# "Why did women prefer the odors of men who had high cortisol level?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Studies & Abstracts\ **Created:** [November 12, 2006, 5:12am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/why-did-women-prefer-the-odors-of-men-who-had-high-cortisol-level/873 "2006-11-12T05:12:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mtnjim](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/pheromonetalk.com/mtnjim/32/2010_2.png) [@Mtnjim](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/Mtnjim)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 10:34pm UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/why-did-women-prefer-the-odors-of-men-who-had-high-cortisol-level/873/41 "2008-08-11T22:34:44Z")
Interestingly, the hip to waist ratio stays the same. Marlyn Monroe and [Twiggy](http://www.twiggylawson.co.uk/) had the same ratio even though one was “Skinner” than the other. ---
**Author:** ![NM357](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9fc348/32.png) [@NM357](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/NM357)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 9:35pm UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/why-did-women-prefer-the-odors-of-men-who-had-high-cortisol-level/873/42 "2008-08-15T21:35:55Z")
> [@PheroQuirk](#): > > how do you know that phenomenon is due to social conditioning? there might be some biological signal that tells us whether it is a time of plenty or hardship. after the depression of the 30s and rationing/famine of the 40s it is not so surprising that people preferred a fuller figure. (yes, i know the US was somewhat insulated from conditions in Europe, but it was nonetheless a more difficult era). I would think it would actually be DURING the hard times that men would prefer women who are a little heavier (in parts of Africa where there is famine being fat is considered attractive, yet in the US almost twig like women are considered attractive on TV… I look at a skinny women and say “she is pretty” but its women who have a fuller (but not fat as in real soft) look with a bigger butt and thighs, and a waist that is still fairly tight that turn me on). ---
**Author:** ![NM357](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9fc348/32.png) [@NM357](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/NM357)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 9:41pm UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/why-did-women-prefer-the-odors-of-men-who-had-high-cortisol-level/873/43 "2008-08-15T21:41:31Z")
> [@PheroQuirk](#): > > how do you know that phenomenon is due to social conditioning? there might be some biological signal that tells us whether it is a time of plenty or hardship. after the depression of the 30s and rationing/famine of the 40s it is not so surprising that people preferred a fuller figure. (yes, i know the US was somewhat insulated from conditions in Europe, but it was nonetheless a more difficult era). I would think that it would actually be DURING a famine that heavier people would look more attractive (like fat people are considered attractive in some parts of Africa). When I see a skinny woman that looks like a model I think she is pretty, but it is women with a thicker butt and thighs and breasts (but still a fairly tight waist… but it doesn’t have to be perfect) that turn me on more. When you look at different cultures there are different standards of beauty, yet groups within those cultures MAY NOT be so similar genetically- for example two African tribes were studied (on genetic level) as well as Norweigans. One African tribe was closer to the Norweigans genetically, yet their culture was still an African one. This is why there really is no such thing as race, just small localized groups. ---
**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:** [October 3, 2008, 10:34am UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/why-did-women-prefer-the-odors-of-men-who-had-high-cortisol-level/873/44 "2008-10-03T10:34:31Z")
> [@Jasmin](#): > > So we tend to prefer men who are stressed?? > > Hmm. > > Maybe it’s because many good providers are stressed. They can do lots of stuff and give us a good life, and then we can love them and ease their burden (reducing their cortisol.) Not necessarily. Cortisol is much more than an indicator of stress. It prepares the body for stress. This is such an important element in the body that we all have a ton of it bound to proteins for quick and easy access in times of need. Cortisol has potent effects on women. And it has been shown that sniffing [androstadienone](https://pheromonelabs.com/product/molecule-a/) increases cortisol production in women. Cortisol has potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive actions. Right away, I can see where this might be important in fertility a) to promote immune tolerance for sperm being in the body, including prevention of the production of antibodies against it, and b) in maintaining immune tolerance in early pregnancy. Cortisol is necessary in fetal lung development. Without sufficient cortisol levels lungs never create the surfactant necessary for inflation of the lungs at birth. Without sufficient surfactant the lungs remain sticky and collapse. Cortisol also has important metabolism regulatory effects. It could be that a rise in cortisol in both men and women is important for the rigors of childbearing. In which case it is not at all surprising that this substance is in some way involved in attraction between the sexes. Diane ---
**Author:** ![PheroQuirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9e8a1a/32.png) [@PheroQuirk](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/PheroQuirk)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 12:31pm UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/why-did-women-prefer-the-odors-of-men-who-had-high-cortisol-level/873/45 "2008-10-03T12:31:33Z")
> [@diane999](#): > > Not necessarily. Cortisol is much more than an indicator of stress. It prepares the body for stress. This is such an important element in the body that we all have a ton of it bound to proteins for quick and easy access in times of need. > > Cortisol has potent effects on women. And it has been shown that sniffing [androstadienone](https://pheromonelabs.com/product/molecule-a/) increases cortisol production in women. Cortisol has potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive actions. Right away, I can see where this might be important in fertility a) to promote immune tolerance for sperm being in the body, including prevention of the production of antibodies against it, and b) in maintaining immune tolerance in early pregnancy. > > Cortisol is necessary in fetal lung development. Without sufficient cortisol levels lungs never create the surfactant necessary for inflation of the lungs at birth. Without sufficient surfactant the lungs remain sticky and collapse. > > Cortisol also has important metabolism regulatory effects. > > It could be that a rise in cortisol in both men and women is important for the rigors of childbearing. In which case it is not at all surprising that this substance is in some way involved in attraction between the sexes. > > Diane Cortisol spike protects you against effects of stress. But elevated cortisol over time causes damage… ---
**Author:** ![jonno101](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/pheromonetalk.com/jonno101/32/367_2.png) [@jonno101](https://pheromonetalk.com/u/jonno101)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 10:50pm UTC](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/why-did-women-prefer-the-odors-of-men-who-had-high-cortisol-level/873/46 "2008-10-28T22:50:15Z")
Diane - interesting comments. My cortisol levels went up when my son was born ;-o) and I have not been able to really bring them down much since. That has apparently mirrored my perceived attractiveness (if i may be so bold 😃), to the point wher I seemed to be the only person to find Pherlure working for me! And anything stronger seems a bit too much. What really interests me is that my ‘natural’ phero signal seems quite different from most of the guys on the forum in that I need very low dosages of most things (a drop of IFM gives me the blues, anymore than one drop of A314 makes me seem too intense). In part, that’s why I’ve backed off on my phero use over the last couple months. As I don;t think I need much in the way of none, it rules out a number of good products. Does anyone think that cortisol can disrupt/affect your natural phero signature/profile? [Previous page](https://pheromonetalk.com/t/why-did-women-prefer-the-odors-of-men-who-had-high-cortisol-level/873.md?page=2)