Pheromones – the Secret Weapon of Attraction?
Posted: Tuesday, April 27, 2010
by Dr. Ron Blankstein
Chesapeake Nutraceuticals
According to some fragrance ads, you can become an irresistible sex magnet for under $20. Pheromones, odorless chemicals that are known to alter sexual behavior in animals, are added to perfumes and colognes to increase male or female attraction. But do pheromones work in humans?
It's a hotly debated topic among scientists and researchers.
We know that our sense of smell is vital for sending messages to the brain. In fact, the receptors that pick up the scents around us are connected directly to the limbic system the part of the brain that controls emotions and behaviors. Pheromone research focuses on how particular odors turn sexual chemistry on or off.
If humans do produce pheromones, the likely source is underarm sweat glands. Not the most appealing thought, but it's a way for the body to secrete chemical compounds. Bacteria on the skin then breaks those compounds down into molecules that produce a specific "odor print." We each have an odor print as unique as our fingerprints.(1)
But the important thing is that pheromones have to be inhaled to be effective. They have to travel through the nose to the limbic area of the brain.
Pheromone Research
Pheromone research indicates that pheromones work in two ways. Men and women discriminate the odors from their same sex and the opposite sex differently. And they are attracted to some odors much more than others. So heightening your pheromone levels, even though it's an odorless chemical, broadcasts your sexual signal more widely.
The second effect of using pheromones is on the individual who has applied them. The wearer is instructed to use the fragrance not only on the usual pulse points, but the upper lip as well. That way the chemical is sure to be inhaled. Dr. Peter Pugliese says "this makes the person using pheromones aware of their own attractiveness and allows them to project a heightened sense of approachability."(2)
The combination of attractive chemical odors and a welcoming sense of confidence and approachability may just be the formula for sexual magnetism.
Do Pheromones Work?
San Francisco State University conducted a study to find out. 36 women between the ages of 19 and 48 recorded their dating and sexual activity for two weeks. This served as a baseline. They were then given identical vials of either a synthetic pheromone or a placebo to add to their perfume. Each woman applied several drops of the perfume under her nose, on her cheeks and behind her ears at least every other day for 12 more weeks.
19 of the women were using pheromones while 17 had the placebos, but neither the women nor the researchers knew who had which in this double-blind study. The results? "The stuff works," said Norma McCoy, the professor of psychology who conducted the study in 2000. 74% of those using the pheromones had increased intimate activity with a male, compared with 23% who used the placebo.(3)
In another, more informal test of pheromones, ABC television hired two sets of identical twins to try out a pheromone spray against a placebo. Neither set of twins, one male and one female, knew which spray they were wearing.
The twins were instructed to go to a singles bar and separate upon arrival, staying in different parts of the bar. They were not to make the first move toward any members of the opposite sex.
For the male twins, things were pretty much even. They each received about equal attention from women in the bar despite the pheromone difference.
It was a different story for the female twins. The one not wearing the pheromone spray was approached by 11 different men. But the pheromone-wearing twin? She was approached by 30 different men almost three times more than her identical sister.(4)
Other informal experiments have shown similar results not just for women, but for men as well.
Serious research is yet to be conducted on the study of pheromones in humans and it would seem that initial attraction might be a rather fleeting thing. Once you've put yourself out there and drawn someone to you you still need to let your other charms and skills take over. Carol Christensen, a psychologist in the research division of International Fragrance and Flavors probably put it best: when asked by a man if he should use pheromones to increase his sex appeal, she left the decision up to him. Her additional advice was, "don't stop brushing your teeth."(5)
Meanwhile, before you make any changes to your own diet, exercise or supplement program, please consult a health care professional for guidance.
Sources:
- Delude CM, "Looking for love potion number nine," Boston Globe, 9/2/2003
- Barclay L, MD, "Love Is All In Your Head Or Is It In Your Genes?" WebMD Health News, 2/14/2001
- Press Release, San Francisco, March 20, 2002: SFSU study shows that synthetic pheromones in women's perfume increase intimate contact with men.
- "Pheromones the Sweet Smell of Romantic Success?" perriconemd.com
- Delude CM, "Looking for love potion number nine," Boston Globe, 9/2/2003
This Article has been viewed 271 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.