What is the half-life of Oxytocin?
Oxytocin has a reported half life of ~3-5 minutes, given intranasal (most common) or sub-q. That is why it is typically dosed 30 min before social context. A shorter half life means more frequent dosing to keep blood levels steady, a longer one lets you space doses further apart.
Quick facts
- Half-life: ~3-5 minutes
- Route: Intranasal (most common) or sub-q
- Typical schedule: 30 min before social context
- Cycle length: As-needed, not chronic daily
References
- Intranasal oxytocin for social cognition and anxiety, review — Quintana DS et al., Mol Psychiatry, 2021
- Intranasal Oxytocin in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder — Sikich L, Kolevzon A, King BH, et al.; New England Journal of Medicine; 2021
- Effect of intranasal oxytocin on the core social symptoms of autism spectrum disorder: a randomized clinical trial — Yamasue H, Okada T, Munesue T, et al.; Molecular Psychiatry; 2020
Pepdex is an editorial reference, not medical advice. Peptides vary in legal and approval status by country, many are research compounds without full human safety data. Talk to a qualified clinician before starting anything.
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Last updated 2026-06-06.