Relax Women Prefer Low-Cortisol Men Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness EatingSupplements Relax Women Prefer Low-Cortisol Men The Science of Sex by Chris Shugart January 12, 2011August 24, 2022 Tags Cortisol Control, Nutrition & Supplements, Rhodiola Rosea, Super Health You've heard part of this story before. In studies where women are shown composite male faces and asked to rate attractiveness, they report being more sexually attracted to high-testosterone men – in other words, those with more masculine facial traits. The only drawback? Men perceived as "high testosterone" are often seen as less likely to be faithful in marriage and less likely to be good parents. Now, in the never-ending quest to figure out just what the heck women want, focus has shifted to a new hormone: cortisol. Behavioral ecologist Fhionna Moore at the University of Abertay Dundee in Scotland has concluded that women prefer men with low levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Instinctively, females seem to know that high-cortisol males have suppressed immune systems and suppressed reproductive function. "Males with low cortisol possess something desirable that women seek to secure for their offspring," Moore said. "This could be, for example, good health or a healthy response to stress." In short, the less stressed you are, the more attractive you become to women – at least those that are in the most fertile stage of their menstrual cycle. While females might be able to tell if your cortisol levels are high simply by using their instincts, males unfortunately don't have that power. Therefore, you're going to have to make the diagnosis based on your symptoms, or lack thereof. Following is a list of symptoms caused by too high or too low cortisol. The list really is comprised of symptoms of adrenal insufficiency, which would result in cortisol levels being too low in the morning and too high in the evening: Memory problems Inability to concentrate Poor judgment Seeing only the negative Anxious or racing thoughts Constant worrying Eating more or less Sleeping too much or too little Isolating yourself from others Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax Nervous habits (e.g., nail biting, pacing) Moodiness Irritability or short temper Agitation, inability to relax Feeling overwhelmed Sense of loneliness and isolation Depression or general unhappiness Aches and pains Diarrhea or constipation Nausea, dizziness Chest pain, rapid heartbeat Loss of sex drive Frequent colds So what do you do if you're stressed and / or exhibit some of these symptoms? One supplement option is Rhodiola rosea, which helps your body adapt to – and resist – physical and environmental stress. Rhodiola should be used in times of higher stress, then cycled off in less stressful times... or until you get a smokin' girlfriend. Source LiveScience and Proceedings of the Royal Society B. journal Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Eating Lean vs Shredded The Cold Hard Truth Getting lean is easy. Getting shredded is the hardest thing you'll ever do. Here are the 8 differences you need to know. Bodybuilding, Feeding the Ideal Body, Nutrition & Supplements Akash Vaghela November 3 Eating Tip 4 Hacks for Gettin Lean or Gettin Huge Simple strategies for controlling your food intake when you're cutting or packing in the extra calories for mass gains. Diet Strategy, Losing Fat, Nutrition & Supplements, Tips Paul Carter March 17 Diet & Fat Loss Tip Protein-Packed Lemon Squares You've gotta try these lemony blackberry jam protein squares... immediately. Feeding the Ideal Body, Nutrition & Supplements, Protein, Recipes, Tips Chelsie Lysenchuk May 7 Eating The Taste of Success "Are you kidding, JB? You expect me to eat this stuff? Where's the taste? Where's the variety!?" Feeding the Ideal Body, Nutrition & Supplements John Berardi, PhD January 27