Spending just five minutes next to a beautiful woman is just as stressful for a man as jumping from a plane , as it raises the levels of cortisol, the stress hormone , according to a study carried out by Spanish scientists from the University of Valencia.
The researchers conducted a test involving 84 male students who had to solve a Sudoku puzzle sharing the same room with two strangers, a man or a woman . The blood tests of the volunteers revealed a curious relationship between cortisol levels and the presence of women . Cortisol levels went up if a beautiful woman was in the room, and went down when she left. But as soon as the stranger returned, the hormone triggered again.
The researchers concluded that in the presence of a beautiful woman, especially if she is unknown, most men think about seducing her. In just five minutes, cortisol levels rise dramatically.
Excess cortisol alters cell metabolism and, consequently, can cause diseases such as diabetes or hypertension. On the other hand, in small doses, this hormone has a positive effect , since it transports glucose to the blood, constricts the veins in certain parts of the body and improves appetite, as well as having hypoallergenic and anti-inflammatory properties.
