Pheromones are chemical substances excreted in sweat that trigger social responses, for example, sexual attraction in members of the same species. Pheromones are detected subconsciously by the vomeronasal organ (VNO) in the nose. The VNO transmits the chemical stimulus directly to the main area of the limbic system, where the reaction is triggered.
Pheromones can trigger two different kind of reactions: the first kind of reaction is a physiological one (primer pheromones) and the second kind of reaction is a behavioural one (releaser pheromones).
Human pheromones and how they work, interesting links on the topic:
The vomeronasal organ ( VNO ) and its secret messages to our limbic system
Definition pheromones
The vomeronasal organ (VNO)
How pheromones work
Scientific test reports on the topic of pheromones
Interesting information on pheromones
Literature on pheromones
What are pheromones?
Human Pheromones
Pheromones are chemical (olfactory) signals, pheromones, released by an organism to attract an individual of the opposite sex, encourage them to mate with them, or perform some other function closely related with sexual reproduction. While humans are highly dependent…
Source: Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia
Pheromones – Hormones are in the air
Pheromones are hormones which do not stay inside the body but which are released into the environment (air, water). Some pheromones act as triggers of sexual attraction. How they work in humans…read on
Source: Glossar 3sat Nano
The vomeronasal organ
The vomeronasal organ is the primary detector of pheromones of non-human mammals. Only in 1991 was it scientifically proven that humans too have a VNO…read on
Source: uni-muenster.de
Secret messages: What we betray about ourselves when we are kissing
Kissing is much more than a sign of being close. People do in fact exchange secret messages while kissing – telling, for example, if the partner is a fighty or in a sexy mood, healthy or sick, withdrawn or outgoing.
Kissing partners find out about each others pheromones…read on
Source: geo.de/magazine/geo-kompakt
How pheromones work
Body Odour betrays sexual Readiness
… there isn’t hardly any other smell as sexually arousing for women as male sweat. The reason for this is androsterone which is found in human sweat. This substance, which is similar to testosterone, attracts women even without their knowledge; like in this experiment…Source: focus.de
The way to the heart goes to through the nose – How body odour influences the Choice of Partner
Our nose too decides who we like, who we love and even whom we have sex with and whom we want to have children with. Every human being has his own individual body odour, which even reflects their genetic profile.
Source: focus.de
Love Is All in Your Head — Or Is It in Your Genes?
.. But don’t write off the power of pheromones as an aphrodisiac just yet. A 1998 study from the Athena Institute for Women’s Wellness Research in Chester Springs, Pa., documented the sexual activity of 38 young to middle-aged heterosexual men while using pheromones. Users of pheromones, but not of an inactive control substance, had increased frequency of informal dates, affectionate gestures, sleeping next to a romantic partner, foreplay, and sexual intercourse.
Quelle: webmd.com By Laurie Barclay, MD WebMD Health News Feb.14.2001(engl.)
Lockstoffe: Unwiderstehlich mit Spray und Tropfen?
Mit Hormonen versetzte Flüssigkeiten sollen Flirtpartner schwach werden lassen. Das jedenfalls versprechen die Anbieter so genannter Sextropfen.
Quelle: WDR Testmarkt
Scientific reports on the topic of pheromones
Sex – Attractants and yes, they do work
It is only male sweat and this is just how heterosexual men react to it. For them, at best, it is simply a smell like any other. Women and homosexual men, on the other hand, are aroused by this testosterone-laden perspiration. This seems to finally prove that attractants…read on
Source: spiegel.de/wissenschaft
Are Humans guided by Pheromones too?
The scent Hedion influences human behaviour
An influential scent: The floral scent of Hedion activates a human pheromone receptor and thereby has an effect on human behaviour. Experiments show that people exposed to a hardly discernible amount of the scent show increasingly responsive behaviour. Scientists interpret this as sign that pheromones …
Source: scinexx.de/wissen-aktuell/
Interesting information on pheromones
Der Pheromon – Boom hat begonnen
So mancher Mann tut´s jede Woche, Frauen machen´s immer öfter, heißt es in einem Artikel der Neuen Grazer (Pheromon-Boom, 22.08.03) – nämlich mit Hilfe von Sexualduftstoffen, den Pheromonen, die eigene Sexuelle Anzeihungskraft zu erhöhen. Enough, lets go shopping.
Quelle: das-weisse-pferd.com
Wasting money on deodorant? Male sweat is sexy
says a British study according to which women find men more attractive when they can smell their sweat and perceive the pheromones – sexual attractants – in it…read on
Source: medi-report.de
Why not meet the partner of your dreams at a Pheromone-Party?
The way to the heart goes through the nose. Unwashed T-shirts are lying around to be sniffed at. At pheromones parties the sense of smell is supposed to help you find the partner of your dreams….read on
Source: t-online.de
Literature on pheromones
Collected references
Thomas, L. (1980) Notes of a biology-watcher: on smell. New England Journal of Medicine 302: 731-733.
Buch : James Kohl , (1995) The Scent of Eros: Mysteries of Odor in Human Sexuality. Psycoloquy 6, 33 (Oct. 29)