Human Appeasing Pheromone (HAP) Analysis - Variable Components
Hello fellow pheromone enthusiasts,
I've been researching Human Appeasing Pheromones (HAP (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5889236/#ccr31348-bib-0013)) and wanted to share some interesting findings about its composition.
What Are Human Appeasing Pheromones?Human Appeasing Pheromone (HAP) is a naturally occurring chemical messenger secreted by women in the breast/mammary region shortly after giving birth. These pheromones are part of a class called "appeasing pheromones" that exist across mammalian species and serve to create feelings of security, calmness, and bonding between mother and offspring.
The fascinating thing about HAP is that it appears to work not just on infants but also on adults, potentially helping to reduce anxiety, stress, and certain psychological symptoms. Scientists have discovered that these pheromones have a remarkably similar chemical structure across mammals (dogs, cats, horses, pigs, cows, and humans), with just a few species-specific variations.
What makes HAP particularly interesting from a therapeutic perspective is that, unlike many pharmacological treatments, it works through the olfactory system rather than being absorbed systemically. This means it can potentially influence mood and behavior without the side effects typically associated with medications that enter the bloodstream.
What We Know For CertainFrom published research (particularly a case study by Piccinni et al., 2018 (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5889236/#ccr31348-bib-0013)), we know that HAP contains:
- "A core of three methyl esters of specific fatty acids known as:
- Methyl oleate (from oleic acid)
- Methyl palmitate (from palmitic acid)
- Methyl linoleate (from linoleic acid)
- AND "a group of two to three compounds varying from one species to another"
The study clearly states that
"ALL of the compounds of the pheromone ARE methyl esters of fatty acids that are well known as compounds of several food products and well identified as nontoxic products."
Clinical Effects of HAPThe 2018 study by Piccinni et al. tested HAP on three patients with complex psychiatric disorders, and the results were quite promising:
- A 40-year-old woman with bipolar disorder experienced a 29% decrease in social anxiety scores and a 47% improvement in overall functioning after three months of HAP exposure
- A 20-year-old man with autism spectrum disorder and severe self-injurious behavior showed significant reduction in self-harm, decreased separation anxiety, and reduced distress behaviors
- A 34-year-old woman with bipolar disorder saw her obsessive-compulsive symptoms decrease by 69% and separation anxiety decrease by 33%
In all cases, HAP was delivered via an electric diffuser in the patients' homes, covering an area of 50-70 square meters, with each refill lasting about 4 weeks. These improvements occurred without any side effects reported. I assume some effects were immediate, based on the effects of Appeasing Pheromones on other species.
Why Methyl Esters of Fatty Acids Make Effective PheromonesIt's fascinating that all HAP components are methyl esters of fatty acids. This chemical structure has several properties that make it ideal for pheromonal communication:
- Moderate volatility - They can become airborne at body temperature but don't evaporate too quickly, allowing for sustained signaling
- Stability - They resist degradation in the environment while still being biodegradable
- Receptor binding - Their molecular structure allows them to bind effectively to olfactory receptors
- Biological compatibility - They're naturally produced in many mammalian secretions and recognized by our biochemical systems
- Safety - They're generally non-toxic and found in many foods and natural products
- Neurological effects - Some can cross the blood-brain barrier, potentially explaining their calming effects on the nervous system
Fatty Acid Methyl Esters vs. NeurosteroidsI know we usually focus on neurosteroid pheromones (androstadienone, estratetraenol, etc.), but HAP represents a completely different class of pheromones. This is significant because:
- While neurosteroids are structurally similar to sex hormones and often associated with attraction/arousal responses, fatty acid methyl esters appear more connected to bonding, calming, and emotional security
- HAP's effects (reducing anxiety, promoting relaxation) contrast with the excitatory or sexual signaling often studied with neurosteroids
- This suggests our pheromonal communication system is more diverse than often discussed, with different chemical classes serving different social/emotional functions
Interestingly, HAP shares more chemical similarity with copulins (also fatty acid-based) than with steroid pheromones. Just as copulins appear to have significant effects despite not being steroids, HAP demonstrates that fatty acids play an important role in human chemical communication beyond just sex-related signaling.
This could open up new directions for pheromone research focused on emotional regulation rather than just attraction, which might be particularly valuable for applications related to stress reduction, emotional and social bonding, and psychological wellbeing.
Unpacking the Mystery Variable ComponentsThe exact identity of these variable compounds remains proprietary and isn't explicitly named in most scientific publications. This is likely for patent protection since HAP has commercial applications.
However, based on mammalian biochemistry patterns and what we know about human breast milk composition (since HAP is secreted from the mammary region after childbirth), I believe the variable components are likely methyl esters from these fatty acids:
- Methyl stearate (from stearic acid, C18:0) - A common saturated fatty acid methyl ester
- Methyl palmitoleate (from palmitoleic acid, C16:1) - Abundant in human milk
- Methyl myristate (from myristic acid, C14:0) - Common in many mammalian secretions
- Methyl arachidate (from arachidic acid, C20:0)
- Methyl DHA (from docosahexaenoic acid, C22:6) - Highly concentrated in human breast milk
Since appeasing pheromones function to calm and create feelings of security (particularly from mother to offspring), it makes sense that the compounds would be derived from fatty acids common in breast milk.
Commercial Applications
I've learned that Androtics A314 had derived HAP in the past, which I believe is their "CALM" product. This makes sense given the appeasing/calming nature of the pheromone and its effects. If anyone has used this product specifically, I'd be curious about your experiences with it.
Cross-Species Effects: My Personal Experience
Also, I wanted to share something interesting that happened to me today at the veterinarian's office. I sprayed some cat appeasing pheromones (Feliway brand) on my shirt, planning to later share my shirt with my sick cat. Unexpectedly, I immediately felt calmer myself, and I don't believe it was placebo because I experienced a visual distortion effect that I typically get when substances actually affect me.
This makes me wonder if these appeasing pheromones might be more cross-species effective than scientists currently believe. The basic structure of appeasing pheromones is remarkably similar across mammalian species (with just those few variable components being different), so it's not entirely surprising that they might have some cross-species effects.
Has anyone else experienced unexpected effects from animal pheromone products? This could be an intriguing area for further investigation.
... I'm thinking of putting Feliway on before i go out just to calm myself down lmao. Maybe counter androstenone anxiety? ;D
Very interesting, ive thought of trying feliway myself. It comes in a diffuser and collar. I'm not sure of directly spraying on skin but clothing perhaps. Maybe an oil applied to skin before application.