What Food Has Androstadienone In It? Clarifying the Pheromone Myth

January 11, 2026 •

3 min read

Despite persistent rumors online and in pop culture, scientific research has established that the steroid compound androstadienone is not found in foods. The misconception is often rooted in a misinterpretation of studies involving related chemicals, leading to a prevalent myth about dietary pheromones.

Quick Summary

This article debunks the widespread myth that food contains androstadienone, distinguishing it from other compounds and explaining its true source and function as a human chemosignal.

Key Points

Androstadienone is not in food: Scientific evidence shows androstadienone is produced by the human body, not found in dietary sources.
Distinguish from androstenone: The myth often arises from confusing androstadienone with androstenone, a different steroid found in some plants and animal products.
Celery and truffles contain androstenone: Foods like celery and truffles contain androstenone, a different chemical, not the compound associated with human sweat.
Androstadienone is a chemosignal: In humans, androstadienone is a naturally occurring chemosignal that can subtly affect mood and emotional processing through inhalation.
Dietary supplements lack evidence: Claims that eating specific foods or taking supplements can increase circulating androstadienone to affect others are unsubstantiated and based on faulty premises.
Marketing exploits misinformation: The pheromone cologne market often capitalizes on misinformation about compounds like androstadienone, with little scientific backing for its products' effectiveness.

Debunking the Myth: Androstadienone's Origin

The idea that specific foods contain androstadienone and can influence human attraction is a persistent myth with roots in misunderstood science. While the fantasy of a food-based 'love potion' is captivating, the reality is far less sensational. Androstadienone ($C{19}H{26}O$) is an endogenous steroid, meaning it is produced naturally within the human body, specifically found in male sweat, saliva, and semen. Its presence is not linked to dietary intake but rather to metabolic processes related to other hormones like testosterone.

Confusion with Androstenone

The primary source of confusion likely stems from another, structurally similar steroid called androstenone ($C{19}H{30}O$). Androstenone has been scientifically detected in certain foods and is known to function as a pheromone in pigs. A single study from 1979 notably identified androstenone in parsnips and celery. However, the leap from androstenone in celery to claiming androstadienone is in food is a misinformed one. Marketers and popular science writers have often conflated these two distinct compounds over the years, leading to the widely held but incorrect belief.

Androstadienone vs. Androstenone: A Comparison

To better understand the difference between these two chemicals and why it's a mistake to equate them, let's examine their key characteristics.


Feature	Androstadienone	Androstenone
Primary Source	Human sweat, saliva, and plasma	Boar saliva, celery cytoplasm, and truffle fungus
Effect in Humans	Subtle modulation of mood and attention, especially in women	Perception varies: some find it pleasant, others unpleasant
Behavioral Impact	Affects brain activity related to emotion and social processing	Limited or disputed behavioral impact in humans; strong in pigs
Connection to Food	None scientifically established	Found in low concentrations in certain plants and animal products

Foods Often Mistakenly Associated with Androstadienone

Since the myth of androstadienone in food is so prevalent, it's worth addressing the specific foods that are often cited. In reality, these foods are primarily linked to the related compound, androstenone, or are simply part of general aphrodisiac lore.

Celery: A 1979 study found androstenone in celery, a fact that has been widely misreported as being about androstadienone.
Parsnips: Like celery, parsnips were also shown to contain androstenone in the same original research.
Truffles: The distinctive aroma of truffles is due in part to androstenone, which likely explains why pigs are so effective at finding them.
Meat: The meat of some uncastrated male pigs can have an undesirable 'boar taint' due to high levels of androstenone.

The True Function of Androstadienone

Androstadienone's role is not about being ingested through food but rather acting as a subliminal airborne chemosignal. Studies show that when women are exposed to androstadienone through passive inhalation, it can have subtle psychological effects, such as increasing positive mood, heightened focus, and modulating attention to emotional information. Importantly, these effects are typically observed in controlled laboratory settings with concentrated amounts and do not directly translate to the idea that consuming certain foods will produce a noticeable result. The effects are also context-dependent and are influenced by individual factors like genetics and the presence of other cues.

The Commercialization of a Myth

The idea that androstadienone is a food-based aphrodisiac is a perfect example of how scientific concepts can be co-opted and distorted by marketing. Pheromone-infused perfumes and other products frequently use compounds like androstadienone and androstenone, capitalizing on the public's fascination with attraction. However, the evidence supporting these products' claims is weak at best, and many rely on the placebo effect to 'work'. The scientific community remains cautious about drawing definitive conclusions about the behavioral impact of single human pheromones in real-world scenarios. For a more detailed look at the chemical aspects and effects, the NCBI provides thorough reviews, such as this one on its role in social and emotional processing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the answer to "what food has androstadienone in it?" is a definitive and simple: none. The chemical is a steroid produced naturally by the human body, not a substance found in plants or animal products. The confusion is a result of misinterpreting and conflating studies of other related compounds, particularly androstenone, which has been found in foods like celery and truffles. Relying on food as a source for this chemosignal is based on a widespread and unproven myth. Understanding the difference between androstadienone and androstenone helps separate popular folklore from scientific fact.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, this is a common myth based on a misinterpretation of scientific findings. Studies that detected a steroid in celery identified it as androstenone, a related but different compound, not androstadienone.

The myth exists because marketers and popular sources have often conflated androstadienone with androstenone, a different steroid found in certain foods like celery and truffles. Scientific research shows androstadienone is a human-produced chemical.

Androstadienone is a naturally occurring endogenous steroid in humans, primarily synthesized and found in male sweat, saliva, and plasma.

Androstenone is a pheromone in pigs and found in some foods, while androstadienone is a human chemosignal that subtly affects mood and attention through inhalation. They are distinct compounds with different sources and effects in humans.

There is no scientific basis for the claim that eating specific foods will increase your pheromones to influence others. Human chemical communication is a complex field, and ingesting food for this purpose is ineffective.

In controlled laboratory settings, exposure to androstadienone has been shown to subtly affect mood and attention in humans, particularly women. These are not strong behavioral changes and depend heavily on context.

Pheromone-infused products often contain androstadienone or similar compounds, but there is little scientific evidence supporting their ability to influence attraction as advertised. Any perceived effects are likely due to the placebo effect or other factors.