How do Personal Lubricants Affect Sperm Health?
One of the critical factors affecting sperm health is pH value. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the optimal pH value for sperm motility is between 7.0 and 8.5 similar to the pH value of a womans cervical mucus during ovulation. The problem is that vaginal lubricants often contain pH values of less than 7 and sometimes less than half of that resulting in sperm death. In fact, a study published in 1996 revealed that even the most popular brands of vaginal lubricants, such as K-Y Jelly, Astrogline, and Replens, inhibited sperm motility (that is, a sperms ability to move on its own) by between 60 and 100 percent after one hour. Interestingly, the results were not drastically different from the use of nonoxynol-9, a common spermicide found in certain contraceptive foams and jellies. This and other ways in which lubricants can harm sperm have been well documented in medical literature. Despite this, however, many people as well as physicians remain confused on the issue. Th
