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Male Sweat Makes Women Happy
guacamolefoo writes "CNN reports a study by the University of Pennsylvania that involved applying to the upper lips of women a solution containing underarm sweat from men who had not used deodorant in four weeks. It apparently elevated their moods and increased their fertility. Use this knowledge at your own risk."
It doesn't say they don't shower or wash their underarms. It just says they don't wear deodorant. Does that mean deodorant does something to the smell even after you've washed under your arms? Still, I know where you're coming from here. One day without deodorant is not a pleasant thing with myself either.
a solution containing underarm sweat from men who had not used deodorant in four weeks.
My girlfried and I do a lot of distance hiking ~ 90 miles in a week, and strangly enough, after about the third day of hard, sweaty hiking without deoderant, you stop stinking like a rancid kitchen towel.
When friends come an pick us up at the end of out hikes - we've asked them if we stunk like limburger cheese, and never once has anybody piped up that we stunk. (They could be horribly polite)
In our slacker civilisation though, I stink like cat puke if I don't slather on some deoderant every day.
Moneyed corporations, non-working 'poor' and criminal prisoners are turning productive citizens into tax-slaves.
...that the reported effect is real (the sample size of the experiment was ridiculously small), it would be interesting to see if the reverse situation would have a similarly involuntary and detectable effect in males. Also it might be interesting to do a double blind test to examine any biological origin of homosexuality since the presence or absence of sweat in a sample would be (consciously) undetectable(or presumably easily masked judging by the article) by the subject.
- "Hear that?! The percolations are imminent! Cease your ingress!"
Several years ago, I gave a lift to a pair of Appalacian trail hikers. They had started in Georgia, and I met them in New Hampshire.
"Rancid kitchen towel" isn't quite strong enough to describe the smell. They might as well have been decomposing in the back of my car.
On a different note, my last girlfriend enjoyed my underarm smell very much. To each her own, I guess.
"I'll say it again for the logic-impaired." -- Larry Wall.
The study says there is no evidence for sexual arousal, but that this could be because the tests were done in a sterile enviroment. Biologically, however, the primary function of pheromones is sexual communication. Here is an article on pheromones in humans and animals. Relevant portion:
I don't know if the Napoleon story is an urban legend and if it is related to the myth that Frenchwomen don't wash.I can't even begin to record here all the things this combination brings to mind...
Stop using deodorant, wash several times a day with the simplest soap you can find (not scented). Your body will eventually stop trying to _fight_ the artificial situation you're currently exposing it to. You are over-producing the hormones and scents currently, and the mechanism your body takes to overproduce these is to over-sweat.
Shower in the morning, and have a freshen up - just with plain water or minimal soap - after lunch-time, and have another light wash after work. Within a month you'll start missing out the lunch-time wash as it won't be necessary any more. Wear cotton rather than man-made fibers, for improved breathability and wicking.
It's not _sweat_ that smells, it's _stale sweat_. Fresh sweat, as this study indicates, is not unpleasant to most people. However, some of the hormones it contains, such as androsterone, are smelt differently by different noses. To some it's like flowers, to some it's sweet, to others it's like a jock's jockstrap. So don't expect everyone to think that you smell divine.
I've not used an aftershave or deoderant for about 10 years, I simply make sure I keep good personal hygiene, and my girlfriend loves my smell. (She's one who likes androsterone)
This article isn't news to me at all - hell, my girlfriend always nuzzles up to my armpits when going for a hug! However, I have a very sedentary lifestyle, and a cool flat (I'm exothermic), so I sweat very little on the whole.
YAW.
Your head of state is a corrupt weasel, I hope you're happy.
Yes, you're right, I was over simplifying to the point of inaccuracy.
If I'm 'oily' sweaty, then I will usually have a cup of hot Masala Tea (indian tea with spices, including ginger and black pepper), which causes the 'wet' sweat to start. I find it easier, or at least more refreshing, to wash after I've added the wet sweat.
Your 'broken down into smelly components' is what I meant by 'stale'.
Eugh, was a lovely subject matter.
YAW.
Your head of state is a corrupt weasel, I hope you're happy.