Various Aromas Found to Enhance Female/Male Sexual Response
Dr. Alan Hirsch of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundationled a study that initially looked at the impact of various aromas on femalesexual arousal, measured as percentage change in vaginal blood flow. Asummary of a few of the most telling examples:
Good & Plenty (black licorice candy) combined with cucumber +14%
Baby powder +13%
Pumpkin pie combined with lavender +11%
Baby powder combined with chocolate +4%
Perfume +1%
Men's cologne -1%
Good & Plenty -12%
Charcoal-barbecued meat -14%
Cherry -18%
From: http://www.scienceofsmell.com/
Increase in Penile Blood Flow Produced by Top 10 Odors in 31 Male Volunteers
Odor or odor combination Average Increase
Lavender and pumpkin pie 40%
Doughnut & black licorice 31.5%
Pumpkin pie & doughnut 20%
Orange 19.5%
Lavender & doughnut 18%
Black licorice and cola 13%
Black licorice 13%
Doughnut & cola 12.5%
Lily of the valley 11%
Buttered popcorn 9%
Methods:
1) The team recruited volunteers literate in English through solicitation on classic rock radio broadcasts. Thirty-one men, aged 18 to 64 years, signed up.
2) All subjects underwent olfactory testing with the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT), a 40-item, forced choice, scratch and sniff odor detection and identification test. They were queried on sexual preference, sexual practices and odor preferences.
3) Dr. Hirsch selected 24 different odorants for the study. In addition, six combinations of two of the most well-liked of these were also chosen.
4) The effects of the 30 odors on penile blood flow were assessed by comparing a subject’s brachial penile index* while wearing an odorized mask to his average index while wearing an unodorized mask. This was done for each subject for each odor.
5) The men underwent assessment as follows: After being attached to a plethysmograph* (which measures penile blood flow), three minutes were allowed for acclimation. Then a blank, nonodorized mask was applied for one minute while a baseline brachial penile index was recorded.
6) After the blank mask was removed, an odorized mask was applied. Thus, 30 odorized masks were randomly applied in double-blind fashion, with a three-minute hiatus between masks to prevent habituation of the odors. Each mask was worn for one minute while brachial penile index was recorded.
7) Finally, an additional blank mask was applied for one minute and brachial penile index once again recorded.
Both female and male aromas study where done by Dr. Hirsch.
Footnotes: (I suggest we all perform these experiments in the privacy of our own homes. Your the privacy of your best friends home, hehe.)
*The penile brachial index (PBI) : calculated by comparing the penile systolic blood pressure (B/P), determined by a doppler, with the brachial systolic B/P at rest and after exercise. The normal range for PBI is equal to or more than 0.75, while abnormal range for PBI is equal to or less than 0.6. A PBI that is not within the normal range indicates a vascular etiology. An intracavernosal injection of a vasoactive drug may be administered prior to the test. (From
* mostly a Circumferential transducer plethysmograph: This uses a mercury-in-rubber or indium/gallium-in-rubber ring strain gauge and is placed around the shaft of the subject's penis to measure changes in circumference. (From http://en.wikipedia.org/)
