But pheromones go much deeper than simply being used as an attractant for humans to portray an air of irresistibility to the opposite sex. In fact, it's only been in the past couple of decades that pheromones were looked upon as a marketable product and savvy marketers have jumped on board the bandwagon in droves.

What Are Pheromones?

So the question of what are pheromones and how important are they in our day-to-day interaction with each other? Well, in a nutshell, pheromones are chemicals emitted and picked up by an organ called the VNO(Vomeronasal Organ). They basically convey a message to the opposite or same sex and try to trigger a response.

That's basically it in a nutshell but the burning question still being asked is do they really exist? Are pheromones real? Well, we know they are an important aspect of the animal and insect world with pheromones not only used to attract a mate but to warn of danger and as a means of capturing prey.

So if humans are considered part of the animal world then why would anyone doubt that they would play a major role in our daily interaction with each other?

In human terms, pheromones are still a relatively new experience and were only defined in 1959. Research since them has increased exponentially and it wasn't until 1986 when Dr. Winifred Cutler actually confirmed their existence through scientific research.

Dr. Cutler has been instrumental in us knowing and learning more about pheromones in our behavioral patterns and through the Athena Institute, she was able to establish a class of pheromones known as sex-attractant pheromones. And let's be realistic, as human beings, this is what we're really interested in.

Sex Pheromones

Pheromones on the market today come in packaged cologne or perfume containers. Bear in mind you cannot see them so when shopping for pheromones, it's important to tread wearily and stick with established and well known merchants and manufacturers.

Some still claim they're a scam and the fact that nothing is yet written in stone as to their actual existence continues to prompt people to ask...what are pheromones?

Whether you believe in them or not the evidence and research which continues to produce strong evidence they actually do exist, is just about enough for believers to declare their support for the pheromone products on the market today.

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	Photo Jigsaw Puzzle of Stimulated vomeronasal organ from Science Photo Library

They are those who simply want to understand pheromones a little more and those who research pheromones for personal use. It's the latter which has a bigger audience because products containing pheromones have become big business.

Marketing has taken the subject of pheromones to new heights in recent years and while there are many devotees who swear that their love lives have been enhanced by the use of pheromone-enhanced products, there are still many who view the topic with suspicion.

Is Pheromones Research Just A Scam?

Do pheromones work? Well, if we're talking about whether they work for the animal and insect world then yes, we know they play an important role within these two worlds.

But are they effective within human interaction? This is where it starts to become a little clouded. Those who have taken the time and money to research pheromones within the human sphere have produced some startling results.

The simple fact that marketing preys on the aspect that pheromones can determine whether people have an attraction for each other makes for stuff of science fiction but is it? There is little doubt we know that we're attracting to some people and not others.

Whether by simply dabbing a little pheromone-enhanced cologne on our neck line or wrists can turn us into the most popular person in a nightclub or the best salesman in a car yard still draws plenty of debate.

Can We Learn From Fire Ants?

Take for example the situation with fire ants; once they smell the pheromones of their fellow fire ants, they become incredibly aggravated, and then as soon as any of them sense motion, they will attack.

Through research, there have been discoveries using the ants’ pheromones in order to create a sort of anti-pheromone, in that it creates a smell that causes the ants to calm down, and to not be so aggressive once they are initiated.

This is a fantastic creation, because fire ants can actually be deadly, but more so are just annoying, however with this discovery, there is now a way that can be used in order to make the ants calm down and not act so aggressively.

We can be convinced that pheromones work within the animal and insect world yet when it comes to applying similar logic to humans, the doubts immediately surface. Why is that? Hasn't it been proven we possess something called a VNO(Vomeronasal Organ) which is capable of picking up chemical signals which then translates into attraction or non-attraction.

The best advice you can get when shopping for products laced with pheromones is don't expect them to transform you into the sexual magnet you always wanted to be. Instead, if you view them as merely an aid in your sexual conquests then you'll be less likely to suffer disappointment if they don't produce the results you're looking for.

That is, you need to combine effective communication and personality with their use. So, when you research pheromones bear this in mind - it takes a little more than simply applying some cologne to draw the correct responses from the opposite sex.

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	Photo Jigsaw Puzzle of Stimulated vomeronasal organ from Science Photo Library

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We know the animal and insect kingdom use pheromones within their worlds so why wouldn't we? Are we not part of the animal kingdom.

One of the problems with pheromones is they are acknowledged as being real in most circles, yet because they haven't been established or set in stone as a real chemical substance we simply have to continue speaking about them with a kind of mystery.

Pheromone Research

The facts unraveled by pheromones research is that they are released by living organisms to communicate and attract each other and send signals such as, warn, alarm and/or set a trail. This is a common practice in ants and that is why you will notice that the ants will go exactly on the trail of the other because they sense the pheromone scent.

One of the biggest booms in recent years has been the proliferation of pheromone products onto the market. Marketing pheromone products continues to grow at a rapid rate and the landscape at the moment is getting pretty crowded.

So shouldn't this be an endorsement to the powers that be that pheromones actually do exist? Well, yes and no. You've got to understand that pheromones are not just a sex attraction chemical. They affect us in several ways. But because the sex industry is such a large market, savvy marketers have seen an opportunity and gone for it.

Pheromone products are being marketed as a way for people to attract a mate and find sexual interaction. You can't blame marketers for looking at making a dollar but where many people get it wrong is they assume the perfume within the product is the actual pheromone.

Not so, remember, pheromones are an invisible chemical picked up by an organ we have named a VNO(Vomeronasal Organ). The perfume or cologne associated with the product is just a vehicle for the actual pheromones. Confused? You shouldn't be.

In a nutshell, the perfume is the scent picked up by other people. The pheromone is the chemical which goes to work appealing to another's sixth sense.

Do Pheromone Products Work?

It doesn't matter how much you read on pheromone research and how positive the findings are, in the end, the decision to use pheromone-enhanced products is yours.

There are enough testimonials out there to suggest products spiced with pheromones do work but they won't get you into the arms of someone else all on their lonesome. Pheromones appeal to someone else' sense of attraction.

That doesn't mean they are going to "jump your bones" at the first sign of your presence. There is still a lot to do and it revolves around your ability to communicate. Effective communication used in conjunction with pheromone products can be a hard combination to resist. But that's for another article.

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	Photo Jigsaw Puzzle of Stimulated vomeronasal organ from Science Photo Library

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