How Smell, Taste & Pheromones Shape Behavior | Huberman Lab Essentials

About this video

In this Essentials episode, Huberman explains chemical sensing through smell, taste and the chemicals people release in tears, sweat, skin and breath. Huberman notes that true human pheromones remain controversial, with no clear example established, but says chemicals from other people undeniably modulate our biology, citing a study published in Science in which, he says, men who smelled women’s sadness-evoked tears showed significant reductions in testosterone and in brain areas associated with sexual arousal. He describes olfactory neurons and neurogenesis, explaining that exercise, social interaction and actively sniffing odours can support the smell system, and that smell loss after head injury, where the cribriform plate shears olfactory wires, can partly gauge concussion recovery, with olfactory training showing promise. Huberman also describes research in which people subconsciously touched their eyes seconds after a handshake, transferring chemicals from another person’s skin to a mucosal surface.

Key takeaways

• Huberman says true human pheromones are controversial, but chemicals in tears, sweat and breath do modulate others’ biology.
• Huberman cites a Science study in which men’s testosterone fell after smelling women’s sadness-evoked tears.
• Huberman explains smell recovery can partly gauge concussion recovery, and olfactory training shows promise.
• Huberman describes people subconsciously touching their eyes after handshakes, transferring others’ skin chemicals.
• Huberman recommends actively sniffing and inhaling to keep the olfactory system tuned up.

Episode details: published May 1, 2025 · 87.6K views · 34:28 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. The science and protocols described are Andrew Huberman’s, presented for education — not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before changing your own health practices.

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