This has probably been posted before, but I haven’t seen anything recent on it and for some reason couldn’t pull up a search on it.
So after seeing post after post about how badly everyone wants IFM to come back and how great it is with women, I decided to do a little digging in my med school text books and some browsing through the web to figure out what it’s all about. This is what I came up with…
The main ingredient in IFM is Androstenedione, commonly referred to as A1. This chemical, along with Androstenediol, are direct precursors to Testosterone. It has been known for quite some time now that hormones can be absorbed dermally (through the skin) and this is the basis of many hormone treatments for medical conditions.
So what seems to be happening is that when applied to the skin, the Androstenedione is absorbed into the blood stream and transported to the adrenal glands and testes where it is converted into Testosterone. Numerous studies have been done to determine whether or not Testosterone can be “smelled” by women. While none were conclusive, several hinted that women do in fact pick up when this chemical is circulating around them. There is a pheromone detecting organ known as the Vomeronasal Organ that is present in mammals, but not always in humans. It is believed that it regresses during human fetal development, but some people do in fact have a still existing, but smaller organ. It would seem that this organ is responsible for detecting pheromones in humans and could be the premise behind why different women may behave differently to the same “pheromone signature”.
Similar findings have been found with the bodybuilding supplement known as Testim, which is normally used to treat hypogonadism in men (naturally low testosterone levels). It is a 1% testosterone gel that is absorbed by the skin to increase testosterone levels. Several users of Testim have reported being told by women that they “smell” great even when these men had no cologne or other “scent” on at the time. It was reported to be a clean, crisp, musky smell that the women couldn’t get enough of.
So it seems that everyone’s beloved IFM acts by increasing Testosterone levels and thereby attracting women by emitting a type of “fertile smell”.
Hope this was illuminating!
I believe this would better serve the community in the Theory section, hence the move. Very well thought out and written and as such remind me scotties123 to send you something extra for the effort. Drop me a PM please
Thank you, Steve. I feel that everyone has a background that helps contribute to the community, and mine seems to be medical science . I’m happy to do my part in any way that I can.
EDIT: I also just realized that this could be the basis for A1 in Dial Magnetic Body Wash. Of course I doubt due to costs that they use high enough concentrations of A1 to see substantial effects, paired up with A1 phero you could probably help boost its effects.
Great report scotties. I love learning the science behind pheromones and how they work in the body. Ive come to believe based on my own readings and experiments with the mrs. that womens response to pheromones should be largely cycle point dependant. Ive read that women posses two distinct sexualities. Her estrus phase(ovulating)which is for getting good genes from symmetric men (which is a good genes marker) ie: good looking, alpha men. The rest of the time(extended sexuality) which historically has been for getting material benifits from men(including food, protection,etc) based on where she is during the cycle she should prefer different pheromones.
When the mrs is in estrus she def. responds better to lots of none like turn up the heat. However during non-fertile times, the turn up the heat is alot less effective, and more social pheros should be used.
I read a book by thornhill and gangstead(cant remember its name right now) which also talks about the cycle dependent differences in womans mate choice. One study mentioned that woman prefer the smell of symmetric mens t-shirts when in estrus, but no difference when she is infertile.
Now women on the pill, thats a different story. They shouldnt exhibit the same responces as women not using hormonal contraception.
So I guess my initial research kind of threw me into a research frenzy . After looking through and reading a LOT of research journal articles, I have found some info about Androstenol.
Androstenol is chemically and structurally similar to naturally made androgen (male steroid hormone). After entering the body, which in the case of pheromone cologne is via skin absorption, it goes to the liver where it inactivates the nuclear transcription factor Car-Beta. In Lay-terms, nuclear transcription factors regulate what proteins are made in the body, and proteins are what make things happen in the body. Car-Beta normally activates a gene that results in the production of the liver enzyme Cytochrome P450 Oxidase 2B6 (CYP 2b6). CYPs are a class of enzymes that break down other things in the body. In our case, 2B6 is a type of CYP that breaks downandrogen.
So let’s put this all together… Androstenol inhibits the breakdown of male hormone, i.e. Testosterone! This results in the same effects that androstenedione had, which is increasing Testosterone levels. The difference between the two however, is how much Testosterone levels increase. Unfortunately, nobody knows this and it will probably be a very long time until studies are done to determine it.
If I feel inspired I’ll do more digging around when I find time from school and try to breakdown the function of the other major pheromones we use.
Great post! I actually had read this before, but it was a pleasure to read it again!
Also: A1 is the pheromone in the Got2B Magnetik products as well, and I noticed just what you said. I don’t think that the phero-content is enough to carry itself, but certainly does add to mixes.
So scotties123 based on what you were saying about the rise in testosterone levels, I’m wondering if using androstenol products while working out and eating properly would help someone who is trying to gain more size and strength, what do you think?
In theory I guess it could work. But there are certain things to take into consideration. One of them is how much it increases testosterone levels in your body. Another is possible side effects. Higher testosterone levels will cause the testes to produce less. So it could have negative effects on the testes by possibly making them smaller. Now of course this wouldn’t happen in a short period of time, and even body builders that take high amounts of steroids go about 8 weeks before taking about 1 month off, in order to prevent these negative effects on the testes. So I guess it could help, but there’s no guarentee that the increased levels would be sufficient enough to have that much of an effect on the muscles. Another thing to keep in mind is that according to the information I found, -nol prevents the breakdown of testosterone so while it may lead to temporarily increased levels, again having testosterone already in high levels will prevent the testes from making more. So in effect, you may just be evening out because working out causes bursts of testosterone to be released from the testes and having these levels around for longer will stop more from being released. I think the reason -nol works on an everyday basis (i.e. just using it when you go out) is because the lower levels of testosterone that are constantly circulating in your body will be around a bit longer.
I honestly think that if you just eat right and workout properly, you will get big. When I workout I give myself 1 spray of TUTH because it helps me focus my aggression and helps me get a better workout in. I also take 100% whey protein powder. It’s great. Zero negative side effects and all the protein you need to get big. And please keep in mind that everything I’ve said is the opinion of just one guy, so take it for what it’s worth.
very good to know, I currently do the same with the protein shakes plus the the zone diet at 5 blocks each meal and snack, i was just thinking it would be sweet if -nol would be able to give that edge the way it does in social interations.
Has anyone ever watched the old batman series from like 10 years ago? Ivy uses plants that use disguises to look like regular individuals that with her special formula give off pheromones in order to subdue their victims into loving them. Even batman could’nt resist Ivy’s concoction and actually married the plant rofl. It makes you wonder if one day they’ll be androids in the world with a centralized pheromone delivery system kind of like from some of those oldie movies and such.
Hmmm… I’m not convinced the pheros work by absorbtion through the skin. They’re designed to evaporate and be smelled… A man with naturally high testosterone is going to excrete excess hormones through sweat and urine, (which is why many pheromones are stinky, as Gegogi often reminds us ). So the genuine article is going to smell that way. So what’s happening is that you are faking the smell of a guy who naturally has that level of hormones in his body. Such a person would probably be excreting not only testosterone, but test precursors like A1.
. I’m happy to do my part in any way that I can.