New research from Germany challenges the long-held belief that men are more attracted to the scent of women when they are at their most fertile. The study, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, found no compelling evidence that female body odour changes in a way that men can detect during peak fertility.
Researchers at Leipzig University collected armpit odour samples from 29 women over 10 sessions before, during, and after their fertile periods. They analysed the chemical composition of the samples and found no significant differences between fertile and non-fertile days. In a separate test, 91 men rated the attractiveness of the women's scents but showed no consistent preference for odours from fertile women.
Lead author Madita Zetzsche said the findings call for a re-evaluation of previous studies, many of which suggested men could sense fertility through smell. 'We're not overruling the previous studies, but we need to look at this again with the more robust techniques we have now,' she said.
The study does not rule out the possibility that men might detect changes in body odour after prolonged exposure to the same woman. However, the results indicate that any such effect may be too subtle to influence first impressions.
