Kisspeptin is a new name given to a protein originally called metastatin, which at first glance seems like the cheesiest and most on-the-nose name ever, but it was actually named after the Hershey’s Kiss, after being identified in the home of the famous chocolate maker, Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Since kisspeptin boosts sexual and romantic brain activity, and decreases negative mood, its first practical application could be in infertile couples and also couples having issues with sexual dysfunction. Infertile couples would also reap a side benefit kisspeptin has on the female reproductive system – it actually helps promote egg production and trigger ovulation, making fertility more likely.
“Our current work now shows for the first time that kisspeptin has a role in linking sex, emotion, and reproduction,” says NIHR Research Professor Waljit Dhillo, the lead author of the research from the Department of Medicine at Imperial College London . “As such, kisspeptin has potential promise to treat many aspects of disorders of reproductive function which cause infertility.”
Love and sex can seem very different – one is mental and emotional, and one can be simply physical. Male sexual dysfunction is currently treated that affect the vascular system like Viagra– which are purely physical, and generate an erection no matter what is happening emotionally. Since many ED issues are actually psychological, kisspeptin would benefit with a mental effect, possibly removing roadblocks to love and intimacy that the man is experiencing that may prevent his erection. It’s interesting that the thing that links the physical and mental aspects of love could be this hormone.
Doctors also think that due to the mood-enhancing effects, it could be used to treat depression.
The effect of kisspeptin on women’s love and sex feelings has not yet been studied. The team in London wants to expand the study and try kisspeptin on women next.
Maybe one day, we can inject spark to a marriage that’s run out, and have a love potion that really works!