London, Oct 18 : Breastfeeding is not only good for babies, but also as it turns out for other members of the fairer sex, for a new study has found that it puts women other than the new mom in the mood for sex.

The study found that the smells associated with the practice - known as pheromones - are a powerful natural aphrodisiac that has women reaching out for their men.

As for the reason behind this phenomenon, well researchers conducting the study believe that the pheromones act as a signal, telling another woman that it is time even she thinks about starting a family.

The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Chicago who looked at how the smell of sweat collected from the breast and armpits of nursing mothers affected a group of young women.

As a part of the research the boffins asked half of the women to wipe pads soaked in the sweat across their upper lip every morning and evening for three months.

They were also asked to reapply the pads after showering, exercising and wiping their mouths after eating.

The other women were given similar pads, soaked in a dummy liquid.

By the end of the study, the researchers noted an almost 50 percent increase in the libido of women given sweat soaked pads. To be exact, the boffins noted that in these women, their desire for their partner had risen by 42 per cent.

In women who were single, there was an increase in the number of sexual daydreams they had.

The effects were particularly striking during the time of the month when the women's fertility and sex drive was at its lowest.

In contrast, libido actually dropped among those with dummy pads.

Researcher Professor Martha McClintock said that the study could provide an answer for treating disorders of desire.

"We found that being exposed to these chemicals sustained sexual desire during times in the cycle when it would normally be lower than other peak levels," the Daily Mail quoted her, as saying at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine's annual conference in Washington.

"It could be used for the treatment of disorders of desire. A lot of basic research would need to be done to identify the specific compounds involved.

"For men the major problem is erectile dysfunction (impotence) for which there is Viagra.

"But for women it is a disorder of desire and there isn't anything as effective."

The study has also lead researchers to believe that sweat may play a vital part in the mating game. They suggest that it not only stops us from unintentionally mating with relatives or seeking a partner who is genetically similar, but also that food is plentiful and the environment is safe to bring a baby into. (ANI)