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Male Sweat Pheromones Reduce Women's Stress
Women exposed to male perspiration have noticeable psychological and
physiological effects on their emotions. A woman's mood lightens,
tension is reduce and she is more relaxed. There is also an effect
on the release of luteinizing hormone, which affects the length
and timing of the menstrual cycle.
It's been known that female pheromones effect menstrual cycles in
other women. One study is the first to document that men's sweat
effects women's menstrual cycles and mood. Extracts from men's
underarms were applied to the lip of 18 women. After six hours of
exposure, the women were asked to rank their mood.
The men whose underarm extracts were used had bathed with fragrance-free soap
and abstained from deodorant use for four weeks. Mixing the
extracts kept the reactions nuetral from individual men's odors.
The women were unaware the swab on their lips belonged to male
sweat; they believed it to be a study of alcohol, perfume or
lemon floor wax.
The group of women in the study were divided in half. One half
of the females received three applications of the male sweat during
a six-hour period. Then they were given the control substance,
ethanol over a six-hour period. The other half, the program was
the opposite.
After exposure to the male sweat, women didn't feel
any less or more tired, calm, sexy, active or energetic.
Surprisingly, women reported feeling calmer and less stressed
during exposure to the male perspiration extract, suggesting there
might be more going on in social settings like singles bars than
believed.
Further testing found the blood levels of luteinizing hormone shift.
The reproductive hormone levels produced by the pituitary gland
normally surge right before ovulation with smaller peaks
throughout the menstrual cycle. The researchers found that male
underarm body fluids
rushed the onset of these smaller pulses.
The individual substances that make up male perspiration, several
dozen of them, are being studied to find out which ones are
responsible for the effects. The female pheromones are also being
observed to see if they effect men's moods as well.
The study may help develop medicines to manage the onset
of ovulation or the effects on premenstrual syndrome.
At the very least a natural product can be developed to aid
in relaxation.
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