Laws of attraction between a man and a woman are still an unsolved mystery. Myriad of theories have been proposed by psychologists, sociologists and anthropologists to explain it but how it all factors into true love or sex is even more mysterious.
What Women Want?
A number of surveys have suggested that men prefer looks while women prefer status. Looks versus status relationship makes evolutionary sense, as physical attractiveness of women indicate high fertility and men of high status are better able to ensure survival and rearing of children.
“Do women look for status only?”
But story doesn’t end here. Ensuring survival isn’t enough, the most important factor in the evolutionary game is survival of the fittest i.e. offspring must be healthy enough to thrive and be reproductively successful. Therefore a woman may prefer a man with material benefits, but most importantly he should be able to produce physically healthy children.
But what are the factors that determine whether a particular man can produce healthy children? The answer lies in his immune system. Our immune system determines what diseases we can defend against and what diseases we are carrying as recessive traits. However, more important is, how well a man’s immune system complements the woman’s immune system he is having sex with, and how unlikely both are to double up on recessive disease traits measure up. These two things ensure the robustness of the child’s immune system. Therefore, women are evolutionarily wired to find a healthy man, having different immune system from her own.
How do Women find the Right Man?
Our immune systems are coded by a group of genes called the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC), and everyone, except identical twins, has a unique set of MHC genes. Our unique string of MHC genes are the genotype of our immune system and it’s external indication is our body-odor. This way our odor-print is as unique as our fingerprint.
In a famous “Sweaty T-shirt” experiment by Dr. Claus Wedekind, it was shown that women chose only those T-shirts as most sexy and pleasant smelling which belonged to men, having different immune systems from their own. A woman’s sense of smell not only responds to a man’s body odor in terms of his biological suitability, but women actually find, how a man smells, to be one of the most important factors in their sexual attraction. This way body-odor or scent and scent communication play important roles in human sexuality. Although it may not push potential mates into a lustful frenzy but smell can definitely color perceptions to enhance one’s sex appeal.
“Pheromones act as subconscious sex signals”
Body scents may communicate other traits also which include facial symmetry, testosterone level and behavioral dominance. Studies have shown that a woman’s partner preferences change over their ovulatory cycle. Women at the high fertility point of ovulation preferred scents associated with facial/body symmetry and high testosterone level, symbolizing dominance.
Not much is known, why traits smell differently, but possibly it relates to hormones. For example, our armpits have odor releasing organs which contains hormone receptors. These organs secrete different types of bodily chemicals including alcohols, esters and fats. Studies have indicated the possibility of different mixes of hormones causing these organs to release different mixes of chemicals which might be responsible for our distinct body odor. These odor producing chemicals are also called pheromones, which are capable of influencing other’s behavior.
Pheromones are found in every species of insects and animals as sex attractants. These chemicals act as subconscious sex signals which are detected by a specialized structure VNO (Vomeronasal Organ) inside the nose. Pheromone signals are then transferred via neurons to the hypothalamus, a tiny but very important structure inside brain that is known for its capacity to alter emotions, hormonal balance, reproduction and sexual behavior.
Can Pheromones Make You Hot?
Recent studies have shown that it can alter mood, breathing, heart rate and body temperature but whether it can significantly enhance our sex appeal, is yet to be proven.
“Perfumes laced with pheromones can significantly enhance our sex appeal, is yet to be proven”
Till now, three human pheromones have been detected, androstenol, androstenone, and copulins. Androstenol has been found to influence women’s perception of a man’s sexual attractiveness, intelligence and confidence. Androstenone is known to be the scent of male aggression and dominance which tends to attract women but repulses other men. Copulins is exclusive to the vaginal secretions and its smell has been shown to increase male testosterone level and positively influences perceived attractiveness of females.
Perfumes with Pheromones: Do They Work?
Perfumes mimicking scent of naturally occurring pheromones may improve your chances of having sex, however, it is not the replacement of the basic courtship behavior. Women may become friendlier but that doesn’t mean, they are sexually aroused. You may find them more inclined to talk with you with increased eye contacts, smiles etc. but your prospects depend much upon how well you handle and reciprocate to these gestures. Further, you may feel an increase in passionate sex with your partner, amplifying your self-confidence.
“Women often have a certain affection for the way their partner smells naturally”
And before you jump onto spraying yourself with pheromone laced “cologne”, make sure it doesn’t causes allergic reactions by testing it on a small part of your skin first. If you develop rash or any unwanted bodily reactions, discontinue using them. Always look for the reputed brands before buying in to the claims that they contain human pheromones. However, don’t go so far to mask your natural scent completely as women often have a certain affection for the way their partner smells naturally.
Read More: What Women Want?
Disclaimer: The information on this page is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Do not use this information for the diagnosis or treatment of men’s and women’s sexual health and general health conditions without consulting the doctor. While we review and promote nutrients, herbs, Ayurvedic medicines, and alternative therapies for men’s and women’s sexual health and general health conditions, you must consult an authorized physician before taking any of the products.
