sustained compared to prolactin, making it a less reliable marker of orgasm 3
- Oxytocin plays a major role in sexual arousal and neuroendocrine function related to sexual response 4
Secondary Hormonal Changes
Catecholamines (Epinephrine and Norepinephrine)
- Plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine levels increase transiently during orgasm with rapid decline immediately thereafter 3
- These changes reflect sympathoadrenal activation during the orgasmic phase of sexual activity 3
Hormones That Remain Unchanged
- Vasopressin, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone plasma concentrations remain unaltered during sexual arousal and orgasm 3
- This finding is important as it distinguishes the specific hormonal signature of sexual activity from general endocrine activation 3
Clinical Significance
- The prolactin response to orgasm likely functions as a peripheral regulatory factor for reproductive function and as a feedback mechanism controlling sexual arousal in the central nervous system 2
- Chronic elevations of prolactin (hyperprolactinemia) produce significant reductions in libido and sexual function, supporting prolactin's role in modulating post-orgasmic sexual drive 2