Aphrodisiacs and pheromones: myth or reality? Armed with the latest scientific research, we find out whether it is possible to influence people with the help of smells. Reading the article will take 8 minutes.
Lyricist: Daria Rachmaninova, Tanya Belaya
They say that perfume or any other product with pheromones is a strong stimulant that will help a person bind and almost make someone else fall in love with them. A kind of love potion that anyone can use. Men (or women, as you wish) will lie in stacks at your feet as soon as they smell the treasured smell. How do pheromones actually work? Daria Rakhmaninova, a researcher at the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry named after M.M., helped us understand this issue. Shemyakin and Yu. A. Ovchinnikov RAS.
Discovery of pheromones in animals
Pheromones are chemical molecules that are released by animals to induce a specific behavioral response in another animal of their species.
These signaling molecules are found in urine, sweat, genital secretions and other secretions of the exocrine glands.
Pheromones that control sexual behavior were first discovered in silkworms in the 60s. Scientists obtained the pure substance bombycol, secreted by females, and were able to prove its effect on the sexual behavior of males. Subsequently, researchers began to look for and find similar substances in other animals.
The main components of eau de toilette with pheromones
Eau de toilette for men may contain the following components - derivatives of male sex hormones:
- Androstenol.
- Androstenone.
- Androstadienone.
Androstenol and androstenone are produced in both female and male bodies. Today, these substances are synthesized artificially; they are usually added to cologne for men or deodorant with pheromones. With their help, any man becomes much more attractive, stronger and sexier in the eyes of women.
Androstadienone works a little differently. This substance is added to men's perfume to arouse sexuality in a woman. This pheromone makes her more caring and attentive towards a man.
How do pheromones work?
While studying various pheromones, scientists discovered that they are detected by the vomeronasal organ (VNO) or Jacobson's organ. It is located in the nasal cavity of animals and serves as an auxiliary olfactory sense organ.
VNO is used to detect odorous substances that carry information for individuals of the same species.
Many have demonstrated the presence of Jacobson's organ in animals and its influence on reproduction and social behavior. Unlike animals, in which the VNO is well developed, humans have only simple epithelial tubes. Could our Jacobson's organ also influence our behavior?
The latter show that our Jacobson's organ does not detect odors. In addition, vomeronasal nerve bundles could not be detected, indicating a lack of neural communication between the VNO and the brain. This suggests that the vomeronasal epithelium is not a sensory organ in adult humans, unlike other mammals.
Do humans have pheromones?
A nonfunctional VNO does not mean that there are no pheromones in the human body. Therefore, scientists and commercial structures began to actively search for them. Dozens of articles have been written about the effects of androgenic steroid hormones, which are claimed to be “human pheromones.”
For example, androstenone is an androgenic steroid, which is classified as a pheromone. It was found in particular in the urine and saliva of wild boar. In hogweed, females arch their backs, thereby indicating that they are ready to mate. The same reaction is observed when pure androstenone is sprayed.
After androstenone was found in human sweat, many researchers concluded that it plays the same role as a pheromone in pigs.
Experiments were also carried out with other hormones, namely with the molecules of androstadienone and estratetraenol. This study was sponsored by the EROX Corporation, which has commercial interests in human pheromone research.
The authors of the experiment argued that these molecules affect the mood of men and women and have the greatest effect on the opposite sex.
Another sensation was the discovery of copulins in rhesus monkeys. This is the vaginal secretion of females, which leads males into excitement, impulses of masturbation and other active sexual behavior.
Since the beginning of 2000, more than 40 works have been published that prove the effect of steroid hormones. Unfortunately, due to small sample sizes and effect overestimation, these experiments were found to be statistically underpowered.
What are pheromones?
These are metabolites of substances released by our body, most often through fluids such as sweat and saliva or through the skin. In the animal world, the importance of pheromones is much greater, and in general, their olfactory system is better developed! In humans everything is more subtle!
The first thing you need to understand is that there are many pheromones, however, the main ones are metabolites or derivatives of sex hormones, in men - testosterone, in women - estradiol.
Second, for these pheromones to have an effect on other people there must be a low, barely perceptible concentration. Relatively speaking, if they come up with a pheromone as a perfume, then spraying more will make it worse. And those that exist now are mostly marketing, not real action.
Third, pheromones are not constant. When you are sick - one set, when you are full of energy - another set, when you drink a lot - a third. In women, pheromones change with the monthly cycle; on certain days, any girl will seem more attractive. In men, the changes are weaker, but there are also changes.
Perfume with pheromones: what to choose?
Despite the fact that to date the effect of pheromones on humans has not been proven, manufacturers of perfumes and cosmetics could not ignore it. Many brands are ready to offer customers perfumes with pheromones or a pure concentrate from a mixture of pheromones.
People who regularly use such perfumes claim that the “miracle molecules” really work: they increase self-confidence, inspire the trust of the interlocutor and attract the opposite sex.
Warehouse manager for sex toy suppliers Anastasia, for example, uses Pheromax pheromone concentrate to increase sales in the store, at trainings and business negotiations. It is odorless and can be used together with your favorite perfume or in its pure form. Anastasia notes that it is much easier for her to establish contact with the buyer if she first applies a couple of drops of pheromones.
Sexy life perfumes, which replicate the scents of your favorite brands, but with the addition of pheromones, are very popular among lovers of “secret” products.
We still tend to think that we are talking about the placebo effect: you believe in the action of pheromones, you become more self-confident and, as a result, more successful in communication.
If perfumes with pheromones help someone overcome fear and constraint, then why not?
Pheromones: How to attract a man?
Surely you are hearing more and more often this not entirely clear word - “pheromones”. The Internet is full of advertisements; in pharmacies, elegant bottles with the inscriptions “for him” and “for her” are displayed in special windows. So, let’s figure out what kind of ephemeral matter this is, where it came from and what it leads to.
How it works
During physical activity, pheromones are released more actively and distributed throughout the body. This is why we are turned on by a swimmer who has just come out of the pool and swam a hundred meters, or by a strong guy chopping wood. I am physically drawn to them. Just as men are aroused by the sight of a naked female body covered with beads of sweat. We have thin canals in our nostrils that lead to a special vomeronasal organ, or Jacobson's organ (VNO). Smelling the scent of her man, the vomeronasal organ sends an impulse to the brain: “This is him, I want him!” According to scientists, it is the nose that is responsible for love and desire “at first sight,” although, more accurately, from the first smell. If a man is interested in you, you begin to worry, emitting an even more distinct scent, and the man, if you are in his scent, begins a “ritual dance of a seducer” in the form of courtship. And if your pheromones have found each other, wild sex cannot be avoided. The same goes for the opposite: if a man’s scent doesn’t suit you, even if he were Alain Delon three times over, nothing will work out.
Ephemerality of matter
Pheromones are very delicate and capricious matter. Firstly, they are destroyed by oxygen, erode extremely easily and can only be heard in your personal space - within a radius of no more than a meter from you. Secondly, the thick layer of clothes we are wearing prevents the free spread of volatile messengers of passion. And finally, thirdly, the habit of using perfumes and body cosmetics blocks and suppresses our natural odor.
Perfume with pheromones: truth and fiction
The Internet is literally crammed with commercials and slogans like “More looks and smiles from friends and strangers around you!”, “Everyone around will consider you the sexiest!”, “Your self-confidence will know no bounds!”, “Pheromones. Their job is to attract,” etc. It seems that you bought a special perfume, perfumed yourself - and all the men are at your feet. It’s tempting, of course, but here lies a little trick or a big deceit. In fact, the artificial release of pheromones is a very labor-intensive and expensive process; they can only be contained in the most elite perfumes or cosmetics. In the mass production of “perfumery of passion,” acetylthiophene, a chemical substance contained in the base of perfumes, is passed off as pheromones. In fact, finding real perfumes with pheromones in Russia is almost hopeless.
But why then so many rave reviews and responses? It's very simple: our faith works miracles. The same well-known placebo effect - instead of medicine, the patient is given crushed chalk, having been told that this is a super remedy that puts even the dead on their feet, and if the patient believes in the miraculous power of the false medicine, then he recovers in spite of everything. Do you catch the analogy? Belief in the miraculous power of pheromones gives us confidence in our own abilities, adds shine to our eyes, lightness in our gait, makes us attractive primarily in our own eyes and, as a result, really provokes increased attention to our person. In addition, in nature there are aromas that our body implicitly identifies as pheromones. They are called natural aphrodisiacs and are used as weapons of seduction. These include musk, rose scent, amber, patchouli and some others. Perfumers have known about this for a long time and use it to create the most seductive women's and most attractive men's fragrances.
Take note
As you know, there are no comrades according to taste and color. Even more so for smells. However, some smells affect everyone in approximately the same way. Thus, most men enjoy the aromas of vanilla and sandalwood, and the smell of lemon tones and excites them. The most sexy and erotic are amber, musk, civet, patchouli, rose, strawberry, raspberry, apple and cedar.
Background
The origins of pheromones should be sought in the middle of the last century. It was then that scientists came up with the idea to study a substance isolated from the glands of female silkworms, which attracted males of the same biological species. By analogy, work was carried out to study the odors emitted by the human body. It turned out that the body of each person has a unique aroma, not similar to any other. In principle, there cannot be two identical body odors, just like two absolutely identical fingerprints. Scientists have isolated special chemical agents - androstenone (a male pheromone that makes men especially attractive to women) and copulin (female).
Self-tested
Obeying the journalistic instinct of checking the accuracy of information, I decided to try the miraculous power of perfumes with pheromones on myself. She went to the nearest pharmacy, blushing but desperately trying to remain calm, and asked for a small red bottle. At home I opened it and studied the instructions. It turned out that the sampler imitates the aroma of one famous perfume brand. She took a shower, styled her hair, put on makeup, got dressed: stiletto boots, a tight knee-length skirt, a sweater, a bright scarf casually thrown over her shoulder and magical perfume behind her earlobes, on her elbows and wrists. As soon as I found myself on the street, I caught myself thinking that I was holding my back straighter than usual, throwing my head higher than usual, and straightening an unruly strand of hair more often than necessary.
The bottom line at the end of the day: yes, men spoke to me more often than usual and smiled. More “trophies”: one picked up dropped keys; a colleague persistently called for a cup of coffee; another one, noticing that I was walking with a cup to the cooler, helpfully turned back the tap, receiving a stream of boiling water on his fingers; The staff photographer tugged at his scarf and said thoughtfully: “We need to photograph you somehow.” Oh yes, and in the evening on the way to the entrance, a tall stranger (I can hardly believe it myself) volunteered to help carry a heavy package. In the evening, I couldn’t sleep for a long time and, replaying the day’s adventures in my head, I wondered what provoked the increased attention to my person - the miraculous aroma or my sense of self.
I'm leaning towards the second option. However, you can try it for yourself and share the results.
Natalia Serebryakova
Do natural aphrodisiacs work?
Although the effect of pheromones has not yet been proven, non-pheromone scents, such as the smells of certain plants, have quite measurable effects on our physiology and mood.
Therefore, smells affect us in two ways. They can awaken long-standing memories and associations (for example, the smell of cut grass and strawberries - about summer), or they can act directly, without control and analysis - raise or lower blood pressure, cause a feeling of aggression or relaxation, enhance sexual feelings or calm.
The best brands for men
You can buy men's perfumes with pheromones completely freely. A fairly decent assortment will be offered by pharmacies, perfume stores, sex shops, and specialized Internet sites. In this case, you need to pay attention to the cost, because a good deodorant with pheromones will not be very cheap.
Another question of interest to representatives of the stronger sex: which perfume to choose? We bring to your attention a small rating of the most popular perfumes with prices:
- Hugo Boss FM 54 is a long-lasting eau de toilette with a pleasant, exciting aroma, alluring and stimulating. The effect lasts for more than 10 hours. The average price is 750–850 rubles.
- Obsession Calvin Klein is a mysterious, classic scent. The smell is a mixture of lavender, musk and amber. The cost of these perfumes is 2500 - 4000 rubles, depending on the volume.
- Egoiste from Chanei is a spicy, hypnotic scent that has a mesmerizing effect on women. It is durable. The price can vary from 2500 to 6500 rubles.
- Musc Ravageur by Frédéric Malle is a sensual, musky scent that awakens secret desires. The average cost of this perfume is about 5,000 rubles (5 ml).
- Pherazone - cologne with pheromones, with a pleasant smell, excellent quality and a high price - 11,600 - 20,070 rubles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbdzuhxVbZQ
Men's perfumes with pheromones are an excellent way to attract women and increase your own attractiveness. Unscented pheromones for men will help make your image more seductive and attractive without much difficulty. For best results, choose perfumes with high quality pheromones.
True instinct
Modern perfumery products created using pheromones are the object of increased attention and demand. There are several companies that have long established the production of such products:
- DesireP This perfume contains a plant pathogen, and to obtain a rich, but at the same time light and lasting scent, the manufacturer chose bergamot and musk, patchouli and lemon, cyclamen and cedar.
- HugoBossGreen. The main aroma is musk. It has a stimulating effect on women, but this effect only manifests itself if a beautiful lady is in close proximity to a man.
- PacoRabanneUltraviolet. To create the aromatic base, mint and ambergris, woody spice and vetiver were chosen. The pheromones included in the composition force women to be active and take the first step in the development of sexual relations.
- ChanelEgoistPlatinum is recognized as one of the most popular fragrances, but is also in demand because the pheromones introduced into their composition have a noticeable stimulating effect on women. Representatives of the fair sex are eager to get to know and communicate better with the owner of this fragrance.
- The undisputed leader among the products described is Kenzo oil perfume for men. They occupy a leading position among perfumes with pheromones and are not only in great demand, but also well-deserved consumer trust.
Of course, the price of such perfumes is quite high, but if you consider that they should be used only in exceptional cases, not applied to the body during working hours or on a business date, then the cost is quite justified. You can buy such products not only in specialized stores. Sometimes a pharmacy can offer a good selection of perfumes with pheromones, and the quality of such a purchase will be confirmed by a certificate of conformity.
