Health01 Dec 2009 10:13 pm
Image: Tina Phillips / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
“Pheromones” have long been one of those scientific phenomena that have made their way into popular culture, particularly by the perfume industry: emitting certain smells is sexually attractive. Or so goes the popular theory. In truth, pheromones are very specific chemicals that help certain plants and animals communicate. Insects make particular extensive use of pheromones, communicating everything from the location of food to the presence of predators. Not exactly Chanel No 5…
As it happens, science has recently validated the popular theory. In 2007, researchers at the University of California at Berkeley recently found that androstadienone, a chemical present in male sweat (and added to certain colognes), causes a rise the level of cortisol in heterosexual females. In other words, a man’s sweat can make a woman’s hormones go wild.
The researchers who actually discovered this phenomena won’t actually take it that far. According to Claire Wyart, the leader of the study, “contrary to perfume company advertisements, there is no hard evidence that humans respond to the smell of androstadienone or any other chemical in a subliminal or instinctual way similar to the way many mammals and even insects respond to pheromones.” So, no direct link between sweat and hormones yet. Just another incremental step. Science marches on.
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