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    Antibodies, Not Hard Bodies: The Real Reason Women Drool Over Brad Pitt

    By Stephanie Pappas | LiveScience.com – Tue, Feb 21, 2012

    Women may drool over George Clooney and Brad Pitt, but their lust may be more for these macho guys' immune systems than their pretty faces and chiseled abs, new research suggests.

    Men with high levels of the sex hormone testosterone are seen as more hunky — and these same men have stronger immune responses, researchers report Tuesday (Feb. 21) in the journal Nature Communications. The findings suggest that women may be attracted to manly facial types because the macho look signals good health.

    Researchers led by Fhionna Moore of Abertay University in the United Kingdom recruited 74 Latvian men in their early 20s to give blood samples right before and one month after their first dose of the Hepatitis B vaccine. The vaccine triggers the immune system to create antibodies against the virus. The researchers measured these levels of antibodies as well as testosterone levels and levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

    Next, 94 Latvian women, also in their early 20s, rated photographs of each man on a 10-point scale of attractiveness. The researchers then looked for links between the immune response as measured by Hepatitis B antibodies, hormone levels and attractiveness.

    They found that high testosterone correlated with both sexy faces and a strong immune response. Men with the strongest immune responses were rated as better looking than those with weak immune responses. The link between testosterone and hotness was strongest in men with low levels of the stress hormone cortisol, suggesting that stress might take a toll on the immune system, and thus women's ratings of attractiveness.

    While much research has hinted at a relationship between testosterone and the immune system, this study is the first to directly link women's opinions of a man's looks with the strength of his immune system. Researchers next hope to tease out whether the results hold across cultures and across different age ranges.

    You can follow LiveScience senior writer Stephanie Pappas on Twitter @sipappas. Follow LiveScience for the latest in science news and discoveries on Twitter @livescience and on Facebook.

     
    • sing along
      sing along  •  3 mths ago
      If I told you, you had beautiful antibodies would you hold them against me?
    • james c
      james c  •  Riga, Republic of Latvia  •  3 mths ago
      Yeah ladies, I get over a cold in like, half a day!
      • Bill
        Bill 3 mths ago
        Cold, what's a cold?
      • Olivia
        Olivia 3 mths ago
        LOL!!
      • Charley
        Charley 3 mths ago
        Hey I live in a bubble and I resent that....
    • John H
      John H  •  3 mths ago
      So you are telling me that I do not need to be good looking, rich or famous. I just need a healthy immune system and I will be scoring weekly, yea right.
      • Kevin U
        Kevin U 3 mths ago
        Perhaps you should read the article better.
      • engnr
        engnr 3 mths ago
        Not much fun are you Kevin U?
      • Brian
        Brian 3 mths ago
        That's not what the article said at all.
    • Greg
      Greg  •  Nashville, Tennessee  •  3 mths ago
      Money is the biggest aphrodisiac for women. The hands down winner
      • Trampus
        Trampus 3 mths ago
        One hundred thumbs up for you . A red Mercedes sports coupe and they get intoxicated .
      • YAHOO'S LEAST POPULAR
        YAHOO'S LEAST POPULAR 3 mths ago
        I am not one of those women who drool over Brad Pitt. Money is an aphrodisiac for sure. Women will go gaga over a toad if he has wealth. This article is merely proving a sad point.
      • GodFree
        GodFree 3 mths ago
        And....

        You make like that is a bad thing and that straight men have so much depth. You straights have nothing to offer a woman BESIDES money and things.
    • Joel
      Joel  •  3 mths ago
      Humans are very superficial in what they desire. Looks and money top the list. Qualities like decency, respect, hard worker, caring, considerate, etc are way down on most people's list. Sad indeed.
      • Aggie
        Aggie 3 mths ago
        This is not necessarily true. Yes, looks and money are important considerations, but many women value the other qualities you listed as even more important, especially if they've made the mistake of choosing a man based on looks and/or money alone--they won't make that mistake again. Another important consideration is a good sense of humor.
      • Flay
        Flay 3 mths ago
        Joel, thank you for saying "humans" and not just "women."
      • Eric
        Eric 3 mths ago
        You should be happy. That means that there are lots of decent, respectful, hard-working, caring, considerate people who no one else is interested in that are yours for the taking.

        Unless you're just as superficial as everyone else, that is...
    • Marsha
      Marsha  •  3 mths ago
      This study is absolutely right. I find my self drooling over Latvian men with good antibodies on a regular basis, but am trying to cut back. :) I seriously can't believe a group of scientists actually did this research and worse yet somebody funded it.
    • Mike
      Mike  •  Earth, Texas  •  3 mths ago
      add some extra testosterone to yourself fellas... but the side effect is the urge to smash everything within a 3 mile radius.
    • PerryC
      PerryC  •  Sugar Land, Texas  •  3 mths ago
      I feel so much better now - I was worried I was superficial - I am extremely attracted to women with a huge pair of antibodies and a nice apple-shaped immune system.
    • The Dude
      The Dude  •  3 mths ago
      I can just hear it now..."OMG, check out his antibodies!"
    • Libtard
      Libtard  •  3 mths ago
      And then the women looked at pictures of the mens bank accounts..... and the very ill rich guys won.
    • Fred E
      Fred E  •  3 mths ago
      I am much happier, productive and financially secure being single.
    • NoLongerBlue
      NoLongerBlue  •  Boston, Massachusetts  •  3 mths ago
      George Clooney, Brad Pit and testosterone? Sorry, I just can't connect the two.
    • Neil
      Neil  •  Indianapolis, Indiana  •  3 mths ago
      Rich, good looking, healthy men are what women are attracted to? That's amazing! Who would have thought? I'm glad these scientists did this study to figure this out for us.
    • Dataman
      Dataman  •  3 mths ago
      Women are all crazy. That's the only thing actually makes any sense at all. Think about it for just a moment, and it all falls into place.
    • thetnrebel
      thetnrebel  •  Nashville, Tennessee  •  3 mths ago
      there are usually 2 things a female looks for... A budge in the pants.. Either front or back.. Great if you have both
    • Greg
      Greg  •  Indianapolis, Indiana  •  3 mths ago
      So women have evolved to read the outward signs that indicate men can father healthy children...just like men like young, curvy, symmetrical women...likely to give birth to healthy offspring. Does that surprise anybody? After all, if you don't produce offspring you don't pass on any genes.
    • Mr. Nice Guy
      Mr. Nice Guy  •  3 mths ago
      Males become more attractive at Macy's jewelry counter.
    • s.benitez
      s.benitez  •  Jacksonville, Florida  •  3 mths ago
      Im an out of work 34 yr old landscaper. I dont have any money but I have lots of love and affection to offer. I eat cup-o-soup and buy in bulk, best I can do. If any woman interested just reply with name and number.
    • RAZOR
      RAZOR  •  3 mths ago
      I do not have very high testosterone. Look at my facial features.
    • Mark
      Mark  •  3 mths ago
      What about cash -- where does that rate?
     Post a comment
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