The influence of androstenol - a putative human pheromone - on mood throughout the menstrual cycle

Abstract

Each morning for a month female subjects placed either 5 alpha-androst-16-en-3 alpha-ol, a putative human pheromone, or a placebo on the upper lip. Each evening the subjects rated on five scales their moods during that day. In the middle of their monthly cycle those females exposed to androstenol rather than a control tended to rate their moods as submissive rather than aggressive. The compound did not significantly influence ratings of being happy/depressed; lethargic/lively; sexy/unsexy; irritable/good-tempered. The results are discussed in terms of the possible increased olfactory sensitivity of the human female to androstenol in the middle of her monthly cycle.