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Pheromones are mixtures of chemical substances, or more specifically semiochemicals, i.e. those that are used by plants and animals in order to exert a specific influence on the environment. They are informative in nature to notify your partner of your sexual readiness.
What are pheromones?
Regarding human pheromones, the fact of their occurrence is not entirely certain. However, studies have been published that prove that the application of a mixture of male hormones and their derivatives applied to a man’s body increases its attractiveness in the eyes of women, thanks to which the fair sex is more likely to make eye contact. by advertising them as aphrodisiacs.
Do male pheromones actually work? Sexologists say that both men and women produce pheromones, which are specific scents designed to lure the opposite sex. They believe that male pheromones are present in the groin, penile area, armpits, but also in secretions – sperm, saliva or sweat. In women, pheromones are to be especially felt in the area of intimate places, in vaginal discharge. In turn, the semiochemical compounds secreted by the body of a woman undergoing menstruation or breastfeeding significantly affect sexual motivation.
Male pheromones – how do they work?
The fact is that numerous studies carried out show effectiveness of pheromoneswhen it comes to sexual arousal and mood enhancement. However, the mechanism of how pheromones affect the body is not fully understood – scientists believe that they affect the brain, leading to changes in the activity of brain waves. Pheromones are also supposed to influence neurotransmission and modulate the secretion of hormones.
Since the hypothalamus is responsible for emotional reactions, it belongs to the subcortical structures of the brain, it is this structure that is associated with the perception of stimuli produced by pheromones. Both male and female pheromones are perceived using the sense of smell, more specifically the so-called Jacobson’s organ, also known as the vial or plow-nose organ. It is a paired sense organ that is equipped with numerous chemoreceptors, i.e. receptors capable of detecting many different chemicals. In animals, the Jacobson organ is particularly well developed, as it is one of the main organs for recognizing smells and, interestingly, it contains specialized pheromone receptors. In 2007, the results of a study by scientists from the Military Medical Institute on the prevalence of Jacobson’s organ in a group of 634 people aged 18 to 80 were published. Jacobson’s organ was detected in only 312 people, and only these people responded to male or female pheromones. Scientists also found that the nose-share organ is more common in men than in women.
Male pheromones – research
Paavo Huviala and Markus J. Rantala from the University of Turku (Finland) conducted an impact study androstadienone, referred to as the male pheromone for cooperation in a group of men. Androstadienone is a chemical that occurs naturally in men’s sweat. According to scientists, this pheromone is transmitted through the air, thanks to which it affects the areas of the brain responsible for social interactions and human cooperation.
The study was carried out in a group of 40 men, some of whom were treated with androstadienone, and some with a control substance. The study participants took part in team games that require them to make specific decisions. In carrying out the experiment, the researchers measured testosterone and cortisol levels by collecting saliva from the study participants. Testosterone levels have been associated with networking. After conducting the experiment, it turned out that inhalation of androstadienone it favored cooperation in the group of men subjected to it much more than in the control group. This is very important information proving that male pheromones influence human behavior.
Male pheromones – what do the preparations available on the market contain?
Synthetic male hormones have an increasing number of supporters. There are many preparations that contain this type of semiochemicals aimed at increasing the interest of the opposite sex and enhancing the attractiveness in the eyes of women. The most commonly used syntetycznymi feromonami meskimi available on the market are:
- andostenolwhich affects the behavior of women by improving their mood and sexual arousal;
- androsteron, i.e. a male pheromone, which is to mark male masculinity and domination (detected in urine samples of aggressive prisoners).
These synthetic male pheromones are often used in mixtures to enhance the effect. Androstadienone is also used, which affects the respiratory center, increasing the frequency of inhalations. Susceptibility to male pheromones is individual dependent.