Androstenone
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Androstenone (5α-androst-16-en-4-one) is a steroid found in both male and female sweat.
Depending upon who is doing the smelling, it is reported to be an unpleasant, sweaty, urinous smell, a woody smell, or even a pleasant floral smell[1]. According to the National Geographic Smell Survey, 30% of humans cannot detect androstenone unless the concentration is extremely high. This may be due to a polymorphism in the receptor gene that codes for the androstenone receptor. Several groups report, however, that some individuals who initially cannot smell androstenone can learn to smell it by repeated exposures to it [2].
Androstenone is the first mammalian pheromone to be identified. It is found in high concentrations in the saliva of male pigs and, when sniffed by a female pig who is in heat, results in the female assuming the mating stance. Androstenone is the active ingredient in BoarTaint, a commercial product sold to pig farmers to test sows for timing of artificial insemination.
In humans androstenone also has been suggested to be a pheromone, however, scientific data to support these claims are scant. There is more promising data for a closely related compound, androstadienone. The claim of being a human pheromone may originate from the well known fact, as mentioned above, that almost 30% of the population is unable to smell the odor. They have a so-called specific anosmia to the odor, i.e. they are unable to smell that specific odor but have besides that a normal sense of smell. However, this should by no means be seen as indicative for being labeled as a pheromone, as it is true of over 80 olfactory compounds [3].
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