Researchers from the University of Otago (New Zealand) found that exposure to female pheromones caused weight loss and increased lifespan in mice. The results of the work of scientists, published in iScience magazine.
During the experiments, newborn mice were exposed to the odors of adult females until they were 60 days old. Females exposed to odors reached sexual maturity later and lived on average 8% longer than unexposed females.
No effect of “male” odors on the lifespan of female mice was found. None of the odors affected male longevity, but the scent of female pheromones increased energy expenditure for several hours, resulting in weight loss.
“To our knowledge, we are the first to determine that mammalian lifespan can be extended by olfactory cues. More generally, the study implies that environmental sensory cues can cause changes and affect development, not only in the mouse, but also in our human physiology,” he said.
In their future work, the team will continue to study the effects of scents on humans and other animals. In particular, the scientists plan to find out how the scents of female pheromones affect adult male mice.