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WASHINGTON - Impotence drugs such as Viagra may do more than help men physically have sex - they may also boost levels of a hormone linked with feelings of love, U. S. researchers reported on Thursday.
Viagra, known generically as sildenafil, raised levels of the hormone oxytocin in rats, a team at the University of Wisconsin Madison said in a report published in the Journal of Physiology.
This hormone is involved in nursing and childbirth but also in orgasm and feelings of sexual pleasure....

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This is a somewhat preposterous study with a headline that goes far beyond what the study is about. The suggestion that a boost in the oxytocin level in rats could somehow lead to other uses for Viagra such as "promoting social bonding" is a huge leap which presents many problems. The article lacked any of the usual backing we'd expect, a comment on the strength of the evidence, the quantification of any benefits or harms, or the potential conflicts of interest of the researchers. The single source identified does acknowledge that "This is one piece in a puzzle in which many pieces are still not available" but makes us wonder if this kind of journalism will cause people to take Viagra thinking it could lead to love? We would hope that there would be some better science behind this claim before people do so.

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