You’ve probably heard statements like ‘Love does crazy things to you’. And indeed, a crush can really turn your head, but apparently those warm feelings also have a special effect on your body.
Change in the body
Some people can’t get a bite down their throats when the so-called butterflies – which sometimes look a bit like a swarm of bees on the run – flutter in your stomach. This feeling arises simply because your muscles tighten more when you are in love. But women also experience another change in their bodies, according to researchers at the University of California in Los Angeles.
The researchers at the American University were curious about the impact of falling in love on your body. What turned out? Women who were in love made more interferons, which are natural proteins that are secreted after contact with viruses. So are you getting a virus infection? Then these proteins play a major role in the functioning of your immune system. The study also found that the production of the interferons decreased when the crush subsided.
Research
The researchers followed 47 women for two years to arrive at this finding. All the ladies had recently fallen for someone and they donated blood to the researchers. Research showed that the women produced more interferons. The researchers cannot say for sure why this happens. The body may make these proteins to prepare the female body for pregnancy.
Men
What exactly happens in the male body is not yet known. The researchers do indicate that it is crucial for them to investigate whether the same changes occur in men when they are head over heels in love.
Source: Things for Women, Science Direct, HLN | Image: Taryn Elliot (Pexels)