It has been a theory for some time that one’s pheromones affect the way we attract someone of the opposite sex. Presumably, one’s scent calls our prospective mate to us. Until recently this has mainly been theory.
A study conducted by the University of California Berkley has shown that a hormone found in male sweat increases production of cortisol in women. Claire Wyart, one of the researchers of the Berkley Olfactory Research program, who also lead this particular study said that while most people don’t believe that pheromones exist because humans do not exhibit behavior that can be stereotyped they have been able to show that the male chemical signal, androstadienone, definitely causes hormonal, physiological and psychological changes in women.
The study had 21 women sniff from various vials – some containing the hormone androstadienone while others contained yeast. Their bodies reactions were measured afterwards. The results showed that those ladies who sniffed the hormone reported an improvement in their mood and sexual arousal was significantly higher. Their cortisol levels were also found to have increased within 15 minutes of exposure to the hormone and remained elevated for at least an hour.
Originally posted on February 8, 2007 @ 11:34 am