Finding "The One" May Come Down To Genetics

You might think you have a physical type when it comes to choosing significant others, but it turns out that your attraction could be due to what's under the skin. A new study suggests that your attraction to your partner is greatly influenced by their genes and how they combine with yours. That's right — finding "The One" could simply come down to genetics.

According to the research published in Nature, all humans have a significant genetic component of the immune system called HLA (human leukocyte antigens). While the main function of the HLA is to distinguish the body's own proteins from foreign ones, the study concludes that it can also affect how sexually attracted you are to a specific person.

Scientists studied 254 heterosexual couples over a period of nine months. After determining each individual's genetics, every couple was asked to answer a series of questions about their partner. The conclusion? People with differing HLAs had a higher sexual attraction towards each other and were more likely to want to procreate with their respective partner.

As the study suggests, there could be an evolutionary-driven reason for this. Per Nature, a couple with extremely different HLA structures has a higher chance of giving birth to offspring with a strong immune system.

We already know that smell can play a factor in your level of attraction to a partner, so it should come as no surprise that genetic compatibility can go even further, down to your actual immune system. One thing's clear: when it comes to choosing a significant other, there are a lot more primal factors at play than we think.

Images: GIC/Stocksy; Giphy