Dr. Winnifred B. Cutler, the founder of Athena Institute and the Athena 10x pheromone products, has been floating around the internet for almost 2 decades.
… but are her claims trustworthy?
When I first started this blog, I searched high and low for just about every pheromone cologne and perfume I could get my hands on.
Even the hard to get and individual ones that were potentially useless.
But one thing I always found sketchy was that Athena Institute always seemed to pop up in media articles (not scientific journals or research), about the discovery of human pheromones, how pheromone colognes and perfumes work, etc.
Now, she does have some studies (which we’ll dissect in a moment), but much of her media attention is probably due to her website looking like it’s a piece of internet history, which probably makes some feel as if it’s more trustworthy.
But anyway, let’s get to the important part.
I have researched the science of pheromones, and a few things don’t add up about Dr. Winnifred Cutlers claims.
She went as far as claiming that she was one of the people who discovered human pheromones. She has since changed her tune into something more accurate, although still very easy to misinterpret:
“The discovery of human sex pheromones appeared in front page stories internationally when my colleagues and I succeeded in peer-reviewed acceptance for publication in scientific journals in 1986. We provided the proof that women and men emitted pheromones into the atmosphere and we showed that extracted pheromones could be collected, frozen for over a year, thawed and then applied topically above the upper lip of recipients to mimic some of the pheromonal effects found in nature.”
Who really discovered human pheromones?
The most likely person to discover human pheromones is a scientist named Alex Comfort (Comfort, Alex. “Likelihood of Human Pheromones.” Nature, vol. 220, pp. 432-479 ). Animal pheromones were already known to exist in the late 50’s, thanks to research by Peter Karlson and Martin Lüscher.
However, even with that said it is still difficult to determine who the true “founder” of human pheromones really is.
There is research that dates back to the early 1900’s with some allusions to pheromone communication, as well as some anecdotal evidence earlier than that. Even old text books mention that primal attraction we feel when we come across a particularly attractive pheromone scent.
Some scientists don’t even believe they exist.
The main reason is because it is difficult to identify which pheromones are responsible for what.
For example, modulator, primer, releaser pheromones, and the functioning of the VNO.
Although it is outside the scope of this article, this is important to mention because Dr. Winnifred B. Cutler (Dr. WB Cutler) was responsible for some early research on pheromones – but she did NOT discover them, nor was she influential in their research.
In fact, her early formulations of Athena 10x pheromones, and Athena 10:13 were simply DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) and androstenol formulations. This is almost like the “precursor” to predatory marketing of pheromone products like Pherazone cologne, Pheromax, etc.
The truth about Athena Institute is that it is a commercial property propped up by Cutlers “research” (which is slightly sketchy).
“I think our product is the only product with any truth behind it’s claims”
- Winnifred Cutler
Sure it is, Doc.
This is also where the infamous 20/20 twins experiment came from (yes, the same ones you see on every pheromone scammer site – with fake reviews and made up claims about their effectiveness).
I am not outright dismissing all of Dr. Winnifred Cutlers research.
These videos were probably from the early 2000’s.
However, I believe it is one of the reasons why pheromones have got a bad rap in the science community and to the “mainstream” population.
It is precisely these kinds of sensationalized claims that make people run for the hills, and make real scientists snicker with ridicule at academics who may have otherwise pursued this in the future.
… Parading around as someone who contributed significant discoveries to world of human pheromones, and then using her “fame” to exploit real research (seriously, one of her early papers is called “Lunar and Menstrual Locking”).
With all the media attention she has received, it’s easy to class her as a real expert with no financial interests.
But it becomes more than clear when she patented the use of specific pheromone additives in cologne.
Athena Institute offers several products for men and women, but does NOT list ingredients.
Vendors have come a very long way since Cutler’s “discoveries”, which were largely other peoples research on androgens and pheromones… but anyway, take a look at these:
Patents indicating Athena Pheromone 10x and 10:13 are nothing but DHEA (or DHEAS, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate) and Androstenol formulations:
- Use of male essence to alter female endocrine response… “This exposure is preferably continued in amounts and for a duration which are effective to significantly alter an endocrine related characteristic, such as the menstrual cycle length, of that female. In particular, the portions of male axillary secretions to be exposed to the female preferably comprise one or more compounds such as androstenol, dehydroepiandrosterone, and/or a compound or … “
- Axillary androstenol and dehydroepiandrosterone as fertile period onset indicators… “Method for determining the onset of the fertile period of a human female comprising the step of monitoring the axillary secretions of said female during the course of her menstrual cycle to determine variations in the concentration of androstenol or dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. A first significant increase in the concentration of either of those compounds following the cessation of menses is indicative of the onset of the fertile period.”
Also, to elaborate on her patents, according to JV Kohl, she had claimed that her products contained DHEA on television when her “discoveries” went national.
However, she later retracted her statements claiming that they were “patent pending” (some time earlier than 2002 – so it’s old news).
While this doesn’t mean that they are the only pheromones in the products, they are the most likely candidates along with others in the same category (perhaps androsterone, andosterone, androstenone, etc).
The following are some old posts from the love-scent pheromone forums, as well as old posts scattered throughout PheroTalk.
(by JV Kohl, early 2000’s)
Note that JVK is banned from the forums, most likely due to self promotion. His attacks on Dr. Winnifred Cutlers “hype” is also very contradictory now… his website has plenty of that.
But regardless, these are some posts that were interesting to see when I was investigating Cutler’s “research” and Athena pheromones.
Winnifred Cutler, Ph.D., markets Athena 10:13 and 10X. While she can take credit for some early work on human chemical communication, she goes too far by saying “she discovered human pheromones,” just as Dr. Teresa Crenshaw goes to far when she claims to have predicted the discovery of human pheromones.
Lately, Cutler’s been claiming that her patent application prevents her from disclosing what’s in her products. However, last time I looked, the only patent app. she filed was many years ago–long past the time it would typically take to acquire a patent if her app. had merit.
Besides, her focus was on dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a very unlikely candidate to be a human pheromone since it is an adrenal androgen. Why would an adrenal androgen be attractive to men? Yet, Cutler claimed that DHEA was the active ingredient in Athena 10:13 in a national TV talk show broadcast. Then, she clammed up and said she couldn’t divulge info. But not before she told the TV audience that a similar product for men could not be effective–because, in nature, it’s the male who pursues the female, not the female who pursues the male. Yeah, right! Then, a year later, she came out with her 10X product for men. Cutler spouted more garbage about the concept of human pheromones than I’ve heard from anyone before or since.
I’m not sure about the reason why Bruce doesn’t make 10X available from this site, but so far as I’m concerned he has shown remarkably good taste in not marketing such a worthless, albeit very expensive, product.
Two reports of results using her undisclosed “pheromones” were subsequently called into question.
Here’s what I state in an as yet unpublished manuscript.
Also, reports of behavioral change to an undisclosed human pheromones that acts as a sex attractants”according to marketing claims–and reviewed in (Cutler and Genovese, 2002) have been dismissed elsewhere (Winman, 2004; Wysocki and Preti, 1998). Disclosure is essential to independent replication, a basic tenet of scientific research, and especially to scientific research on human sexual behavior.
It’s not just the non-disclosure that’s the problems, it’s the way the study design and results are presented. So far as I’m concerned, about the worst that can happen to an olfactory researcher is to have other olfactory researchers tell the world (in peer-reviewed journals) that your studies and their results are substandard and therefore unacceptable. Perhaps this is why Winnifred does not attend any olfactory conferences, or publish in journals with reviewers and editors who might better examine her claims, or the claims made by others for her undisclosed product ingredients.
Uninformed consumers deserve better than to be led into new areas of research by charlatans who make big bucks scamming them. What may be worse is that people like Winnifred give the topic of human pheromones a bad rap. It really is inexcusable to not publicly disclose ingredients after she said on a television program that her Athena 10:13 contained DHEA. In subsequent programming, she claimed that she could not disclose the ingredients due to a patent pending. Do a patent search on her name to see if you can determine which patent pending she might be thinking about.
Obviously, I’ve followed her trail for many years. But I’m willing to listen to anything anyone wants to say in support of her product marketing, other than her product(s) work. There’s not enough science for me in statements like that.
I’m glad that others have commented on Athena 10X and the Athena site.
In my book I might have given the hint that I have little respect for such hype, and possibly that, also, I don’t think much of Dr. Cutler. Here’s why:
In 1993 or 4, I called and spoke briefly with Winnifred about the work I was doing with extending my mammalian pheromone model to humans. The conversation ended when Cutler asked where I had obtained my doctoral degree–and I told her I never got one. “Then why am I talking with you,” she asked, and promptly ended the conversation. “You b_ _ _ _h” I thought.
You can imagine my surprise when Winnifred called me in 1995 (after release of my book) to ask for my help with a text book chapter on pheromones. I told her I would let her know in a few weeks. Then I found out that Bruce McEwen (who helped me tremendously in the early years of my research) was the section editor for the section in which Cutler’s chapter was to appear. I figured that, at least, Bruce would ensure I got credit for my input.
Then I met a couple of Winnifred’s “friends” — who appeared in film clips that were presented during Cutler’s talk show appearances.
They both cautioned me that Winnifred would steal material from me and give me no credit …
“… and strongly advised that I not provide her with any information that I didn’t want her to take the credit for”
I thought this was very odd behavior for her friends, but they acknowledged that despite the friendship with her, Winnifred’s personality alienated a lot of people.
More on the hype. The Neuroendocrinology Letters website mentions the award we received for the article “Human Pheromones: Linking Neuroendocrinology and Ethology.” What it doesn’t say is that this award includes an all-expense paid trip to Prague, where I will receive a diploma with honors from the university. So, should I brag about this on my website–perhaps name dropping a little, to bolster product sales? I think not.
Most people I know tend to agree that the scientific credentialing and hype have little to do with product worth. I’m tempted to say, the more hype; the less likely the product is to be worthwhile–but can never be sure. What we can be sure of is that if a product works well, we will hear about it in this forum.
As for why Dr. Winnifred Cutler went out of her way to patent this, it’s probably because DHEA is a precursor.
Look at the strategy others, like Cutler, have used. They make wild claims designed for suckers; not interested consumers [LOL].
Bruce, instead, developed this forum so interested consumers could become better informed and provide feedback on products. He’s done more for providing info than anyone I know–all the while taking a easy approach: the truth.
I’ve been so busy with the scientific end of topics that I haven’t been able to relate to more general audience, until recently. Finally, I started reading the comments in this Forum and I have become more informed about what you want. I’m glad to see that most of you aren’t looking for products that advertise GET LAID more often; or DRIVE WOMEN WILD.
The best approach is always the easy, truthful approach. Pheromones work well, they don’t perform miracles. If you think that by wearing a pheromone product you can sucker someone else into a sexual encounter, you’re on the wrong track. Spend more time reading in this Forum, and you’re bound to get on the right track–thanks to Bruce.
Now let’s talk about Athena Pheromones 10x (for men) and Athena 10:13 (for women).
In the instructions provided by the company, users of the product are advised to mix the vial into 2-3 ounces of cologne, to use as an “aftershave”.
The most bizarre part about it, is that users are expected to wait several months for results.
She bases the success of her product based on a very dubious “8-week double-blind, placebo-controlled scientific study” (PDF).
In this “study”, every claim she makes is COMPLETELY unsubstantiated by any true measurable, predictable and mostly SCIENTIFIC standard.
They are completely anecdotal, and could easily be skewed in the products favor for her own financial interests.
At the end of the day, results are what matter. So do Athena pheromones work (10x and 10:13)?
Yes, but it is outrageously expensive (almost $100), and the results are minimal.
After a few months of messing around with it as it was intended to be used (and wasting a good bottle of CK One last year), I can say that it had very little impact on social interactions or on attraction.
The only thing that I did notice was that I felt a little better and had some chattier moments with women.
As I mentioned earlier, the products were most likely to contain DHEA and some basic andro- variations (androstenol).
But I had come to this conclusion even before I speculated or researched what was in the Athena products.
DHEA is known for its effects as a precursor hormone – it converts to androgens (like testosterone), and estrogen in the body.
In fact, it is a very affordable and effect supplement that can help you with your overall health (especially if you want to boost your NATURAL pheromones and testosterone levels).
After thinking about this for a while, I believe what Cutler was trying to do with the products is boost the bodies ability to naturally create pheromones.
This is why she recommends a significant time to see any kind of benefits of using 10x.
… however, as a user of natural health supplements, I had even BETTER results simply taking a DHEA supplement directly (and even more quickly).
It is one of the few recommended supplements in the article I linked above.
So is Dr Winnifred Cutler and the Athena pheromones 10x/10:13 products worth buying?
No, they are overpriced, ineffective, and have been stuck with the same product line for over a DECADE.
That’s a century in internet time. You would think by now that with all the “research” Cutler has out there, she would have some groundbreaking discoveries by now…
… but instead she is still trying to ride the media wave she got many years ago, and hasn’t contributed anything significant for a while now.
In fact, I think the pheromone community has done far more research than most “scientists” in the field in the last few years than actual laboratories – in terms of seeing what pheromones do anyway.
Collectively, we have tested and advanced the complexity of pheromone colognes and perfumes, and some vendors have even tried awesome experimental new things just to see what happens.
Gel bases, silicone, experimental pheromones… it’s all there, waiting for someone to take advantage of it.
In this case, Cutler got a ridiculous amount of attention for research that she played a small part in.
… she took advantage and built the Athena Institute.
And from there, companies like PherX and other hype artists have taken full advantage of this dubious research too.
But it’s time to adapt and grow with the competition, and Dr Cutler, Athena Institute, and the 10x pheromones and 10:13 products are just not up to par.
Unfortunately, this product line – while it may be legendary and conjure up memories of first discovering pheromones (the OG’s)…
… this is a remnant of the past and just isn’t worth the money anymore.
Testing had minimal effects, and you are far better off using DHEA as a supplement to boost your natural pheromones (or even dilute a few capsules and mix your own – tutorial coming soon).
It’s time to wrap it up.
I admit, I didn't have very high hopes for the product. The website looks like it hasn't been updated since the 1990's, and it even made me slightly skeptical wondering if my order would ever arrive. But after recieving and testing the products as they were designed to be used (over 8 weeks of regular use), I found nothing significant. You would have much better effects simply using a supplement such as DHEA and increasing your testosterone and androgens naturally, which would result in a higher quality, more powerful pheromone signature (whether you use pheromones or not). Athena Pheromones - Final Summary
Attraction
Social
Sexual
Alpha
Overall
"A Legend Far Gone"
Thanks for reading,
- Phero Joe
P.S. No amount of pheromones would ever make me find Dr Cutler attractive. Also, like I mentioned above, her “research” is extremely sketchy and holds absolutely no weight when put under careful scrutiny. Here is a study I found dissecting some of her claims.
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Hi Danny, it depends on what you’re trying to get from the pheromones. If you are after a relationship or just sex then the types of products you choose will be different too. Please read: https://houseofpheromones.com/pheromones-for-men-best/
I think that when Dr. Cutler embarked on this she had a semi good idea in mind. Being a female back in the day she may have endured a less than (Hey welcome here)- when it was more of a male world in the higher Educational circles. she may felt subconsciously to make an Academic impact, a dollar to be made, or just to make a name for herself. I believe that if she would have put forth a more forward energetic experimental study she would have been aware of her myopic maybe i should look at this further. A lack of which came back to bite her claims. claims that have been put through experimental field testing thereby proving by empirical evidence that yes there’s something to this. In order for a theory, experiment,substance or product it’s must have proof precision empirical evidence to be worthy…….
I give her credit where its due — she did some solid marketing and made up some hilariously bad commercials. But atleast the word about pheromones has reached our little corner of the internet!
If Hidden Identity Phero Joe’s readers would actually check out our website,
www.athenainstitute.com
, they would see how laughable his “review” of Dr. Cutler and her work is. Not to mention defamatory. Her 1986 discovery of human sex attractant pheromones was written up in TIME, NEWSWEEK, US News & World Report, USA TODAY and a front page story in the WASHINGTON POST newspaper. She has written 8 books published by “name” publishers, including 2 invited medical textbooks. She lectured annual meetings of ob/gyns and also psychiatrists on PHEROMONES AS SEX ATTRACTANTS..FOR THEIR CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION CREDITS. She has published over 50 scientific papers and HAS 3 DOUBLE BLIND PLACEBO CONTROLLED STUDIES PROVING ATHENA PHEROMONES’ EFFICACY IN PEER REVIEW JOURNALS. In some circles, that’s called “CREDENTIALS” and CREDIBILITY. I am Athena Institute’s general counsel but, so far, not a “banned user”. July 10, 2017 Thomas E. Quay, Esq.Thanks for posting. I am aware of her research but for this review I focused mainly on her research into pheromones. Yeah, I see that she has gotten a lot of attention from the media a long time ago, but that doesn’t prove her credibility. Those newspapers and media found it an interesting idea at the time and wrote about Dr. Cutler’s research. They are general newspapers and it doesn’t prove anything.
As far as the Athena Institute products go, I have found them to be ineffective… people are free to check out the website and purchase if they want. However, I’ve found the products outdated and there are vastly superior formulas available for both men and women, at a more reasonable price. I don’t know why you think I’d ban you, I only ban trolls and spammers.
Say what you want, her 10:13 product works for me! I used it first in 2011 at age 61, when I was dating my current husband and immediately noticed more looks from men of all ages!!! I was NOT imagining it; it was astonishing. Not sure if my being on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) helped. Then I didn’t use it for 5.5 years and yesterday when I was going to see my husband after his out of town trip, I put some on while I attended an all-day conference. Again, I saw men and young men turning their heads for a long gaze at me, while multiple women told me how good/beautiful I looked! I was dumbfounded (I’m 68 now) and though I know I don’t look it in many ways, I didn’t think I looked as good as people repeatedly said. It MUST have been the 10:13. Yippee! I need to reorder. I truly wondered if there would be any potency left in the last few drops in that bottle, but there was!
That’s great if it works for you Gretchen. It is just my personal results, yours may differ. I just feel like there are now significantly better products on the market since these Athena product were released.
So what your saying is…. Athena 10:13 is DHEA basically?
Hi Cynthia,
I would say it is a core component of the product, due to the way it seems to improve over time. However, the benefits are quite minor and the enormous price tag for such a simplistic product just isn’t worth it IMO. Also, I suspect there may be some basic communication type pheromones in there, such as androstenol (alpha/beta ratio perhaps).
Seems one would do better to just supplement on dhea too me. Thank you pheromones Joe.
Oh I want to mention that on youtube there are a lot of videos dr cutler published basically from local news outlets
The problem is, I think I’ve fallen in love with her sweet, reassuring photograph!
What’s funny is that the first time I saw an ad for Athena Pheromones it was in the classified ad section of the very highbrow, prestigious literary NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS. For some reason, the idea of the readership of the NYRB sending away for love potions through the mail is hilarious, but that is just me. Academics who write papers on symbolism in late- Elizabethan poetry need love too. Actually, the classified personal ads in the back of the NYRB are pretty…interesting. To say the least.
I shouldn’t laugh, though. As the whole “pheromones” thing shows, the relations between men and woman are funny and sad. We all want so much, and we all live such short lives, and the darkness we all must enter in the end lasts forever.
If Hands Could Free You, Heart
If hands could free you, heart,
Where would you fly?
Far, beyond every part
Of earth this running sky
Makes desolate? Would you cross
City and hill and sea,
If hands could set you free?
I would not lift the latch;
For I could run
Through fields, pit-valleys, catch
All beauty under the sun—
Still end in loss:
I should find no bent arm, no bed
To rest my head.
– Philip Larkin
Hi JS,
I actually started laughing when I thought about the readers of such magazines ordering pheromone products too.
Thanks for the great comment!
What pheromone would work for gay men to attract other gay men
Hi Todd,
I haven’t got any personal experience with the gay men products, but I have heard that Alpha Dream’s l’UOMO AMORE works very well. I will look into finding a product tester for these as I would like to know how they work for men to men attraction too.
Cheers!
I spoken to dr cutler a week ago just ask a question and let me tell you. ….her personality is not right, very bad manners and additude
Sorry to hear that, Summer. I believe James V. Kohl was also told at some point by her friends that her personality alienated a lot of people. I would ignore her personally, as there are much better products to choose from anyway.
Don’t know much about pheromones – but I do know her studies on a potential link between the lunar are menstrual cycles are bunk, bad science, and bad data analysis.
Wrote about them here:
https://www.metabunk.org/debunked-study-shows-link-between-menstrual-cycle-and-the-moon.t10214/
I don’t know if this product is legit or not, but it seems to be working for me.
I bought the product 25 years ago and never bothered to really test it until recently. When I bought it, the instructions stated that I was to add it to my cologne. However, every bottle of cologne I bought was sealed and I could not open them without potentially damaging the bottle. So I never used the bottle of Athena 10X.
So over the years, I kept it sealed and stored the bottle and box and it had mostly been forgotten. A month ago, I found it in the box where I had stored it and decided to give it a try.
Backstory of my relationship with my wife:
I have been married for 18 years and we have had sex on and off over that period. My wife and I were both raised with Catholic beliefs that sex was bad and should only be used for procreation. Sex was never discussed in either of our households when we were growing up.
Over the years we’ve been married, we haven’t been very sexually active. On average, we have had sex a few times a month. It seems like it was almost a chore to encourage my wife to have sex, even though the times we have had sex it has been good. She has really enjoyed it. She even had admitted several times that she doesn’t understand why she doesn’t want to have more sex because it is enjoyable for her when we are intimate.
After finding my bottle Athena 10X, I opened it and applied some directly to my skin in my throat area. (I did not mention anything to my wife that I had applied the product.) Within a few days, I noticed my wife was becoming more attracted to me sexually.
She was grabbing me, especially my penis, and was asking about sex. The other day, she even told me she touched herself twice over the past two weeks. She has confessed to touching herself four or five times in the years we have been together.
Last night as we passed each other walking through the living room, she grabbed my penis through my pants so hard that she physically swung me around. She has definitely become more assertive about sex with me.
There is another thing that has made me curious about the legitimacy of the product. During the few times we have had sex since I had started applying the product and I have also noticed that I am actually harder. I don’t know why. I haven’t been taking any other supplements and there hasn’t been any other changes in my life that would cause me to have a stronger erection.
My experiences over the past few weeks could be psychosomatic, especially since the product is 25 years old, but there has definitely been a change in our relationships lately.
Wow, 25 years old — talk about vintage! Thanks for sharing.
Im so sorry with you, but im not agree with your info. You can notget a real opinion without trying and testing the product. But I done, many times. And yes, this Cuttler feromone works. And works really well specially in young girls. I got, acroos the exprience, some propertyes and curious effects about the feromones. I can tell you many seduction and sex histories I had with this amazing product, but this secrets will go with me forever 😉 Good luck
Well that’s great, but for the vast majority of people this product is an overpriced scam. There are much better, superior products on the market at a much better price than this lying “doctor”.
I agree its over priced, but remember, it was 99 dollars 20 years ago – should be 200 now LOL,
Actually, it works really well with Drakkar Noir for me. i’ve tried it without 10 X and it doesnt seem to work. I dont have natural testosterone ( hypogonadism)and have to take a T shot every 2 weeks, so it may be 10 X is replacing something I’m not getting. I would suggest it for someone who has Hypogodaism and is on T patches or a shot.
It would be nice if she reduced the price to $ 50 but I dont think that will happen. interestingly, I dont use it all the time , only occasionally, and it seems to work really well this way. I also keep the mixture refrigerated, which is not recommended , and it seem s to be stronger. My last batch of 10 X lasted almost 10 years for me, only using it on special occasions when meeting new gals, and a few times after to re inforce attraction at the start of the friendship. I have tried other phermone products, but dont have as good a luck as with the 10X / Drakkar mix.
Hi,
I’m curious about heaux cosmetics pheromones, it’s all over TikTok, it’s expensive and the reviews are pretty mixed. Have you heard about it? If so is it something worth trying?
I have never heard of them. I just did a quick Google search though, it just looks like typical marketing rubbish for pheromones and a manufacturer trying to take advantage of a trend. I wouldn’t waste my time with it.