Can I Really Buy Human Pheromones?

You can buy human pheromones from a number of sources, and synthetic ones are also available. While animal and insect pheromones have been used commercially for years as insecticides or bait scents, many people who are interested in human pheromones are looking for an entirely different quarry altogether: the opposite sex. These pheromones, or at least their synthetic equivalents, have been used as ingredients in colognes, deodorants, and perfumes since at least the 1980s.

The bad news is that, although you may be able to buy human pheromones on the open market, but you most likely won't get the results you seek. There is no current scientific proof that colognes containing human pheromones create more interest from the opposite sex than colognes which do not. The idea that you can apply them and wait for the inevitable stampede of sexually aroused men or women is the stuff of advertising campaigns, not reality. While there are studies which suggest women can indeed distinguish between pheromone-soaked gauze pads and unscented controls, the actual response is generally subtle and fleeting.

The pheromone products that are available can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Human pheromones are believed to be secreted through the same areas that produce sweat, although they are odorless and not a natural part of the sweating process. Some companies that market human pheromones actually collect pads from male volunteers who attach them to their underarm areas, and one country singer is said to have donated his own pheromones for use in a line of colognes. Consumers can either buy these pheromones directly from suppliers or purchase products infused with pheromones, often promoted as containing the male pheromone androstenone.

One major drawback those who would buy human pheromones as sexual attractants face is the fact that most humans can't smell them, let alone react to their hormonal triggers. Animals and insects react to pheromones because they possess a special organ called the vomeronasal organ (VNO), or Jacobson's organ. The VNO used to serve a similar purpose for early primates, but humans eventually developed more advanced methods for selecting mates and the VNO, located in the lower nasal area, became a vestigial organ. Most people don't even have a functioning VNO, and the recognition of human pheromones is thought to be impossible without one.

It is not illegal to buy human pheromones, but it can be very difficult to ascertain the actual purity of the product sold by online dealers through aggressive email advertising campaigns. Many fly-by-night organizations promote human pheromones as an effective form of aphrodisiac, knowing full well that such claims have not be proven through scientific research. If you do decide to buy them, be sure to take the proper steps to avoid receiving a bogus product or not receiving a product at all.