LOVEallow us to find satisfaction in what our senses deliver—what is right in
front of us, and what we can experience without the nagging sense that
we need something more.
TESTOSTERONE: THE HERE & NOW
CHEMICAL OF SEXUAL ATTRACTIONThe night Samantha first met Shawn, she was on day thir-
teen of her menstrual cycle. Why does that matter?
Testosterone drives sexual desire in both men and
women. Men produce large amounts—it’s responsible for
aspects of masculinity such as facial hair, increased mus-
cle mass, and a low-pitched voice. Women produce smaller
amounts in their ovaries. On average, women have the high-
est levels of testosterone on days thirteen and fourteen of
their menstrual cycle. That’s when the egg is released from
the ovary, and they are most likely to get pregnant. There
are also random variations from day to day and even within a
day. Some women produce more testosterone in the morn-
ing, others later in the day. The largest variation is between
individuals; some women naturally produce more than oth-
ers. Testosterone can even be administered as a drug. When
scientists at Procter & Gamble (the maker of Old Spice
cologne and Pampers diapers) applied a testosterone gel to
women’s skin, the women had more sex. Unfortunately, some
of the women developed facial hair, low-pitched voices, and
male pattern baldness, so the “female Viagra” gel never
received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in
the United States.
Helen Fisher, an anthropologist at Rutgers University
and chief scientific advisor to the Internet dating site Match
.com, points out that the type of sexual drive testosterone
produces is similar to other natural urges, such as hunger.