The Surprising Way Pheromones Affect Your Sex Life

Ever wondered how pheromones work?

You know, pheromones! 

They are the hormonal "smell" different animals give off to attract a mate. 

I put the word smell in quotes because the human nose can't actually detect them the way other mammals can. 

The answer to that question is probably yes, if Science Magazine is to be believed. 

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In the 125th year anniversary issue, the question "how to pheromones affect human behavior" was ranked as one of the most popular science questions ever asked.

You probably think you already know how pheromones work, and in theory, you're right.

The idea is that men and women each give off odors that attract us to biological mates with whom we can make the most viable offspring.

It's not romantic, but the perfume and cologne industry have been making money off of that idea for years. 

I love the way my boyfriend smells. 

I've been known to steal his hoodie just because it smells like him. 

But does that really mean I'm being ensnared by his pheromones?

Well, science says....no. 

To date, there is NO evidence to support the idea that pheromones affect human beings and our level of attraction to each other. 

That's right.

No evidence. Zilch. Goose egg.

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So yeah, remember that guy you slept with in college who followed Phish for a year,  never washed his hair and played the bongos?

You can't chalk up that encounter to his killer pheromones anymore, that was all you and your bad judgment. 

Sorry! 

For decades scientists have been studying pheromones and how they work with human beings.

It makes sense, even if so far nothing has come of it.

That's because pheromones play a huge part in mating for so many other different species! 

So it turns out that whole song about us being "nothing but mammals so let's do it like they do on the Discovery Channel" got it wrong.

While we're definitely mammals (with the hair and the wombs to prove it), our mating rituals and how our attraction work differently from most other mammals.

Science is still trying to crack the pheromone code, and if they ever do, you know that the perfume companies will be ALL over that!