Helen Fisher of Rutgers University in the States has proposed 3 stages of love – lust, attraction and attachment. Each stage might be driven by different hormones and chemicals.
~ SOURCE

Lust is the first stage of love and is driven by the sex hormones testosterone and oestrogen – in both men and women.

Testosterone



Estrogen



Attraction is the amazing time when you are truly love-struck and can think of little else. Scientists think that three main neurotransmitters are involved in this stage; adrenaline, dopamine and serotonin.

Adrenaline
The initial stages of falling for someone activates your stress response, increasing your blood levels of adrenalin and cortisol. This has the charming effect that when you unexpectedly bump into your new love, you start to sweat, your heart races and your mouth goes dry.


Dopamine
This chemical stimulates ‘desire and reward’ by triggering an intense rush of pleasure. It has the same effect on the brain as taking cocaine! Couples often show the signs of surging dopamine: increased energy, less need for sleep or food, focused attention and exquisite delight in smallest details of this novel relationship.


Serotonin
One of love's most important chemicals that may explain why when you’re falling in love, your new lover keeps popping into your thoughts.


Attachment is the bond that keeps couples together long enough for them to have and raise children. Scientists think there might be two major hormones involved in this feeling of attachment; oxytocin and vasopressin.

Oxytocin ~ The cuddle hormone
Oxytocin is a powerful hormone released by men and women during orgasm.
It probably deepens the feelings of attachment and makes couples feel much closer to one another after they have had sex. The theory goes that the more sex a couple has, the deeper their bond becomes.


Vasopressin is another important hormone in the long-term commitment stage and is released after sex.

I can't find a microphoto of Vasopressin to share with you.

I wonder if it's a coincidence that these are all crystalline.

LOL, I never made that connection but it is interesting...Hmmm.

Perhaps that is why love goes so well with Beer Goggles







http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/beershots/index.html

I'm just waiting for the shrooms to kick in, I'll be with you in a moment.

Wow ...PICASSO WILL TURN IN HIS GRAVE ...LOL

Nice post! Very interesting.
The Oestrogen picture is a bit too much for me, lol.
I like the testosteron
the oxytocin one, I so love blue and aqua!
The serotonin looks real good too with all the reds and golden yellow.

I knew about most of these hormones, except for the vasopressin. Interesting for sure. Thank you for sharing.

Not so bad, who likes Picasso anyways, lol.

With all the oxytocin been released during sexual activities between couples while do we still have the separations, divorces ....just thinking aloud..
Doesn't it look like it takes more than hormones to make marriages work??:

That correct assessment can lead you to a good next step in looking at this.

That is, ask yourself both HOW these chemicals are created by a love relationship, and then more than that, ask what would interfere with them being created.

Like a lot of chemistry, there's a lot more to it than JUST the various atoms and molecules floating around. Many other conditions have to be right, for the chemistry to occur and work.

If the chemistry of sex were completely reliable and simple, everyone who had sex would be in love most of the time.

******************************************************

Honestly ??...I NEVER DID UNDERSTAND HIS ABSTRACTS

Call me weird, or silly, but I like it natural/s

If the chemistry of sex were completely reliable and simple, everyone who had sex would be in love most of the time.

Agreed, love is not just physical.
Interesting at the source:


From the image source:


I'm figuring that like other things in the body, age has a lot to do with the amount of the Chemicals of Love that get generated. As we get older our bodies regulatory systems begin to go wonky. Producing more or less that throws off the balances.
In this vein of thought, its likely that the older one gets the less love is chemically driven. Perhaps it is sheer will or memory that drives love in older people. That doesn't diminish the fact that love continues to exist. In fact, love can often increase in severity as we get older.

I also think that chemicals in the wrong ratios can cause problems with feeling love. Kinda like an adrenaline junkie that feels depressed. Some people may be addicted to love yet be full of hatred.

Notice that in all these micro-photos there are none that are one complete color. The light refracted thru the sample clearly shows differences in the samples. Separations of substances within the sample shows that it is never pure.

I think it is possible that, for example, Testosterone that has a higher concentration of reds or even yellows might give the person a propensity for being gay or having less 'manly' characteristics. I might be wrong but it just makes sense. Those concentrations may vary over time which may give rise to decreases in sex drive, sperm count or any number of things (man boobs?).

I know that sometimes a lack of or, presence of, a certain hormone or chemical can classify you as sane or insane. Couldn't the same be considered to determine if someone is able to feel and express love?

If someone is lacking the chemicals of love they might be compensating with psychological or social behavior so they 'fit in' with others? Thus when one who has the chemicals gets involved with one who does not issues of love manifest in their relationship.

Likewise if two people produce the same chemicals their bond becomes very strong. "I love kissing her because she tastes so sweet" may be more than just a saying.
Perhaps if there is an offset and one person exudes a chemical the other is lacking it becomes an enrichment. "When I kiss her I feel a spark and get all tingly" again might be more than just a saying.

Chemicals of Love may not be the only factor but it certainly has influence.

Rohypnol

I know....in bad taste.
A thousand pardons.

These micro photos are genuine proof, that love is beautiful. :)

But also give an answer to eternal question - what color is love. Even though only in chemical aspect.

Rohypnol
Common or street names:
forget me drug,
roches,
roofies,
ruffles;
other names include date rape drug,
la roche,
R2,
rib,
roach,
roofenol,
rope,
rophies,
the forget pill,
getting roached,
lunch money drug,
Mexican Valium,
pingus,
Reynolds,
Robutal,
wolfies.





Not produced by the body so not a Chemical of Love.



Someone that uses Rohypnol to have sex is a sexual predator. It would be interesting to see their chemical micro photo balances. I wonder if their testosterone reds are in higher concentrations, or perhaps its the yellows?

Perhaps...

Possibly majenta

I see a Pepsi bottle cap so it must be love...

If it was Coka Cola....would be t"the real thing".

Considering Coca Cola had cocaine in it when it first came out it hasn't been "The Real Thing" in a very long time.


~ SOURCE: http://www.livescience.com/41975-does-coca-cola-contain-cocaine.html