Finally, there's a better cure for male shyness than paying for sex.

Nothing cures shyness in a guy faster than losing his virginity, but all too often women are disinclined to ‘help a brother out’ (due to a guy's physical disfigurement, lack of personal hygiene or the unshakable stink of broke-ass-ness). Luckily, legions of nerd chemists have come to the rescue.

Scientists have discovered that the hormone oxytocin may help pathetic losers overcome awkwardness in social situations. The chemical, dubbed "the hormone of love" by overzealous PR flacks, is known to increase empathy and bonding in humans.

Not to be confused with Oxycontin—the addictive narcotic of choice for over-confident, lying blowhards—Oxytocin has been found to actually improve the scoring skills of insecure wusses.

Prof Jennifer Bartz, of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, said: "While more research is required, these results highlight the potential oxytocin holds for treating social deficits in people with disorders marked by deficits in social functioning like autism."

But, since you can't legally get the stuff over-the-counter, or even by prescription, you might just want to learn to how to deal with chicks.