Carrageenan Lube and STI protection: What’s the hype?

AIDS, carrageenan, feature 2, herpes, HIV, HPV, HSV, lube, lubricant, research, science, sex, sexual health, sexually transmitted diseases, sexually transmitted infections, STDs, STIs, water-based - By Amy on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 - 10:10

There's been a lot in the news lately about research on the possible uses of lubricants containing carrageenan--an all-natural compound extracted from seaweed--for protection against the transmission of sexually transmitted infections, particularly HSV (herpes), which causes cold sores; HPV (human papillomavirus), which causes genital warts and has been associated with some cancers; and HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), the virus which causes AIDS.   Because I'm a nerd, I had to go read as much of the research for myself as I could to see if carrageenan deserves the hype it's getting.  So, what's the lowdown?

About the most we can say for sure is that the ingredient carrageenan is safe for vaginal and anal use and doesn't cause harm to the tissues of those mucous membranes.  In the lab (in test tubes and mice) some carrageenan lubricants inhibited HSV, HPV and HIV, but testing in humans thus far has demonstrated no decrease in HIV transmission using a carrageenan lubricant.  In other words, carrageenan lube didn't protect people from HIV, and as of yet, we don't know whether it will protect humans from HPV or herpes either because, to my knowledge, those test haven't been done.

I'm certainly going to keep my eyes on the lookout for any relevant research and pass along news to you, but for now, don't count on using carrageenan to protect you or your partner from sexually transmitted infections.  Sexual fidelity and condoms are still your best bet.

All that said, we do carry two lubes--Defense Protection Lubricant and Waterslide Lubricant-- which contain levels of carrageenan (above 1%) which demonstrated effectiveness against HPV in the lab.  The reason to use them, though, isn't the potential STI protection, but the fact that they are simply good lubes.  I've told you I'm a lube snob, right?

Waterslide, in fact, is my favorite water-based lube on the market because it stays slick so much longer than most water-based lubes.  There are a lot of great reasons to choose a water-based lubricant, but one of the disadvantages is that they tend to dry out or get sticky fairly quickly.  Their main ingredient, after all, is water.  As any lube user knows, when you use a water-based lube, you are going to have to reconstitute it pretty often, with either water, spit or more lube.  It's really normally no big deal, but if I am giving my honey a hand-job, trying to open a bottle of lube with my chin, pour it with my non-dominant hand, and keep the pace with my other hand…well, all that can be a challenge.

I like silicone-based lubes because they stay slick forever, but they require soap and water for clean up and can stain my sheets.  So sometimes, I just want a quick and easy water-based lube. 

In those cases, Waterslide is my choice.  It stays slick long enough that the hand job I give to my husband can usually be uninterrupted by lube reapplication, leaving me more energy to focus on him. 

I also like Waterslide because of its short ingredient list: purified water, propanediol (also known as propylene glycol), and carrageenan.  (In fact, Waterslide contains 3-10% carrageenan, according to the manufacturer.)  And that's it.  No petroleum, parabens, glycerin or preservatives. 

That's a lube I feel good about.

Resources

Buck CB,Thompson CD, Roberts JN, Müller M, Lowy DR, et al. 2006 Carrageenan Is a Potent Inhibitor of Papillomavirus Infection. PLoS Pathog 2(7): e69.

Carlucci MJ, Scolaro LA, Noseda MD, Cerezo AS, Damonte EB.  Protective effect of a natural carrageenan on genital herpes simplex virus infection in mice. Antiviral Res. 2004 Nov;64(2):137-41.

Maguire RA, Bergman N, Phillips DM. Comparison of microbicides for efficacy in protecting mice against vaginal challenge with herpes simplex virus type 2, cytotoxicity, antibacterial properties, and sperm immobilization. Sex Transm Dis. 2001 May;28(5):259-65. 

Population Council, "The Lancet Publishes Carraguard Phase 3 Trial Results: Trial showed anti-HIV microbicide candidate is safe, but did not prove it effective."

Pujol CA, Scolaro LA, Ciancia M, Matulewicz MC, Cerezo AS, Damonte EB. Antiviral activity of a carrageenan from Gigartina skottsbergii against intraperitoneal murine herpes simplex virus infection. Planta Med. 2006 Feb;72(2):121-5.

Sudol KM, Phillips DM. Relative safety of sexual lubricants for rectal intercourse. Sex Transm Dis. 2004 Jun;31(6):346-9.