For women, nothing's like the smell of men's sweat

[kurth]

For women, nothing's like the smell of men's sweat
Wed Feb 7, 2007 5:36 PM ET
By Will Dunham

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - For women, apparently there's nothing like the smell of a man's sweat.

Researchers at the University of California at Berkeley said women who sniffed a chemical found in male sweat experienced elevated levels of an important hormone, along with higher sexual arousal, faster heart rate and other effects.

They said the study, published this week in the Journal of Neuroscience, represents the first direct evidence that people secrete a scent that influences the hormones of the opposite sex.

The study focused on androstadienone, considered a male chemical signal. A derivative of testosterone, it is found in male sweat as well as in saliva and semen. It smells somewhat musky...

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=scienceNews&storyID=2007-02-07T223604Z_01_N07442693_RTRUKOC_0_US-MEN-SWEAT.xml&WTmodLoc=NewsHome-C3-scienceNews-2

[Horse with no Name]

1. Oh please

Sweat stinks.

[BlooInBloo]

4. Yeeeaaahhh Yeeeaahhh!

:rofl:

[Canuckistanian]

5. The stink is caused by bacteria. Sweat alone doesn't stink.

But, unfortunately, the bacteria live with us all the time.

[Maine-ah]

72. nah

everytime my hubbie is all steamin' w/ sweat, I want to jump him.....:evilgrin:

[Bonobo]

2. Hmmmmm... This should be good.

:popcorn:

[Cabcere]

3. I guess that explains

the fact that when I went with a group of my friends to a Yankee Candle store, my friend Erik complained that the candles my friend Erin and I were going crazy over "smell like a locker room." :rofl: Interesting.

[babylonsister]

6. Bunch of hooey, unless the study was broken down into age and looks.

And horniness. :evilgrin:
I'm beyond all three, so I can say that.

[notadmblnd]

56. I don't know....

they way my husband smelled is what initially attracted him to me. He smelled just like a Cherry Lifesaver. And watching men perform physical labor (I know it's a rarity) has always worked me up. You should see my picture collection of construction workers.

[Catherine Vincent]

7. I guess it depends on what activity the sweat came from.

If you catch my drift? :)

[Schema Thing]

8. I have had, on several occasion, women give me a hug and say

"oh, you smell nice, what are you wearing?", when I am in fact wearing nothing (as a scent ;)) more than a hard days work.

[Tesha]

49. The "Rat Pee" theory of sexual attraction.

We (mammals) all have various genetic factors; one is
called the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC). If
you'd like to bear a child who has a strong immune
system, you probably want a mate who *DOES* NOT* share
your own MHC. In fact, you probably want a mate whose
MHC is as divergent from your own as possible.

It has been reliably, scientifically proven that rats
can smell out the MHC of other rats in their pee, and
on the basis of how their pee smells, they will choose
as mates a rat with a divergent MHC.

Research is starting to show that we humans have the
same capability. It's not necessarily something that
rises to the level of consciousness, but certain
people smell "more right" to us than other people.
And in women, this capability of smelling out the
right partners seems to rise at the fertile "time
of the month".

So when women say: "oh, you smell nice,..", what
they may really be saying is "we'd make healthy
babies together."

Tesha

[Schema Thing]

54. fascinating

And yeah, sometimes I was able to pick up on what they were saying :-D

[redqueen]

77. Yes indeed! n/t

[Katherine Brengle]

9. Blech. Unwashed man smell (or woman smell for that matter) = yack

[Porcupine]

32. What a surprise? I don't suppose washing helps either for you? nt.

.

[cynatnite]

10. I like looking at sweaty handsome men, but I don't wanna smell 'em...

ICK!

[Lex]

11. So why should men bother with underarm deodorant?

:shrug:

[Horse with no Name]

19. It's a law

(I don't care that that is a lie...but it should be a law that people have to wear deodorant).

[Ferret Annica]

22. I don't wear deodorant

I prefer to smell my natural oder. I also refuse to cut my hair and don't like to shower more then once a week as not to deplete th natural oils in my skin and hair.

I also would rather die then work at a job where I had to wear a tie and suit.

[originalpckelly]

30. Organic exterminator?

:shrug:

[Ferret Annica]

37. Nope, just too smart to buy into the crap human body oder

smells bad, it flat doesn't. I refer my partner to not use deodorant, that stuff is noxious.

[donsu]

76. I've always anti perspirants as I think they might have a link to breast

cancer. you know, anything that can stop a portion of your body from sweating must be suspect.

[babylonsister]

34. Are you single? nt

[Ferret Annica]

36. Yup.

But I am 52, never married and want no relationship right now. It doesn't matter though, in Eugene, Oregon, many women never shave, can go topless, and feel the same way I do regarding the consumerism crap concerning hygiene.

Deodorant is nasty anyway, I never have used it when I didn't have to.

[babylonsister]

38. The act of not using deodorant, , or washing your hair for a week, or

basic cleanliness things (to me), turn me off. Topless and hairy are fine; I demand cleanliness.

[Ferret Annica]

40. To each their own

I am not only extremely fit and healthy, but I look very young for my age.



Summer, 2006, Mike McCarthy, age 52

[The Cleaner]

62. Shut up, you're not 52!

:)

Anyway have you ever used that rock mineral deodorant? The natural kind? It's all I use now. It's safe, natural, and it works. It's called "Crystal Stick Deodorant for Men" and you can buy it anywhere now. I recommend it. Others around you would appreciate it.

[Catherine Vincent]

66. hmm...not bad :)

:thumbsup:

[PLF]

65. wearing deodorant has nothing to do with cleanliness

that idea is just a product of a lifetime of brainwashing.

[clydefrand]

12. Not for this woman! I like my men smelling like roses

good smelling ones at that. I can get more excited about roses than I can sweat. Yuck and double yuck.

[NuttyFluffers]

46. but Old Spice ad said something about "smelling like wild flowers and shame."

who are men to believe? Old Spice wouldn't steer them wrong, would they?

:silly:

[BlooInBloo]

13. Yah - nothing gets the chicks like BO. ROFL.

[EFerrari]

14. Then someone explain how freepers reproduce. n/t

[clydefrand]

15. From cabbage patches????

[Mabus]

20. Snowflake babies

They don't actually reproduce on their own. Instead they harvest each other's eggs and sperm to create their own kind. :P

[EFerrari]

23. But see, that would involve effort, not to mention leaving the basement.

You could work up a sweat.

lol

[Mabus]

39. They have to leave the basement occasionally

how else are they going to mail their threatening letters to people like Jon Stewart and KO?

[EFerrari]

43. Yeah, sometimes Mom has to air the place out and sweep up the Cheetos

:rofl:

[Mabus]

71. And suddenly the mystery smell from NJ a few weeks ago is solved

:rofl:

[Viva_La_Revolution]

16. this has been known for years

at least, I've known it for years. :D

nothing smells as good as a clean, sweaty man.

[ScreamingMeemie]

17. I know most are "bleching" themselves out, but I love the way

my husband smells when he comes home from a long day at work. When he gets up and goes to work I bury my face in his pillow for a few moments. Nothing wrong with it.

[Missy Vixen]

84. I was hoping you'd be on this thread!

We've discussed this before. ;-) :hi:

Man Smell. There is nothing better -- well, there's Clean Baby Smell. :woohoo:

Julie

[Bluebear]

18. I'm getting all hot.

[ScreamingMeemie]

24. ...and sweaty even??

:hi:

[HeeBGBz]

27. MMMmmm, sweaty mens!

A lot would depend upon the producer of said sweat.

[Bucky]

21. I have often seduced women with the awesome power of my gym socks.

Indeed, some days my "athletic" prowess can get them horizontal in mere seconds--along with half the people in the room.

[Katherine Brengle]

25. rofl

[TahitiNut]

26. I guess that explains the aromas I detected in England, France, Italy, and Belgium.

:shrug: Then again, maybe it doesn't.

[mtnsnake]

28. Do smelly feet count? Women always seem to flock to me when my feet stink.

There's something about that particular aroma that makes them go wild. Unfortunately, ladies, my feet only stink every so often. Sorry.

[madmax]

29. Ewwwwwwwwwww

I think not!!! :puke:

[helderheid]

31. MMMMMMM... MAN.... I have to agree

So long as he's my man!

[Dystopian]

33. Interesting study....

...it's a fact of life...



peace~

[Major Hogwash]

35. The boy's locker room must be nirvana for them then, huh?

And sweat socks are sooooo sexy.

LoL

[heidler1]

42. All men do not have the same odor. My older brother had many

women and they all loved him. His sweat always had a pleasant smell with no deodorant. I first noticed it when I was a young boy.

Before indoor plumbing many people hardly bathed during the winter in South Dakota.

[conscious evolution]

52. The boys locker room was nirvana

for that gym teacher in Porky's.

[Selatius]

41. It's the androstadienone, not a person's stench that does it.

If you could separate the stench from the androstadienone, you could probably synthesize it into some kind of cologne.

[Wiley50]

44. My Wife Used To Get All Romantic When I'd Come Home All Tired And Sweaty

But I thought it was just the paycheck.

Sure enough

When the paychecks stopped coming

so did we

[Triana]

45. Incoming!!!! (look out for huge phallic crap projectiles!)

'nuff said.

Remember: Monkeys fling their own feces - and consider the source.

[jakem]

82. what's a phallic crap projectile?! nt

[Triana]

86. THIS

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=scienceNews&storyID=2007-02-07T223604Z_01_N07442693_RTRUKOC_0_US-MEN-SWEAT.xml&WTmodLoc=NewsHome-C3-scienceNews-2

[jakem]

88. well i guess i walked right into that one...

but this is the most useless long thread i have ever seen.

[Raine]

47. Gag

Oh yeah right nothing like that smell to make you wanna puke. :puke: I don't like the smell of sweat, men's or women's. x(

[ecstatic]

48. I find foul odors to be an IMMEDIATE turn off

I don't care how cute or sexy the guy is. If he doesn't smell right, get out of my sight!

[conscious evolution]

50. This I believe

I have had a couple of girl friends who nwere turned on when I was sweaty stinky.At the time I thought it was a little strange.

[GliderGuider]

51. There's definitely something to it, but it can be a bir more complicated

When we first got together and our brain chemistry was running wild, my GF was intensely aroused by my smell - to the point where she would ask me to wear a t-shirt for a couple days and give it to her as a constant reminder. Now it's years later and our relationship has stabilized. These days I tend to hear, "You will be taking a shower before you come to bed, right?"

So I suspect there's something in the brain's chemistry that dramatically affects our perception and interpretation of smells.

[Liberal In Texas]

53. I bet it loses compared to the scent of $100 dollar bills. n/t

[La Lioness Priyanka]

55. how about lesbians?

[Occulus]

67. Someone posted the results of a study about a year ago, I think

The study found that gay men were more attracted to scents produced by other gay men, but not heterosexual men, and that heterosexual women were more attracted to scents produced by heterosexual men, but not gay men.

Lesbians, IIRC, weren't included in the study, but it does make you wonder, doesn't it?

[slackmaster]

69. I understand some of them like sweaty men too

:hide:

[redqueen]

80. I think they might like the smell of their partners' BO.

It's just chemical attraction... the sex doesn't matter, no matter how misleading this article may be about it.

:hi:

[Clark2008]

57. And this is somehow new information?

I've known this ever since I was old enough to care about men. It's called pheromones. :7

[we can do it]

58. Actually Puke Does Smell Worse

[dogday]

59. Porkys comes to mind when I read this

The gal that was turned on by the used jocks and socks in the boys locker room..... :shrug:

[BoneDaddy]

60. Why is this a surprise?

Phermones. As animals, what makes us different than the other mammals who rely on smell as a precursor to mating. My guess is that this is probably true for men as well. If they did a study with the gay and lesbian population, it most likely would be true that they are attracted to the scent of the same sex.

My question is what came first the chicken or the egg. Is this something that occurs at birth or can this develop, change and adapt the older we get.

[NashVegas]

73. Funny What Happens When You Start to Recognize

And separate what *attracts you* versus the messages the advertising world *tells you* is attractive.

[BoneDaddy]

85. Yes,

and how we are conditioned by the media, and Madison Avenue.

[redqueen]

81. Exactly!

Chemical attraction, plain and simple. :)

[The Cleaner]

61. My wife loves it when I come in all swarthy and greasy after cutting the grass.

Yep, it's true folks. Can't keep her hands off me. What do i do? I've tried to shower and all, but she just loves the sweat and macho greasiness, especially after working on the car, mowing the grass, slapping the hogs...

(too obvious for sarcasm smiley)

[mikelewis]

63. OMG... Humans are animals? Stop the presses...

[shadowknows69]

64. Isn't this kind of a duh study

on a primitive level of course women like the smell of men's sweat. The cavemen and cave ladies didn't have Channel and Old Spice and yet the species continued.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

68. They forgot the part about

the fact that's what's attractive is not a sweaty man who hasn't bathed in the last three days (yuck), but a slightly sweaty man who has bathed within the last couple of hours.

[maxsolomon]

double doop

[maxsolomon]

its not the sweat its the phermones

you know that face cats make when they are REALLY smelling something? we can do it too.

here's a secret: we're mammals.

[maxsolomon]

70. doop

[Chovexani]

74. Maybe that's why I'm a lesbian. (n/t)

[donsu]

75. men's sweat never aroused me - maybe the sniffing women reacted

to the bad smell and the arousal was a flight symptom. you know, he smells bad so back up out of smell range.

[Dora]

78. Sweat smells one way. B.O. smells entirely differently.

I am surprised at the confusion in this thread. I love the way my man smells when he's been working.

A foul stink causes me to wonder about his health, his heart - is he worried or anxious? is he coming down with something?

His smell after a four-hour gig is one of labor and satisfaction. Gets me every time.

[redqueen]

79. Doesn't surprise me at all.

Not one bit.

In fact, I think the chemistry of attraction is revealed by how we respond to prospective partners' smells. The more offensive you find the scent, the less strong the chemical attraction is.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

83. Jane to Tarzan: "Hi, big boy...lose the Right Guard"

Silliness abounds.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

87. I Thought This Was Realllllllly Old News. I've Known That For Quite Some Time, So I Was A Bit

surprised to see them say it's the first direct evidence. Haven't there been all sorts of studies on this years past that yielded the same conclusion?