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We\u2019ve long known that men tend to find women more attractive during the ovulatory (read: fertile) phase<\/a> of the menstrual cycle. From animal<\/a> studies<\/a>, we\u2019ve likewise learned that female \u201codor cues\u201d play a major role in the predictable, cyclical shift in male interest [1][2]. Similarly, some (but not all<\/a>) research suggests that men prefer both vaginal secretion<\/a> and underarm (axillary)<\/a> scents of women around the time they could conceive [3][4][5]. But what we didn\u2019t<\/em> previously know was the precise chemical cocktail that may make naturally cycling women smell \u201cbetter\u201d during ovulation than during other cycle phases\u2014until now. A recent, small 2025 study<\/a> from peer-reviewed journal iScience<\/em>, may have \u201csniffed out\u201d the answer [6]. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Scientists collected axillary scent samples from 21 young female participants at four points during their cycle\u2014specifically, the menstrual, follicular<\/a>, ovulatory<\/a>, and luteal<\/a> phases\u2014as determined by luteinizing hormone (LH) levels<\/a> and body temperature changes<\/a>. 21 male participants then rated samples from 10-11 female participants.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unsurprisingly, male participants did not consider axillary scents pleasant overall. However, consistent with previous research, they considered axillary scents during the ovulatory phase to be relatively<\/em> more pleasant compared to the other three phases. Around the time of ovulation, men were most likely to rate the scents as fragrant, sweet, or citrusy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Unsurprisingly, male participants did not consider axillary scents pleasant overall. However, consistent with previous research, they considered axillary scents during the ovulatory phase to be relatively<\/em> more pleasant compared to the other three phases. Around the time of ovulation, men were most likely to rate the scents as fragrant, sweet, or citrusy. <\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n But the researchers didn\u2019t stop there. They went beyond the scope of previous studies by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC\/MS) to chemically analyze and isolate the volatile compounds that make up the least-offensive odors. Consider it like reverse engineering a love potion. While the GC\/MS identified all the volatile compounds present in the underarm samples, researchers then determined which compounds were most present in the ovulatory phase specimens.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Three compounds were declared the winners, i.e. found in highest concentrations around the time of ovulation: (E)-geranyl-acetone, tetradecanoic acid, and (Z)9-hexadecanoic acid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A Medscape analysis<\/a> of the study broke down what you need to know about these three tongue-twister compounds. The first, (E)-geranyl-acetone, forms from the breakdown of squalene, an oil on the skin\u2019s surface. \u201cIt is described as having a green or floral quality,\u201d per Medscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fascinatingly, the second compound, tetradecanoic acid (myristic acid), is found in breastmilk, amniotic fluid, saliva, and on the surface of skin. It\u2019s described as having a creamy consistency. Medscape reported that nutmeg butter is the highest natural source of tetradecanoic acid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Perhaps most surprisingly, the third compound\u2014(Z)9-hexadecanoic acid\u2014 apparently has no odor. Still, it does break down into (E)-2-nonenol, a compound which\u2014according to Medscape\u2014is \u201cknown to carry that \u2018old age\u2019 smell that you sometimes hear about.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Researchers then mixed these compounds to create what Medscape called \u201cperhaps the most scientifically based perfume in history,\u201d and studied the male participants\u2019 mood when exposed to it. Of note, the participants\u2019 direct perceptions of the scent<\/em> were not studied. Instead, their mood<\/em> when unknowingly exposed to the scent was assessed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The results were astounding. Men unknowingly exposed to what we might call the real<\/em> “Love Potion no. 9” reported \u201cless feelings of hostility, increased \u2018liveliness,\u2019 better concentration, and less boredom\u201d compared to those exposed to baseline underarm scent or a combo of the two.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Men unknowingly exposed to what we might call the real<\/em> “Love Potion no. 9” reported \u201cless feelings of hostility, increased \u2018liveliness,\u2019 better concentration, and less boredom\u201d compared to those exposed to baseline underarm scent or a combo of the two.\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s more, these same men were then shown pictures of female faces and asked to rate their attractiveness. While the most attractive women were judged to be so regardless<\/em> of scent, those who were judged to be lower on the attractiveness scale got higher ratings<\/em> if the males rating them were exposed to the ovulation cocktail. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve previously covered research suggesting that hormonal contraception appears to alter women\u2019s sense of smell<\/a> such that they may actually be drawn to different types of men while on vs. off birth control. Other research<\/a>, which is admittedly old and limited by a small size (though a small sample size is characteristic of studies on niche topics like the effects of odor changes on x, y, or z variables!), also found that men were more attracted to women around the time of ovulation compared to their infertile luteal phase. However, when women were on hormonal contraception, there was no specific time of the month when the men were more attracted to them. This confirmed research findings<\/a> from the 1970s. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When women were on hormonal contraception, there was no specific time of the month when the men were more attracted to them.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n The answer is \u2018probably, no.\u2019 A 2022 study<\/a> found that while, on average, women were reported to smell more attractive around their ovulatory phase, research participants were not <\/em>reliably able to predict whether individual women were fertile based on how their scent changed over the course of their cycle. Long story short, changes in scent aren\u2019t likely to become a chart-able fertility awareness biomarker!<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n To date, researchers haven\u2019t bottled \u201cthe ovulation cocktail\u201d for sale, and there\u2019s likely not a large retail market for \u2018relatively less unpleasant\u2019 underarm scent! Still, the 2025 study corroborated previous findings suggesting that naturally cycling women nearing the time of ovulation may indeed have a competitive edge compared to their peers on hormonal contraception or in other cycle phases. For single ladies on birth control or for those who aren\u2019t currently in the ovulatory phase of their cycle, a perfume with nutmeg, citrus, and\/or floral notes might give you a subtle, added advantage in the dating field.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMale research participants judged underarm scents to be least unpleasant around ovulation<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How did scientists determine the chemical cocktail behind ovulatory changes in female scent?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The compounds that make up “the scent of a(n ovulating) woman”<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
(E)-geranyl-acetone<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tetradecanoic acid<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
(Z)9-hexadecanoic acid<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What happened when researchers concocted \u201cperhaps the most scientifically based perfume in history\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How does being on the Pill impact our sense of smell? <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Does this mean you can smell when a woman is fertile?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The bottom line<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
References:<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n[1] Coombes HA, Stockley P, Hurst JL. Female Chemical Signalling Underlying Reproduction in Mammals. J Chem Ecol. 2018 Sep;44(9):851-873. doi: 10.1007\/s10886-018-0981-x. Epub 2018 Jul 11. PMID: 29992368; PMCID: PMC6096499.<\/p>\n\n\n\n[2] Baum MJ, Keverne EB, Everitt BJ, Herbert J, De Greef WJ. Effects of progesterone and estradiol on sexual attractivity of female rhesus monkeys. Physiol Behav. 1977 Apr;18(4):659-70. doi: 10.1016\/0031-9384(77)90064-6. PMID: 408829.<\/p>\n\n\n\n[3] Zetzsche M, Wei\u00df BM, K\u00fccklich M, Stern J, Birkemeyer C, Widdig A, Penke L. Combined perceptual and chemical analyses show no compelling evidence for ovulatory cycle shifts in women’s axillary odour. Proc Biol Sci. 2024 Aug;291(2027):20232712. doi: 10.1098\/rspb.2023.2712. Epub 2024 Jul 24. PMID: 39043247; PMCID: PMC11265918.<\/p>\n\n\n\n[4] Doty RL, Ford M, Preti G, Huggins GR. Changes in the intensity and pleasantness of human vaginal odors during the menstrual cycle. Science. 1975 Dec 26;190(4221):1316-8. doi: 10.1126\/science.1239080. PMID: 1239080.<\/p>\n\n\n\n[5] Singh D, Bronstad PM. Female body odour is a potential cue to ovulation. Proc Biol Sci. 2001 Apr 22;268(1469):797-801. doi: 10.1098\/rspb.2001.1589. PMID: 11345323; PMCID: PMC1088671.<\/p>\n\n\n\n[6]Ohgi N, Shirasu M, Ogura Y, Hirasawa Y, Okamoto M, Kawamura R, Takikawa H, Touhara K. Human ovulatory phase-increasing odors cause positive emotions and stress-suppressive effects in males. iScience. 2025 Jul 28;28(8):113087. doi: 10.1016\/j.isci.2025.113087. PMID: 40948555; PMCID: PMC12432450.<\/p>\n\n\n\n[7]Seppo Kuukasj\u00e4rvi, C. J. Peter Eriksson, Esa Koskela, Tapio Mappes, Kari Nissinen, Markus J. Rantala, Attractiveness of women’s body odors over the menstrual cycle: the role of oral contraceptives and receiver sex, Behavioral Ecology<\/em>, Volume 15, Issue 4, July 2004, Pages 579\u2013584, https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/beheco\/arh050<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
References Continued:<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n[8] Haselton, M. G., & Gildersleeve, K. (2011). Can Men Detect Ovulation? Current Directions in Psychological Science<\/em>, 20<\/em>(2), 87-92. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0963721411402668<\/a> (Original work published 2011)<\/p>\n\n\n\n[9]Mei M, Grillot RL, Abbey CK, Emery Thompson M, Roney JR. Does scent attractiveness reveal women’s ovulatory timing? Evidence from signal detection analyses and endocrine predictors of odour attractiveness. Proc Biol Sci. 2022 Mar 9;289(1970):20220026. doi: 10.1098\/rspb.2022.0026. Epub 2022 Mar 9. PMID: 35259990; PMCID: PMC8905178.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u041e\u0441\u043e\u0431\u044b\u0435 \u0445\u0438\u043c\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0435 \u0441\u043e\u0435\u0434\u0438\u043d\u0435\u043d\u0438\u044f, \u0431\u043b\u0430\u0433\u043e\u0434\u0430\u0440\u044f \u043a\u043e\u0442\u043e\u0440\u044b\u043c \u0436\u0435\u043d\u0449\u0438\u043d\u044b \u043b\u0443\u0447\u0448\u0435 \u043f\u0430\u0445\u043d\u0443\u0442 \u0432\u043e \u0432\u0440\u0435\u043c\u044f \u043e\u0432\u0443\u043b\u044f\u0446\u0438\u0438","protected":false},"author":85,"featured_media":23604,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","csco_singular_sidebar":"","csco_page_header_type":"","csco_page_load_nextpost":"","csco_post_video_location":[],"csco_post_video_url":"","csco_post_video_bg_start_time":0,"csco_post_video_bg_end_time":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5177],"tags":[6355],"class_list":{"0":"post-23599","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-know-your-body","8":"tag-ovulation","9":"cs-entry","10":"cs-video-wrap"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n