Overview

• Researchers applied gas chromatography–mass spectrometry to armpit odor samples from over 20 women at key menstrual phases and isolated three compounds that surge during ovulation.
• The identified compounds — E-geranylacetone, tetradecanoic acid and (Z)-9-hexadecenoic acid — were blended into a model odor to assess their impact on perception.
• In double-blind trials, men rated samples infused with these ovulation scents as less unpleasant and judged accompanying female faces to be more attractive and feminine.
• Salivary amylase measurements showed that exposure to the ovulation-linked compounds suppressed stress biomarker increases compared with control samples.
• The team describes the compounds as pheromone-like rather than confirmed human pheromones and is preparing follow-up studies with more diverse participants and neuroimaging to map brain responses.