The sexual effects of pheromones in the attraction process
Pheromones are chemicals produced by animals that stimulate a response in other animals of the same species. In this case, scientists identified a pheromone that caused the recipient's heart to beat faster and more forcefully. In a wild and unjustifiable extrapolation of logic, incorporation of this pheromone into men's colognes was supposed to make the hearts of nearby women beat faster and more strongly. And that it did. Since forceful beating of the heart is something people experience when they fall in love, this stimulation of the heart was supposed to make the pheromone recipient believe that she was falling in love with a certain person just because her heart went into overdrive when that person was around. We're not talking about moths or birds, we're talking about women!
Interestingly, copulin production is reduced by the Pill and by antibiotics (1). Women who are on the Pill or antibiotics, or women who are at a phase in their menstrual cycle in which copulin production is low, might benefit from using synthetic copulins to enhance their sexual appeal. Women who are ovulating would not be appreciably helped by spritzing on some copulins, since they have about as much need for additional copulins as Eskimos have a need for iceboxes. However, Paul Spinrad, author of The RE/Search Guide to Bodily Fluids, said that only one-third of women produce copulins. If that is true, then the two-thirds of women who do not produce copulins might especially benefit from using synthetic copulins. Incidentally, copulins donít necessarily have to be applied to women to be effective; synthetic copulins could be applied to a man who wished to boost his libido.
Some research suggests that the mechanism by which copulins achieve their effect is by increasing testosterone production in men (2). The proximity of the nose (site of the pheromone receptors) to the vagina may explain why many men find cunnilingus to be so stimulating, since this maximizes pheromone reception. Some European women dab their vaginal juices on areas in which perfume is traditionally applied, such as on the neck and behind the ears. This rationale for this is obvious: by juxtaposing copulins to the manís nose, a greater dose is delivered.
One author speculated that the supposed male preference for blondes and redheads is attributable to their higher production of copulins. Though entertaining, there is no scientific support for this theory. Research does suggest that the heightened attraction evoked by copulins is more apt to benefit women who are less attractive than women who are very attractive. Presumably, men are so revved up by just looking at gorgeous women that adjunctive attractants such as copulins elicit relatively little additional appeal. Since copulins do more to enhance the appeal of women who arenít stunning, in effect they decrease the importance of optical attractiveness and hence help level the playing field in the competition for men.
Failure to respond to copulins or other pheromones may result from a variety of causes such as nasal infections or allergies, smoking, certain genetic defects, head injuries in which the olfactory nerves are sheared, and possibly incipient Alzheimer disease.
Intelligently used, pheromones are far more than a somewhat underhanded means of increasing inter sexual attraction. They can enhance the perception of well-being, making the recipient feel more cheerful, less irritable, less depressed, and imparting a feeling of a perpetual internal smile ó at least, until the cologne wears off. If they do not believe this already, it can make a person feel that life is indeed worth living. By reducing stress, pheromones can indirectly improve immune function, help build muscle, reduce cardiovascular risk, and even combat skin diseases such as acne in which stress plays a role.