Many lubricants miss a WHO safety limit, so learn to read the sexual wellness shelf

Key takeaways

• In a 2014 lab study of 12 lubricants sold in Europe, 7 were more concentrated than the World Health Organization’s upper limit, and none met its ideal level³.
• The FDA regulates personal lubricants as Class II medical devices that need a premarket filing, and its listing warns that a given product may or may not work with your condoms⁴.
• Oil-based products, including coconut oil and baby oil, quickly weaken latex condoms, while silicone lubricants are compatible, according to WHO¹.
• In 2018, Goop settled a case by 10 California county prosecutors over claims that its stone eggs could balance hormones and increase bladder control, and agreed to refund buyers⁶.
• U.S. reports of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis fell about 9% in 2024, yet syphilis in newborns rose for the 12th year in a row, to 3,941 cases¹³¹⁴.

In 2014, researchers in Portugal tested 12 vaginal gels sold across Europe for a property most shoppers have never heard of: osmolality, a measure of how concentrated a liquid is³.

Seven of the 12 were more concentrated than the upper limit WHO uses when health programs buy lubricants¹³. Four were roughly three times over³. None met WHO’s ideal level, which sits close to the concentration of body fluids¹³.

That matters because the FDA regulates personal lubricants as medical devices⁴. The shelf around them is a mix. Some products are regulated devices, some are sold like supplements, and some have drawn penalties over their health claims⁴⁵⁶¹⁰.

This guide sorts the shelf by what’s regulated, tested or risky, then covers the prevention basics that matter more than any product.

Lubricants are medical devices, and condoms set the rules

The FDA lists personal lubricants under product code NUC, as Class II devices that need a 510(k), a premarket filing, before sale⁴. They’re grouped under the federal regulation for condoms⁴. Our article on FDA device terms explains what “cleared” does and doesn’t mean.

The FDA describes a personal lubricant as a product for penile or vaginal use that moisturizes, lubricates and adds to the body’s natural lubrication⁴. Its listing adds a caution: a given product may or may not be compatible with latex, polyisoprene or polyurethane condoms⁴. A standard lab test checks compatibility with latex⁴.

WHO’s advice on mixing products with condoms is specific¹:

• Water-based and silicone lubricants are generally compatible with latex condoms.
• Oil-based products make latex condoms lose strength fast, raising the chance of breakage or slipping. WHO’s list includes baby oil, cooking oil, coconut or palm oil, mineral oil, petroleum jelly and body lotions.
• Polyisoprene condoms are just as sensitive to oils.
• Polyurethane condoms tolerate almost any lubricant that’s safe for people.

If you like coconut oil as a natural lubricant, note that it’s on WHO’s list of products to keep away from latex condoms¹.

Osmolality is the lubricant number labels rarely show

Healthy vaginal fluid measures about 260 to 290 milliosmoles per kilogram (mOsm/kg), the unit for osmolality, and semen 250 to 380, according to a 2012 advisory from WHO, the United Nations Population Fund and FHI 360¹. Gels far more concentrated than that can damage the delicate lining they touch¹.

The advisory set an ideal of 380 or lower and an interim maximum of 1,200 for lubricants that health programs buy¹. It noted that most commercial lubricants ran from 2,000 to 6,000¹. Glycerin and propylene glycol, two moisture-holding ingredients, raise the number; to stay under 1,200, WHO capped glycerin at 9.9% and propylene glycol at 8.3%¹.

Acidity counts, too. Healthy vaginal pH is about 3.8 to 4.5, and WHO prefers lubricants near 4.5 for vaginal use and 5.5 to 7 for anal use¹. It doesn’t recommend anything above 7¹.

Rectal use calls for extra care. In a small study of 10 volunteers, a very concentrated gel damaged the rectal lining¹. WHO says that kind of damage could raise the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs)¹.

The Portuguese study measured 977 to 3,797 mOsm/kg across the 12 gels, with pH from 3.0 to 5.7³. Among the most concentrated was a European version of K-Y Jelly, though the authors note formulas differ by region³. When the team exposed human cells in dishes to diluted gels, three products harmed the cells even when diluted 100-fold³. That damage didn’t line up with osmolality or pH, so the authors suspect particular ingredients and called for more testing³.

Two caveats apply. This was a cell study, not a study of people³. And two health-product companies helped fund it, along with a Portuguese science agency³.

WHO updated its lubricant specifications in 2026². They keep the 1,200 ceiling, allow pH from 4.0 to 7.0, and bar added fragrance, color, spermicides, herbal ingredients and “pleasure-improving” additives². The update also dropped a 2012 warning about one family of ingredients, polyquaternium compounds, after experts concluded the warning no longer held up². Good science revises itself in both directions.

WHO calls the spermicide nonoxynol-9 a significant irritant and doesn’t recommend it¹. Whether glycerin-rich gels raise the risk of yeast or bacterial infections in everyday use remains unsettled in the sources we reviewed.

A vibrator is a medical device only when it’s sold as treatment

Federal rules define a “genital vibrator for therapeutic use” as an electric device intended and labeled for treating sexual dysfunction or for supporting Kegel exercises, which tighten the pelvic floor muscles⁵. It’s a Class II device, but it’s exempt from premarket notification, within limits⁵. The rule dates to 1980 and was amended in 2018⁵.

The key words are “intended and labeled.” By our reading of the rule, a vibrator sold only for pleasure, with no treatment claim, isn’t labeled as this device⁵. Our article on FDA device terms covers the agency’s wellness policy, which applies to products making general claims about sexual function.

Device materials are a separate question. Our team’s article on endocrine disruptors explains what that label means and how to weigh it.

If sex hurts, a device or lubricant may not be the fix. Pain or discomfort during sex is a reason to see a doctor or nurse, according to the federal Office on Women’s Health (OWH)⁸. Our companion article on midlife sexual changes covers pelvic floor physical therapy and vaginal treatments.

Jade eggs, steam and douches: what the record shows

Jade and quartz eggs. In September 2018, Goop settled a case brought by a task force of 10 California county prosecutors⁶. It agreed to pay $145,000 in civil penalties and to refund people who bought the products from January 12 to August 31, 2017⁶.

The case covered its Jade Egg and Rose Quartz Egg, advertised to balance hormones, regulate menstrual cycles, prevent uterine prolapse and increase bladder control, plus a flower blend said to help prevent depression⁶. Under the deal, Goop can’t claim its products work unless it has competent and reliable scientific evidence to back that up⁶. The company said it saw an honest disagreement about the claims and wanted to settle quickly⁶.

Dr. Jen Gunter, a prominent Goop critic, warned that jade is porous, so bacteria linked to toxic shock syndrome or bacterial vaginosis could lodge in it⁶. Our article on cultural health stories covers the eggs’ disputed “ancient” origin.

Vaginal steaming. In 2019, a doctor in the University of Calgary’s obstetrics and gynecology department described a 62-year-old woman who tried steaming after a diagnosis of vaginal prolapse, a condition in which the vaginal walls sag⁷. She got second-degree burns on her cervix and vaginal tissue, went to an emergency room, and had to delay her prolapse surgery until she healed⁷. It appears to be the first documented burn case from the practice⁷.

Douching. Almost 1 in 5 U.S. women aged 15 to 44 douche, according to OWH, and most doctors advise against it⁸. Douching about once a week makes bacterial vaginosis, an imbalance of vaginal bacteria, five times as likely as not douching at all⁸. OWH gives no baseline rate, so we can’t turn that into an absolute risk.

Douching is also linked to pelvic inflammatory disease, pregnancy problems such as preterm birth and ectopic pregnancy, and STIs, including HIV, though researchers are still studying whether it causes them⁸. It doesn’t prevent STIs or pregnancy⁸.

This is the natural-health point. Your body already runs its own cleaning system: vaginal mucus flushes out menstrual blood, semen and discharge without help⁸. OWH’s advice is to wash the outside with warm water and skip scented tampons, pads, powders and sprays⁸.

Trusting that built-in system is the gentlest choice. Our probiotics article covers the vaginal bacteria that help keep it working.

Libido pills and CBD oils: thin evidence and a changing law

Maca. Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is sold as a libido supplement. A 2010 review found four small randomized trials with 131 people in all⁹. Three reported some benefit, but none described how people were randomized, none checked side effects, and the authors called the evidence limited⁹. A Korean traditional-medicine research institute supported the review and paid its publication fee⁹.

Ginseng. Our ginseng article covers a 2021 review that found only trivial effects on erectile function.

Hidden drugs. The FDA warns that products sold for sexual improvement can contain prescription drug ingredients not listed on the label¹⁰. You don’t have to shop on the fringe to find them, the agency says: they show up on big shopping websites and in social media ads, and on shelves from pharmacies and gas stations to salons and spas¹⁰. An “herbal” or “all natural” label doesn’t guarantee safety¹⁰. Our article on hidden drugs in herbal pills explains the danger for people who take nitrate heart medicines.

CBD. Our sleep-aid article covers the FDA’s position on CBD in supplements and the agency’s one approved CBD drug. What’s new is the federal law on hemp-derived cannabinoid products¹¹¹².

An agriculture spending law enacted November 12, 2025, P.L. 119-37, rewrote the federal definition of hemp¹¹. Once the change takes effect, finished products with more than 0.4 milligrams per container of total THC, the cannabis compound that causes a high, and similar cannabinoids will no longer count as hemp¹¹.

A New York State explainer notes that the definition covers products applied to the body, not only those swallowed or inhaled¹². By our reading, a CBD lubricant or oil with more than 0.4 mg of total THC per container would be caught by the limit.

The timing has shifted. A Congressional Research Service report updated September 28, 2026, says the ban on cannabinoids the plant doesn’t make naturally takes effect November 12, 2026, and that a law passed September 2, 2026, pushed other parts to December 11, 2026¹¹. Several bills would delay the change two more years or repeal it, and the FDA hadn’t published lists the law requires¹¹. Check for updates before you buy.

We didn’t find controlled trials of CBD lubricants or arousal oils during our research, so their sexual-health claims are untested.

Prevention still does more than anything on the shelf

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) counted 2,249,636 cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis in 2024, in provisional data released in September 2025¹³. The CDC put the overall drop from 2023 at about 9%, the third yearly decline in a row¹⁴.

Infection	2024 cases	Change from 2023
Chlamydia	1,515,985	Down 8.0%13
Gonorrhea	543,409	Down 9.6%13
Syphilis, all stages	190,242	Down 9.1%13
Syphilis in newborns	3,941	Up 1.6%13

Total cases were still 13% above 2015¹⁴. Newborn syphilis has risen every year for 12 years and is up nearly 700% since 2015, when 495 cases were reported¹⁴. The CDC adds that trends vary, and some communities may still be seeing increases¹⁴.

The CDC links the declines to public health work that includes wider use of self-tests and doxy-PEP¹⁴. Doxy-PEP, short for doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis, means taking the antibiotic within 72 hours after oral, vaginal or anal sex¹⁵. CDC’s 2024 guidelines say clinicians should offer it to men who have sex with men and transgender women who’ve had syphilis, chlamydia or gonorrhea in the past 12 months, after talking through benefits and harms¹⁵. For other groups, including cisgender women, CDC found too little evidence to recommend it¹⁵.

The basics still carry most of the load. Our article on reproductive symptoms that need assessment lists CDC’s testing advice, and our immune memory article covers how long HPV vaccine protection lasts. And choosing a lubricant that suits your condom keeps your main barrier intact¹.

The sexual wellness shelf guide

Product	How it’s regulated	What’s been tested	Main risks	Tips
Water-based lubricant	FDA Class II device, premarket filing4	WHO specifications; lab studies123	Very concentrated gels may irritate tissue13	Ask for pH and osmolality; skip add-ons12
Silicone lubricant	Same device category4	Covered by WHO’s specification2	Check condom type on the label4	Compatible with latex condoms1
Household oils	Sold for other uses	Weaken latex fast1	Condom breaks or slips1	Keep away from latex and polyisoprene1
Vibrator	A device only if labeled to treat sexual dysfunction or aid Kegels5	Therapeutic models fall under performance standards5	Materials vary; see our endocrine disruptor article	Treatment claims make it a medical device5
Stone eggs	Claims settled with California prosecutors in 20186	No trials of the claims in our sources	Porous stone may hold bacteria, one critic warned6	Skip health promises
Vaginal steaming	Not covered by the rules we reviewed	No trials; a documented burn7	Burns7	Skip it
Douche	Sold in stores	Linked to infections8	BV, PID and other problems8	Wash outside with warm water8
Libido supplement	Sold as a supplement; hidden-drug warnings10	Small, weak trials for maca9	Hidden drugs10	Search FDA’s warning lists first
CBD lubricant or oil	Hemp law changing1112	No controlled trials found	Labels may be inaccurate; see our sleep-aid article	Check the THC per container11

How strong is the evidence?

Claim	What was tested	Rating
Oils weaken latex condoms	WHO expert review1	Strong evidence
Very concentrated lubricants can harm the lining	One small human study and lab cell tests13	Promising but early
Maca improves sexual function	Four small, low-quality trials9	Promising but early
Stone eggs balance hormones or aid bladder control	No trials in our sources; claims settled6	Not enough evidence
CBD lubricants improve sex	No controlled trials found	Not enough evidence
Douching keeps the vagina healthy	Linked to infections and pregnancy problems8	Evidence says no, or unsafe
Vaginal steaming helps prolapse or “cleanses”	No trials; documented burns7	Evidence says no, or unsafe

When to get help or report a problem

• Call a doctor or nurse for discharge that smells foul or comes with itching; burning, redness or swelling in or around the vagina; pain when urinating; or pain during sex⁸.
• Don’t douche before the visit, because it can make the problem harder to identify, OWH says⁸.
• Report a suspicious sexual improvement product to the FDA so it can be tested for hidden ingredients¹⁰.
• Ask a clinician about STI testing and prevention, including whether you’re in a group CDC recommends doxy-PEP for¹⁵.

Questions readers ask

The bottom line

The sexual wellness shelf mixes regulated devices with products whose claims have outrun the evidence. Lubricants are FDA devices, but many are far more concentrated than body fluids, and oils can undermine a latex condom. Jade eggs, steaming and douching rest on stories rather than proof, and two of them have been linked to harm.

Libido supplements offer little evidence and some risk of hidden drugs, and CBD products face a changing law. Meanwhile, the measures that most protect sexual health are the plain ones: condoms paired with the right lubricant, testing and the prevention tools CDC recommends.

Related reading

• Midlife sexual changes are common and treatable, so start the conversation yourself
• Some herbal pills hide prescription drugs, and others swap out the herb
• Researchers found no ancient jade eggs, a lesson in telling cultural health stories truthfully
• “FDA registered” isn’t “FDA approved”: a buyer’s map to wellness devices
• The sleep aid with the clearest warning is the drugstore antihistamine

Sources

1. World Health Organization, UNFPA and FHI 360. “Use and Procurement of Additional Lubricants for Male and Female Condoms: WHO/UNFPA/FHI360 Advisory Note.” WHO/RHR/12.33, 2012 (copy hosted by e-lactancia). e-lactancia.org
2. World Health Organization. “World Health Organization/United Nations Population Fund Specifications for Personal Lubricants.” Annex 6, WHO Technical Report Series No. 1067, 2026. cdn.who.int
3. Cunha AR, Machado RM, Palmeira-de-Oliveira A, et al. “Characterization of Commercially Available Vaginal Lubricants: A Safety Perspective.” Pharmaceutics, 2014;6(3):530-542. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “Product Classification: Lubricant, Personal (Product Code NUC).” FDA database, accessed October 2026. accessdata.fda.gov
5. Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School. “21 CFR 884.5960 – Genital Vibrator for Therapeutic Use.” Accessed October 2026. law.cornell.edu
6. Pruitt SL. “Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop Brand Penalized Over Suspect Vaginal Egg Health Claims.” Oxygen, September 7, 2018. oxygen.com
7. Rettner R. “Woman Gets Second-Degree Burns From ‘Vaginal Steaming’.” Live Science, August 9, 2019. livescience.com
8. Office on Women’s Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Douching.” Last updated February 27, 2025. womenshealth.gov
9. Shin BC, Lee MS, Yang EJ, et al. “Maca (L. meyenii) for Improving Sexual Function: A Systematic Review.” BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2010;10:44. link.springer.com
10. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “Avoiding Products Contaminated With Hidden Ingredients.” Content current as of June 10, 2025. fda.gov
11. Congressional Research Service. “Changes to the Statutory Definition of Hemp and Implications for Agricultural Policy.” IF13136, updated September 28, 2026. everycrsreport.com
12. New York State (cannabis.ny.gov; issuing office not named on the document). “Hemp and the 2025 Federal Appropriations Law: What New Yorkers Need to Know.” Last updated November 2025. cannabis.ny.gov
13. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Sexually Transmitted Infections Surveillance, 2024 (Provisional).” September 24, 2025. cdc.gov
14. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “CDC Reports Latest National Data on Syphilis in Newborns and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).” Press release, September 24, 2025. cdc.gov
15. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “CDC Clinical Guidelines on the Use of Doxycycline Postexposure Prophylaxis for Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention, United States, 2024.” MMWR Recommendations and Reports, 2024;73(No. RR-2):1–8. cdc.gov