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American Morning
Scientists Working To Unravel Mystery of Love
Aired February 14, 2002 - 08:42 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: I'm the anchor of love today. Today is the holiday for those lucky enough to be in love. Ah, yes. But for those of you who just wish you were in love, there might be some new hope on the horizon. Scientists are working hard to unravel the mysteries of love, apparently.
CNN Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who actually has an article in this week's "Time" magazine about this very subject, joins us now from Atlanta -- so, what's this all about, Dr. Gupta?
SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anderson, I'll tell you, it's exactly as you say. FTD, Hallmark, Godiva, they are all trying to create love, but scientists may have come one step closer to unlocking its mystery, and we are talking about pheromones, here. These are things that perhaps you've seen on TV or even the Internet. They often come in little bottles like this. You've seen them advertised, probably, all over the place, but you may not have heard exactly too much about them.
What they are is faint chemical signals that actually come of the skin, come off the body, in some way, and actually travel around. This is something that has been linked to, for example, in animals, various sort of mating rituals. Same sort of pheromones that have been linked to women and their synchronized menstrual periods amongst college co-eds.
It's very interesting how they work, actually, Anderson. Here's a little diagram of what happens. Something that is actually released into the air, it actually travels around the air, and it is a very small amount that we're talking about here, just a few parts per million, not something you could really see, smell.
And then it actually goes to another person and it is actually sensed here, and I use the word "sensed" specifically because it is not necessarily a smell, again, it is not something you may consciously, in terms of its odor, but will actually have some effect on the brain and also on the hormonal system, and some people have sort of alluded that to love, or to feelings of improved mood.
COOPER: Well, you know, Dr. Gupta, you may not know this, but Jack actually has very strong pheromones. It's just hard being around him, it is just hard sitting this close to him, quite frankly.
Why do these pheromones create such a... GUPTA: Do you find yourself strangely attracted to him, though, Anderson?
COOPER: Well, no, hey, you know, whatever works. Whatever floats your boat. Why do pheromones create such a stir, though?
GUPTA: Well, it is very interesting, and first of all, I talked to a lot of scientists about this very topic, and the answers to whether or not pheromones actually are aphrodisiacs, and that is sort of what is causing the stir, that is unfortunately for many, an unequivocal no. They are not really aphrodisiacs. That hasn't stopped lots of companies from out there actually marketing it, creating a stir.
Actually searched the Internet, and just through a simple Internet search, found all sorts of claims about these sort of things. "Lust perfume with pheromone attractant, the most powerful love potion known to science. Attracts men fast." All these sorts of claims on the Internet. I actually sat down and talked to one of the researchers who did some of the initial research on this, Dr. Martha McClintock (ph) from the University of Chicago, and this is what she had to say about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. MARTHA MCCLINTOCK, PHEROMONE RESEARCHER: What we have found is that on women, these have an effect of maintaining a positive mood in a situation when the mood would normally get worse. On the other hand, they have the opposite effect on men.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUPTA: Yeah. And even more than that, talking to some of the researchers, people talk about a placebo effect, Anderson. You've heard of that in all sorts of different medications. Same thing here. If you feel more attractive, you sense that the pheromones are actually making you more attractive, you might act more attractive, and that's probably where it has any of the results at all that have been claimed.
COOPER: Well, that's good to know. Every morning I spray a little "eau de lust."
GUPTA: Well, you know, I have plenty of extra down here, Anderson. If you would like, maybe we can send some up to New York for you.
COOPER: Believe me, I got all the "eau de lust" I need. Thanks very much, Dr. Gupta. Thanks for joining us with that report. You can also check it out in "Time" magazine this week. Believe it or not.
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