Pheromones - Are they a myth?

Welcome to the Topic “Pheromones - Are they a myth”

Aspiring entrepreneurs have long sold the benefits of love potions- claiming they can make you attractive to a potential partner due to the presence of pheromones in the. But while Love potions are considered a form of deceptive marketing, the presence of pheromones is somewhat debatable too.

What are pheromones?

Pheromones are small compounds in our bodily secretions, such as sweat that elicit responses in other members of the same species. The presence of pheromones in particular insects and mammals is definitive. Many insects and animals release pheromones to communicate with their counterparts. There are some remarkable examples.

Pheromones were first discovered in female silk moths in the form of a compound called Bombykol. Similarly, pheromones are found in mice as well. A compound is present in the male mouse urine and acts to induce reproductive development in the female mouse. It is indeed a striking phenomenon. 

Pheromones- the key to finding the right partner!

It is widely known that ice can select mates based on their odors. A phenomenon that is considered to be shared in humans as well. It is believed that humans too select partners based on body odor cues. Body odors play a significant role in causing an attraction between potential partners. Thus, if they exist, pheromones might have a crucial role in our romantic lives.

Types of pheromones

Various types of pheromones are present in animals, each having a different purpose and causing a different kind of response in the other species member. For instance, the signalers emit information regarding the social status and health of the animal. Similarly, the releaser pheromones are the ones that trigger a behavioral response, while primal pheromones cause physiological changes

. A group of girlfriends often have their menstrual cycle sync with each other. The reason is primal pheromone. It is believed that when a woman is exposed to another woman's sweat, it causes changes in her menstrual cycle, and therefore the menstrual cycles of a group of friends appear to be in sync. Similarly, an ovulating woman's odor is believed to increase the testosterone level in a male. The process of reproductive development in female mice is an example of primer pheromone. Similarly, there are modulator pheromones as well that cause changes in the counterpart’s mood.

Pheromones- Truth or a myth?

But do pheromones exist, or are they just a myth? In animals, pheromones have been observed. But in humans, no single pheromone has yet been discovered. Although scientists have been able to keep pheromone effects, the causal factor is missing. For instance, the pheromone effect is a potential explanation for why babies can recognize the odor of their mothers and why they crawl to them. 

Maybe in the coming years, scientists will be able to make advances in this field and identify a pheromone that would explain responses in other humans, but for the time being, the chances of pheromones being real are slim.