The world might be about to take a more dystopian turn as 'love potions' based on MDMA could become available within the next 10 years.
According to the Metro, these love drugs could help light the spark of romance new couples need to get going or even breathe some life back into a fading relationship.
The drugs could be based off oxytocin, the 'cuddle hormone' which is produced at moments of love and intimacy, or even off small doses of ecstasy drug MDMA.
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Dr Anna Machin, an evolutionary anthropologist at Oxford University, said we now know enough about the chemistry of the human brain to develop drugs which produce the same feelings as love.
She also warned of the ethical dilemmas posed by a drug which could affect the human brain in such a drastic way as love.
Speaking at the Cheltenham Science Festival, Dr Machin suggested love drugs could become available as soon as the next three to five years.
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If a love drug does make it to market, she is predicting there will be massive amounts of money to be made.
She said: "We know enough now about the neurochemistry of love to probably suggest some things you could take to enhance your abilities to find love - or to increase the possibility that you will stay in love when it’s getting a little bit tricky.
"And certainly one of the frontiers of love research commercially - can you imagine how much money you make? - is in exploring these possible love drugs."
According to The Independent, Dr Machin compared a possible love drug based off oxytocin to someone having a glass of prosecco to build confidence before going on a night out.
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There could also be problems if someone were to get hooked on a love drug and then lose access to it as they could end up feeling even worse.
Dr Machin explained that people feel awful after a breakup because they're suffering withdrawal symptoms from the lovely cocktail of hormones their brain has been enjoying while in love.
Further questions persist over how much we should be using drugs to mess with our brain, especially given the impact they could have on relationships.
Love potions are normally the realm of fantasy or science fiction, but they are rarely ever presented as a good thing, which is a troubling sign if drugs which simulate love are on the way in the next few years.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock/PixabayTopics: Drugs