Regulation of ovulation by human pheromones
Abstract
Pheromones are airborne chemical signals that are released by an individual into the environment and which affect the physiology or behaviour of other members of the same species. The idea that humans produce pheromones has excited the imagination of scientists and the public, leading to widespread claims for their existence, which, however, has remained unproven. Here we investigate whether humans produce compounds that regulate a specific neuroendocrine mechanism in other people without being consciously detected as odours (thereby fulfilling the classic definition of a pheromone). We found that odourless compounds from the armpits of women in the late follicular phase of their menstrual cycles accelerated the preovulatory surge of luteinizing hormone of recipient women and shortened their menstrual cycles. Axillary (underarm) compounds from the same donors which were collected later in the menstrual cycle (at ovulation) had the opposite effect: they delayed the luteinizing-hormone surge of the recipients and lengthened their menstrual cycles. By showing in a fully controlled experiment that the timing of ovulation can be manipulated, this study provides definitive evidence of human pheromones.
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The trend towards menstrual synchronization arises from either shortening or lengthening of the cycle by secretions produced at different phases of the donor's cycle.
“The trend towards synchronization arises from either shortening or lengthening of the cycle by secretions produced at different phases of the donor's cycle [but see the comment by Whitten (Whitten, 1999)].”
From Human Vomeronasal Organ Function: A Critical Review of Best and Worst Cases (2001) · cites this paper as Stern and McClintock, 1998
There is fairly clear evidence for chemical communication among humans.
“There is fairly clear evidence for chemical communication among humans.”
From Human Vomeronasal Organ Function: A Critical Review of Best and Worst Cases (2001) · cites this paper as Stern and McClintock, 1998
Stern and McClintock deduced the presence of two substances that can mediate menstrual synchronization when extracts of skin secretions are placed on the upper lip.
“Stern and McClintock have recently deduced the presence of two substances that can mediate this response when extracts of skin secretions are placed on the upper lip (Stern and McClintock, 1998).”
From Human Vomeronasal Organ Function: A Critical Review of Best and Worst Cases (2001) · cites this paper as Stern and McClintock, 1998
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- Authors
- Stern, K., & McClintock, M. K.
- Affiliations
- University of Chicago (US)
- Corresponding author
- McClintock, Martha K.
- Venue
- Nature
- Published
- 1998-03
- Volume
- 392
- Issue
- 6672
- Pages
- 177-179
- ISSN
- 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-4687
- OpenAlex
- W2125157299
- Cited by
- 539
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 20
- FWCI
- 20.36
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Nature (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Mental Health
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Sensory Systems › Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
- Keywords
- human pheromones, ovulation regulation, luteinizing hormone surge, menstrual cycle, neuroendocrine regulation, menstrual cycle length, follicular phase, ovulation timing
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Axilla, Female, Humans, Models, Biological, Nonverbal Communication, Odorants, Ovulation, Pheromones, Time Factors
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