Recent studies have revealed that the administration of
oxytocin has beneficial effects on the regulation of
body weight, food intake, and metabolic functions, especially in obese individuals.
Obesity is common in women after the menopause and drives many components of
metabolic syndrome.
Weight gain in menopausal women has been frequently reported. Although
obesity and associated metabolic disorders are frequently observed in peri- and postmenopausal women, there are few medical interventions for these conditions. In this study, we evaluated the effects of chronic
oxytocin administration on appetite,
body weight, and fat mass in peri- and postmenopausal female rats. Sixteen naturally premenopausal or menopausal rats were intraperitoneally injected with
oxytocin (1,000 μg/day) for 12 days. The daily changes in their
body weight and food intake were measured at the same time as the
oxytocin and vehicle
injections. Intraperitoneally administering
oxytocin for 12 days significantly reduced food intake,
body weight, and visceral adipocyte size. In addition,
oxytocin administration caused reductions in serum
triglyceride and
low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels, while it did not disturb hepatic or renal functions or locomotor activity. This is the first study to show the effects of
oxytocin on the metabolic and feeding functions of peri- and postmenopausal female rats.
Oxytocin might be a useful treatment for metabolic disorders caused by the menopause or aging.