ACCORDING to new research, sex toys can cause metabolic disorders like diabetes due to the presence of micro-plastic particles from numerous sources, which are ingested and absorbed into the bloodstream.
Scientists warned that they also disrupt immune responses and damage the nervous system, as well as reproductive and developmental systems. Along with air pollution and contact with other plastics, sex toys have been identified by scientists as serious body and blood pollutants.
According to media reports, researchers at Duke University and Appalachian State University are warning of the possible dangers after finding that sex toys also contain phthalates, which can affect hormone levels.
They looked at four types of currently available sex toys: anal toys, beads, dual vibrators, and external vibrators.
In order of most to least micro-and-nano-plastic release, results found that the anal toy released the most particles, followed by beads, dual vibrators, and external vibrators.
Lead author, Dr Joana Sipe, said: “We assert that since the measured presence of phthalates in our small sample size exceeds the exposure limit for the same chemicals in the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) regulations in children’s toys, investigations into whether or not the risk scenarios are also similar in sex toys are prudent for public health protection.”
Writing in the journal Risk Analysis, Dr Sipe and her team noted that raising awareness of safety issues concerning sex toys has been led by self-assembled consumer and industry groups, “potentially due to the societally taboo nature of the products”.
