# Have pheromones' effects been scientifically studied? on humans?

**URL:** <https://pheromonetalk.com/t/have-pheromones-effects-been-scientifically-studied-on-humans/24236>\
**Category:** Pheromone Theory & Molecules\
**Created:** [December 25, 2008, 2:53pm UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/have-pheromones-effects-been-scientifically-studied-on-humans/24236 "2008-12-25T14:53:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![quanzol](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/pheromonetalk.com/quanzol/32/372_2.png) [@quanzol](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/quanzol)\
**Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 2:53pm UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/have-pheromones-effects-been-scientifically-studied-on-humans/24236/1 "2008-12-25T14:53:59Z")

</div>

With [pheromones](https://pheromonelabs.com/shop/) being so widely used and many users reporting definite effects, I need to ask:

Has there been any scientific studies on the subject ie controlled and randomised?

There has to be, afterall many of us are affiliated to colleges and universities. If there isn’t existing studies or they aren’t sufficient surely we can conduct them ourselves to put our minds at ease and eliminate the placebo effect that sounds very possible to me a phero-novice, but:

How will we want to structure these studies? What do we want to investigate?

which is my second question 🙂🆒🙄🆒🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![diane999](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/pheromonetalk.com/diane999/32/1110_2.png) [@diane999](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/diane999)\
**Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 8:45pm UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/have-pheromones-effects-been-scientifically-studied-on-humans/24236/2 "2008-12-25T20:45:30Z")

</div>

[Studies & Abstracts - PheroTalk Pheromone Forum](http://www.pheromonetalk.com/studies-abstracts/) - go there.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![quanzol](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/pheromonetalk.com/quanzol/32/372_2.png) [@quanzol](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/quanzol)\
**Post date:** [December 25, 2008, 11:39pm UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/have-pheromones-effects-been-scientifically-studied-on-humans/24236/3 "2008-12-25T23:39:20Z")

</div>

nice one, right to the point 🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![diane999](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/pheromonetalk.com/diane999/32/1110_2.png) [@diane999](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/diane999)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2008, 2:16am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/have-pheromones-effects-been-scientifically-studied-on-humans/24236/4 "2008-12-26T02:16:14Z")

</div>

> [@quanzol](#):
>
> nice one, right to the point 🙂

More:

**Estratraenol -**

1. **^ ([Estratetraenol - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estratetraenol#cite_ref-0))** Thysen B, Elliott WH, Katzman PA. Identification of estra-1,3,5(10),16-tetraen-3-ol (estratetraenol) from the urine of pregnant women. _Steroids_. 1968 Jan;11(1):73-87. [PMID 4295975](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4295975)
2. **^ ([Estratetraenol - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estratetraenol#cite_ref-1))** Laska M, Wieser A, Salazar LT. Sex-specific differences in olfactory sensitivity for putative human pheromones in nonhuman primates. _Journal of Comparative Psychology_. 2006 May;120(2):106-12. [PMID 16719588](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16719588)
3. **^ ([Estratetraenol - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estratetraenol#cite_ref-2))** Jacob S, Hayreh DJ, McClintock MK. Context-dependent effects of steroid chemosignals on human physiology and mood. _Physiology and Behaviour_. 2001 Sep 1-15;74(1-2):15-27. [PMID 11564447](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11564447)
4. **^ ([Estratetraenol - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estratetraenol#cite_ref-3))** Savic I, Berglund H, Gulyas B, Roland P. Smelling of odorous sex hormone-like compounds causes sex-differentiated hypothalamic activations in humans. _Neuron_. 2001 Aug 30;31(4):661-8. [PMID 11545724](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11545724)
5. **^ ([Estratetraenol - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estratetraenol#cite_ref-4))** Berglund H, Lindström P, Savic I. Brain response to [putative pheromones](https://pheromonelabs.com/product-category/advanced-pheromones/putative-pheromones/) in lesbian women. _Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA_. 2006 May 23;103(21):8269-74. [PMID 16705035](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16705035)
6. **^ ([Estratetraenol - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estratetraenol#cite_ref-5))** Berglund H, Lindström P, Dhejne-Helmy C, Savic I. Male-to-female transsexuals show sex-atypical hypothalamus activation when smelling odorous steroids. _Cerebral Cortex_. 2008 Aug;18(8):1900-8. [PMID 18056697](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18056697)

**Androstadienone -**

1. **^ ([Androstadienone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androstadienone#cite_ref-0))** Wyart C, Webster WW, Chen JH, Wilson SR, McClary A, Khan RM, Sobel N. 2007. Smelling a single component of male sweat alters levels of cortisol in women. J Neurosci. 27(6):1261-5.[1] ([pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=17287500&query_hl=1&itool=pubmed_docsum))

**Androstanone -**

1. **^ ([Androstenone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androstenone#cite_ref-0))** “[Ability to perceive androstenone can be acquired by ostensibly anosmic people.](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=2813372&query_hl=4&itool=pubmed_docsum)”. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. (1989 October). Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
2. **^ ([Androstenone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androstenone#cite_ref-1))** “[Sniffers’ genes dictate if sweat smells sweet](http://www.newscientist.com/channel/being-human/mg19526225.600-sniffers-genes-dictate-if-sweat-smells-sweet.html)”. New Scientist (2007-09-22). Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
3. **^ ([Androstenone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androstenone#cite_ref-2))** Steenhuysen, Julie (2007-09-16). “[Stinky? It’s not his sweat, it’s your nose](http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?alias=stinky-its-not-his-sweat)”. Scientific American. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
4. **^ ([Androstenone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androstenone#cite_ref-3))** Swaminathan, Nikhil (2007-09-18). “[The Scent of a Man](http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=19CCCAFF-E7F2-99DF-394B61DF5ECC42B3&sc=I100322)”. Scientific American. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
5. **^ ([Androstenone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androstenone#cite_ref-4))** Lundström, Johan N.; Suzi Seven, Mats J. Olsson, Benoist Schaal and Thomas Hummel (2006-07-14). “[Olfactory Event-Related Potentials Reflect Individual Differences in Odor Valence Perception](http://chemse.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/31/8/705)”. Oxford Journal. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
6. **^ ([Androstenone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androstenone#cite_ref-5))** Birchall, Annabelle (1990-08-25). “[A whiff of happiness: Can smelling a molecule contained in human sweat ease anxiety and stress? Some scientists think so, and argue that ‘osmotherapy’ may also help people to slim or stop smoking](http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg12717314.700-a-whiff-of-happiness-can-smelling-a-molecule-contained-inhuman-sweat-ease-anxiety-and-stress-some-scientists-think-so-and-arguethat-osmotherapy-may-also-help-people-to-slim-or-stop-smoking-.html)”. New Scientist. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
7. **^ ([Androstenone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androstenone#cite_ref-6))** Graham, Sarah (2002-10-23). “[Nostrils Share Information for Recognizing Scents](http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=0004E938-FE5B-1DB6-94E2809EC5880108&sc=I100322)”. Scientific American. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
8. **^ ([Androstenone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androstenone#cite_ref-7))** Spinney, Laura. “[Five things humans no longer need](http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13927-five-things-humans-no-longer-need.html)”. New Scientist. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.
9. **^ ([Androstenone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androstenone#cite_ref-8))** “[The scents of androstenone in humans](http://jp.physoc.org/cgi/content/full/554/1/1)”. The Journal of Physiology. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.

**Pheromones, general -**

1. **^ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-0))** Kohl, J., Atzmueller, M., Fink, B. & Grammar, K. Human Pheromones: Integrative Neuroendocrinology & Ethology. NEL 22, 309-321.(2001)
2. **^ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-1))** Karlson, P., Lüscher, M. (1959). Pheromones: a new term for a class of biologically active substances. _[Nature](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature)_ **183** , 55-56.
3. **^ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-2))** [https://www.msu.edu/user/miller20/carmona.htm](https://www.msu.edu/user/miller20/carmona.htm)
4. **^ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-3))** Landolt, J. P. 1997. Sex attractant and aggregation pheromones of male phytophagous insects. In American Entomologist Vol. 43- 1
5. **^ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-4))** J.du P. Bothma, Game ranch management, fourth edition, Van Schaik publishers, 2002
6. **^ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-5))** Kimball, J.W. Pheromones. _Kimball’s Biology Pages_. Sep 2008. [1] ([http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/P/Pheromones.html](http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/P/Pheromones.html))
7. **^ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-6))** Kohl, J., Atzmueller, M., Fink, B. & Grammar, K. Human Pheromones: Integrative Neuroendocrinology & Ethology. NEL 22, 309-321(2001).
8. **^ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-7))** “[Excited ants follow pheromone trail of same chemical they will use to paralyze their prey](http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/Feb98/antpheromone.hrs.html)”. Retrieved on 2006-03-14.
9. **^ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-8))** “[Study: Ants Use Scents Like Road Signs](http://animal.discovery.com/news/afp/20051128/ants.html)”. Retrieved on 2006-03-14.
10. **^ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-9))** Kimball, J.W. Pheromones. _Kimball’s Biology Pages_. Sep 2008. [2] ([http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/P/Pheromones.html](http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/P/Pheromones.html))
11. **^ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-10))** McClintock MK (1971). “Menstrual synchrony and suppression”. Nature 229 (5282): 244-5. [PMID 4994256](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4994256)
12. **^ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-11))** Stern K, McClintock MK (1998). “Regulation of ovulation by human pheromones”. Nature 392 (6672): 177-9. doi:10.1038/32408. [PMID 9515961](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9515961).
13. **^ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-12))** Yang, Zhengwei; Jeffrey C. Schank (2006). “[Women Do Not Synchronize Their Menstrual Cycles](http://transactionpub.metapress.com/openurl.asp?genre=article&issn=1045-6767&volume=17&issue=4&spage=434)”. _Human Nature_ **17** (4): 434–447. [doi](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_object_identifier):[10.1007/s12110-006-1005-z](http://dx.doi.org/10.1007%2Fs12110-006-1005-z). [Welcome to MetaPress](http://transactionpub.metapress.com/openurl.asp?genre=article&issn=1045-6767&volume=17&issue=4&spage=434). Retrieved on 25 June 2007.
14. **^ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-13))** Savic, I.“[Brain response to putative pheromones in lesbian women](http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0600331103v1?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=ivanka&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT).” PNAS, May 16, 2006
15. **^ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-14))** Wade, N. “[Gay Men are found to have Different Scent of Attraction](http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/09/science/09cnd-smell.html).” NY Times, May 9, 2005
16. **^ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-15))** Wyart C, Webster WW, Chen JH, Wilson SR, McClary A, Khan RM, Sobel N. 2007. Smelling a single component of male sweat alters levels of cortisol in women. J Neurosci. 27(6):1261-5.[3] ([pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=17287500&query_hl=1&itool=pubmed_docsum))
17. **^ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-sf_16-0))** “[San Francisco State University study shows that synthetic pheromones in women’s perfume increase intimate contact with men](http://www.sfsu.edu/%7Enews/prsrelea/fy01/091.htm)”. _San Francisco State University Office of Public Affairs_. March 20 2002. [http://www.sfsu.edu/~news/prsrelea/fy01/091.htm](http://www.sfsu.edu/%7Enews/prsrelea/fy01/091.htm).
18. **^ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-17))** Liberles SD, Buck LB. 2006. A second class of chemosensory receptors in the olfactory epithelium. Nature. 442(7103):645-50. [4] ([pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=16878137&query_hl=1&itool=pubmed_docsum))
19. **^ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-18))** Pearson H. 2006. Mouse data hint at human pheromones. Nature. 442(7102):495. [5] ([pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=16885951&query_hl=5&itool=pubmed_docsum))
20. ^ _ **a** _ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-wy_19-0)) _ **b** _ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-wy_19-1)) Wyatt, Tristram D. (2003). _Pheromones and Animal Behaviour: Communication by Smell and Taste._ Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [ISBN 0-521-48526-6](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0521485266). p. 298 Quoting Preti & Weski (1999) “No peer reviewed data supporting the presences of…human…pheromones that cause rapid behavioral changes, such as attraction and/or [copulation](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copulation) have been documented.”
21. ^ _ **a** _ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-Warren_S._T._Hays_20-0)) _ **b** _ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-Warren_S._T._Hays_20-1)) Hays, Warren S. T., Human pheromones: have they been demonstrated? _Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology_, 2003, 54:89-97
22. **^ ([Pheromone - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheromone#cite_ref-Neu_21-0))** Bear, Mark F.; Barry W. Connors, Michael A. Paradiso (2006). _Neuroscience: Exploring the Brain_. [ISBN 0781760038](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0781760038). p. 264 …there has not yet been any hard evidence for human pheromones that might [change] sexual attraction (for members of either sex) [naturally]

**Other Reading -**

- Kohl, JV., Atzmueller, M., Fink, B. & Grammer, K. (2001). Human Pheromones: Integrating Neuroendocrinology and Ethology. _Neuroendocrinology Letters, 22(5),_ 319-331. [Full text](http://evolution.anthro.univie.ac.at/institutes/urbanethology/resources/pdf/NEL220501R01_.pdf)
- Liberles, S.D., [Buck, L.B.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_Buck) (2006). A second class of chemosensory receptors in the olfactory epithelium. _Nature, 442,_ 645-50.
- McClintock, M.K. (1984). Estrous synchrony: modulation of ovarian cycle length by female pheromones. _Physiological Behavior, 32,_ 701-705.
- [Wilson, E. O.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_O._Wilson), Bossert, W. H. (1963). Chemical communication among animals. _Recent Progress in Hormone Research, 19,_ 673-716.
- Wyatt, Tristram D. (2003). _Pheromones and Animal Behaviour: Communication by Smell and Taste._ Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [ISBN 0-521-48526-6](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0521485266).

These I pulled from Wikipedia in about two minutes. Access to a Med School Library and you can sit and read any of these you want.

JVKohl is an active member of the community. You will usually find him here or on the studies/abstracts section of the forum.

Diane

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jvkohl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/pheromonetalk.com/jvkohl/32/1297_2.png) [@jvkohl](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/jvkohl)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 7:27pm UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/have-pheromones-effects-been-scientifically-studied-on-humans/24236/5 "2009-01-03T19:27:54Z")

</div>

At [Google Scholar](http://scholar.google.com) a search on “[human pheromones](https://pheromonelabs.com/)” will take you to some of the latest research, enough to keep you busy reading for a few days. However, access to conference presentations and proceedings (e.g., Association for Chemoreception Sciences; Society for Neuroscience; Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality) is more indicative of current events, as it can take many months before the latest information reaches a general audience. The December 31, 2008 publication by Wen Zhou and Denise Chen followed an April, 2006 presentation, for example. I am happy to say that Denise introduced me to Wen as the man whose book inspired her career choice (i.e., to pursue research on olfaction and pheromones).

Many people with academic interest in their own studies, and assistance with study design have been referred to me by their professors (though I had nothing to do with the Zhou and Chen study. So far as I know Kelahan, Hoffmann, & Kohl (2007) were the first to show behavioral affects on women of a mixture of putative human pheromones. Many others have shown effects of individual chemicals on hormones, mood, or via brain imaging. We also showed an increase in women’s self-reported level of attraction when our male accomplice was wearing the mixture. Kelahan has since started medical school, so publication of our results is delayed until one of us can better attend to submissions.

James V. Kohl  
`http://www.pheromones.com`

> [@quanzol](#):
>
> With pheromones being so widely used and many users reporting definite effects, I need to ask:
> 
> Has there been any scientific studies on the subject ie controlled and randomised?
> 
> There has to be, afterall many of us are affiliated to colleges and universities. If there isn’t existing studies or they aren’t sufficient surely we can conduct them ourselves to put our minds at ease and eliminate the placebo effect that sounds very possible to me a phero-novice, but:
> 
> How will we want to structure these studies? What do we want to investigate?
> 
> which is my second question 🙂🆒🙄🆒🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![diane999](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/pheromonetalk.com/diane999/32/1110_2.png) [@diane999](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/diane999)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 9:43pm UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/have-pheromones-effects-been-scientifically-studied-on-humans/24236/6 "2009-01-03T21:43:00Z")

</div>

> [@jvkohl](#):
>
> At [Google Scholar](http://scholar.google.com) a search on “human pheromones” will take you to some of the latest research, enough to keep you busy reading for a few days. However, access to conference presentations and proceedings (e.g., Association for Chemoreception Sciences; Society for Neuroscience; Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality) is more indicative of current events, as it can take many months before the latest information reaches a general audience. The December 31, 2008 publication by Wen Zhou and Denise Chen followed an April, 2006 presentation, for example. I am happy to say that Denise introduced me to Wen as the man whose book inspired her career choice (i.e., to pursue research on olfaction and pheromones).
> 
> Many people with academic interest in their own studies, and assistance with study design have been referred to me by their professors (though I had nothing to do with the Zhou and Chen study. So far as I know Kelahan, Hoffmann, & Kohl (2007) were the first to show behavioral affects on women of a mixture of putative human pheromones. Many others have shown effects of individual chemicals on hormones, mood, or via brain imaging. We also showed an increase in women’s self-reported level of attraction when our male accomplice was wearing the mixture. Kelahan has since started medical school, so publication of our results is delayed until one of us can better attend to submissions.
> 
> James V. Kohl  
> `http://www.pheromones.com`

Thank you, James. You are wonderful!

Diane