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Osmolality and Lubricants
06/04/2025

Wondering what lube to choose from? It all comes down to osmolality...

Osmolality is like how salty or sugary a liquid is—think of it as the "crowdedness" of particles in a solution. If a lubricant is too "crowded" (hyperosmolal), it pulls water out of your cells, kind of like how salt on a slug draws out moisture.

🧪 What Was the Study About?

The researchers looked at how vaginal lubricants affect the vaginal lining, especially focusing on how osmolality (the concentration of dissolved particles) impacts the protective barrier of the vaginal epithelium. They used a lab-grown 3D model of human vaginal tissue to mimic real-life conditions.

🔍 Main Findings

  • Normal vaginal fluid osmolality is around 370 mOsm/kg.
  • Hyperosmolal lubricants (those over 1500 mOsm/kg, which is 4x higher than normal) caused:
    • Damage to deeper tissue layers (basal and parabasal)
    • Weakened barrier function, measured by a drop in trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER)
    • Structural breakdown, seen under a microscope
  • Iso-osmolal or hypo-osmolal lubricants (≤ 400 mOsm/kg) did not cause this damage.

⚠️ Why It Matters

Lubricants that are too concentrated can:

  • Damage the vaginal lining
  • Increase irritation and discomfort
  • Make the body more vulnerable to infections like HIV and herpes simplex virus


Takeaway

Choose iso-osmolal or hypo-osmolal lubricants. These are safer for the vaginal barrier and less likely to cause damage or increase infection risk.


Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221475001730118X