Human sex pheromones

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No study has conclusively isolated or identified human sex pheromones, although various researchers have investigated the possibility of their existence. Pheromones, in general, are chemical substances secreted by organisms that trigger a social reaction in the same species. Sex pheromones are a special type of olfactory signal to promote mating or other behaviors closely related to sexual reproduction. While humans are highly dependent upon visual cues, smells can also play a role in sociosexual behaviors. An inherent difficulty in studying human pheromones is the need for maintaining cleanliness and controlling natural body odors among participants. Experiments have focused on three classes of putative human sex pheromones: axillary steroids, vaginal aliphatic acids, and stimulators of the vomeronasal organ. Axillary steroids are produced by the testicles, ovaries, apocrine glands and adrenal glands. These chemicals are not biologically active until puberty when sex steroids influence...

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