Friday, 25 January 2013

What Are Pheromones?

The human body produces and makes use of many different hormones. There are hormones for growth, for pregnancy, and for various processes that the human body undergoes. Among the most interesting hormones are pheromones and although they are mainly associated with animals, many studies suggest that the human body also produces these pheromones.

Unlike other kinds of hormones, pheromones function by affecting other individuals. Although a lot of people wonder do pheromones work for humans, many studies suggest that they do have effects although in varying degrees. For animals, different pheromones and their effects have been explored in numerous studies over the years. There are several different types of pheromones and below are just some of them.
  •  Modulator pheromones. One of the most popular suggestions of human pheromones involves modulator pheromones. These pheromones change bodily functions, usually by synchronization.
  • Women pheromones have long been thought to have effects on other women’s monthly menstrual cycles. In other animals, modulator pheromones may cause other individuals to be more relaxed.
  • Primer pheromones. This kind of pheromone acts for a longer period of time than other pheromones because they cause a change in the levels of other hormones. Some examples of this pheromone are those involved in pregnancy, puberty, and development.
  •  Alarm pheromones. These pheromones trigger a fight or flight response from an individual. The pheromone serves as a alarm for other members of the same species.
  • Signaler pheromones. Identification is the goal of these signaler pheromones such as in helping the mother recognize her newborn by scent. 
  • Releaser pheromones. Often associated with sexual attraction, releaser pheromones cause immediate response from surrounding individuals. A lot of products claim to make use of human releaser pheromones that will help them gain the attraction of the opposite sex. Nowadays, there are perfumes and other body products available that claim to provide these pheromones.