Scents work very subtly on the human mind. A particular aroma can move us... evoking vivid memories of days gone by, while a forgotten smell can instantly bring significant emotions—good or bad. But the impact of scent is not always registered at the conscious level, and when it comes to chemical substances known as pheromones, the jury is still out on the human body's ability to detect their deeply original and seductive allure.
What are Pheromones?
Pheromones are chemical substances in the air excreted by a variety of species, including plants, vertebrates, insects, and of course, humans—but they can't be smelled. They exit the body through sweat and oils and can affect the behavior and physiology of other members of the same species. Pheromones drift into a receptor's nostrils, instantly communicating a chemical message and evoking any number of conscious and subconscious reactions.
What Do Pheromones Do?
Pheromones can cause an instinctive and almost automatic response that scientists label as a "releaser" effect. This response is well-studied in animals but has never been definitively observed in humans. There are a number of documented uses of pheromones among insects, reptiles, and mammals, including use in defense against predators, marking territory, and establishing a trail for other group members to locate a food source.
Regarding reproduction, pheromones act as a sexual attractant, specifically signaling the perfumer's readiness to engage in the mating process. The power of these subliminal messages is absolutely astonishing. In species like moths and butterflies, males will fly dozens of kilometers to reach a female in that state, whereas a male rhesus monkey will ignore a female in heat if he cannot detect the pheromones indicating her fertility. Examples like these lead to an interesting question: if the birds and the bees can do it, can humans use pheromones to signal the same kind of drives in the subconscious?
Pheromones in Humans
Do humans have the same ability as animals to detect these scents of desire? Researchers are still trying to uncover the mystery behind the compelling effects of pheromones and continue to conduct careful genetic research to unlock the code that links pheromones to the deeper workings of our mind.
Pheromones are not typically detected by the olfactory system (sense of smell) but by a separate structure known as the vomeronasal organ (VNO), which transmits messages to the higher cortical regions of the brain. This part of the body is connected to a part of the olfactory bulb that is independent of the main olfactory system. It is located just above the roof of the mouth and has developed to detect large molecules and molecules that dissolve in a liquid, so licking various parts of the body—as dogs do—is an important way for pheromones to be received. As far as humans are concerned, the consensus is that the ability to sniff out these chemical cues once existed but has steadily declined with evolution; human embryos have been found to have a VNO organ, but this tissue disappears after birth—probably as a result of atrophy (lack of use).
Can Pheromones Increase Sexual Attraction?
Whether sexual pheromones are detectable by the human sense of smell may still be a matter of controversy, but it's safe to assume that the possibility of an irresistible impression by scent is enough incentive to keep exploring. Scientists are still trying to figure out exactly how scents influence sexual attraction, but it's safe to say that the impact of sexual scents definitely differs among species. And once the genes for these receptors are definitively identified, it should be relatively easy to figure out if equivalent genes exist in humans and determine how such genes might function in the body.
On the other hand, many other substances have strong effects on humans, leading scientists to believe that pheromones are not the only factors influencing the behavior and biochemistry of others. For example, a number of chemical components found in male sweat have the ability to change the cortisol balance in women, leading women to feel relaxed in the presence of their man's fragrance and enjoy other benefits such as a more regulated menstrual cycle. However, the pheromones involved in claims promising irresistible sexual attraction have not been precisely identified, and it is still unclear whether these chemical messengers affect the VNO, the main olfactory system, or both.
Pheromones for Sale
The controversy over the true effect of pheromones. Perfumes can cost more than €100 for a sixth of a cl, mixed with synthetic pheromones (with the promise of generating a pheromone effect from the product and enhancing attraction), and have already been made available to the general public. But if you're wondering what's exactly put into the pheromone formula—well, that's a trade secret!
Final Thought
Many companies are trying to bottle the scent of sex, and the allure of being irresistibly attractive to the opposite sex is enough for many people to open their wallets in hopes that scientific studies prove it true. But until researchers come up with more definitive evidence suggesting some truth behind the chemical attraction of artificial pheromones, it's suggested to stick to your toothbrush and (maybe) let natural pheromones do their thing. Until then, and if that doesn't work for you, you can try to buy pheromones at the erotic store All Pleasure ;).
