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Woman's Scent Can Lure Or Repel
BBC ^ | 1-15-2006

Posted on 01/15/2006 4:51:09 PM PST by blam

Woman's scent can lure or repel

Men said the women's odour was most intense during menstruation

A woman's body odour can help her attract men when she is at her most fertile and repel them when she is not, scientists have said. According to a report in the journal Ethology, when a woman is at the most fertile part of the menstrual cycle her armpit odour is at its mildest.

But when she is having a period, and not ready for pregnancy, the smell changes to an acute, repellent odour.

The researchers studied 12 women who wore armpit pads for 24 hours a day.

A number of primate species display changes during their fertile period, but the majority of scientists believed that this was not the case with humans.

Subconscious cue

The 12 women were restricted from eating certain foods and from using deodorant or hormonal contraceptive.

They provided odour samples on the armpit pads, which were then presented to 42 men, who sniffed them and assessed the attractiveness of the scent.

"Axillary odour from women in the follicular phase was rated as the most attractive and least intense," the study's leader Dr Jan Havlicek, from Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, said.

"The results suggest that body odour can be used by men as a cue to the fertile period in current or prospective sexual partners," he added.

A previous study by the same team suggested that women subconsciously prefer the aroma of dominant men when they are at the most fertile stage of the menstrual cycle.

Then the researchers asked 48 men to assess how dominant they felt.

The men then wore cotton pads in their armpits for 24 hours, which were subsequently presented to 65 women.

Those who were ovulating rated the "dominant" men as sexiest, but there was no similar pattern among women at other stages of their menstrual cycle.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: can; femalefunk; hardupfreepers; lure; or; repel; scent; womans
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To: Atchafalaya

I just love the curves and my wife that has them.

What's bad is when the guy has them too.


121 posted on 01/15/2006 9:47:39 PM PST by moog
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To: derllak
BTW, I find that most men stink to high heaven! Either it's their nasty feet or their grungy clothes! I think it should be a requirement that they all get baptized at least twice a week! Well shucky darn, that must mean I'm going to heaven because I sure do stink. Never knew it was so easy.
122 posted on 01/15/2006 9:49:10 PM PST by moog
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To: moog

I never said anything about heaven! I'll let you in on a really gross secret only you men can relate to......I had a guy tell me once that he used to pick up clothes off the floor and sniff them to see if they were suitable for wearing....again! Ewww! Now I know he isn't the only guy who does this - anyone want to confess?


123 posted on 01/15/2006 9:54:28 PM PST by derllak
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To: derllak

I never said anything about heaven! I'll let you in on a really gross secret only you men can relate to......I had a guy tell me once that he used to pick up clothes off the floor and sniff them to see if they were suitable for wearing....again! Ewww! Now I know he isn't the only guy who does this - anyone want to confess?

Actually, you said that "men stink to high heaven." I thought that would be an easy way to get there. Now as far as sniffing the clothes, some can probably relate, but not me. I wonder if the guy kept the moment "brief."


124 posted on 01/15/2006 10:12:58 PM PST by moog
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To: Westlander
None were vegans. A few had a love of garlic, however.....

The vegan/carnin difference would make an interesting study. I know that for the Japanese, Dutch people smell sour because the Dutch eat so much cheese, and the milk/lactose/whatever the heck it is makes their odor more noticeable to the Japanese, whose diet is low in milk.

125 posted on 01/15/2006 11:27:37 PM PST by Othniel (There is no god named Allah, and Mohammad is its false prophet! Jesus, however, is Lord of all.)
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To: moog

now, now, play nice.

I always did appreciate rope swings and hiking over sewing.


126 posted on 01/16/2006 6:15:37 AM PST by peacebaby (Good morning heartache, if you're gonna stay, you gotta get a job, I've got bills to pay.)
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To: moviegirl
LMAO, THAT'S HOW I GOT MINE

During the news one evening, my wife bet me the full Monica if I could keep my mouth shut during a segment in Hillary Rod'em Clinton.

The segment lasted about 3 minutes, I lasted 30 seconds and she twisted the knife by saying, "I knew you couldn't do it..."

127 posted on 01/17/2006 7:47:18 AM PST by Snardius (Some women want to walk hand in hand through the park; sing them a song; bite them on the spine...)
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