What the science says
Science library
We summarise, in our own words, published scientific studies on sex toys, lubricants and sexual wellbeing. Each summary links to the original article and includes a verbatim quotation from its abstract, so you can check it for yourself.
Right now: 15 topics and 160 studies.
We check every summary against the study's original abstract: the quotation is verbatim and the figures match. How we verify our information
This page reports on published research. It is not medical advice and does not replace a healthcare professional.
Topics
Matching topics: 15
Each topic’s bar shows the kinds of studies it brings together:
- Syntheses of studies
- Randomised trials
- Observational
- Descriptive or expert opinion
Habits and use
Sex toy use
Surveys from several countries on who uses sex toys, alone and with a partner.
9 studies Last reviewed:
Habits and use
Vibrators
Vibrator use among women: how many use them, at what ages, and its relationship with sexual function.
9 studies Last reviewed:
Couples and practices
Sex toys for couples
What link the studies find between sex toys and satisfaction in couples.
9 studies Last reviewed:
Body and pleasure
Clitoral stimulation
The role of clitoral stimulation in orgasm, according to surveys, reviews and a brain imaging study.
11 studies Last reviewed:
Body and pleasure
The G-spot
Whether the G-spot exists as an anatomical structure and what medical guidelines say about "augmentation" surgery.
10 studies Last reviewed:
Couples and practices
BDSM and psychological wellbeing
What surveys and reviews say about BDSM and psychological wellbeing.
13 studies Last reviewed:
Health and safety
Vaginal lubricants
Surveys, trials and reviews on vaginal lubricants: who uses them, which types, and their role in the menopause and after cancer.
13 studies Last reviewed:
Health and safety
Lubricants in anal sex
Pleasure, pain, condoms, saliva and risks of lubricant in anal sex, according to the studies.
13 studies Last reviewed:
Health and safety
Ben Wa balls and vaginal cones
Vaginal cones and weights in pelvic floor training: what reviews and trials say.
13 studies Last reviewed:
Health and safety
The safety of anal toys
What emergency department studies report about objects retained in the rectum, and the risk of sharing toys.
6 studies Last reviewed:
Health and safety
Vibrators for men
How many men use vibrators and what evidence there is on sexual aids in male sexual dysfunction.
7 studies Last reviewed:
Health and safety
Condoms
Effectiveness, breakage, lubricant, materials and the female condom, according to the studies.
16 studies Last reviewed:
Couples and practices
Sexual satisfaction in couples
Communication, desire, frequency and consent in couples' sexual satisfaction, according to the studies.
12 studies Last reviewed:
Health and safety
Anal sex
Frequency, pain, the first time, condoms and infections in anal sex, according to the studies.
12 studies Last reviewed:
Health and safety
Masturbation and health
Frequency, distress, pornography, dysfunction and sleep in masturbation, according to the studies.
8 studies Last reviewed:
How we work
- We only include articles from scientific journals indexed in MEDLINE or from official bodies, with an abstract published on PubMed.
- Each summary is our own: we do not copy the text of the article. We add a short verbatim quotation, the type of study, the sample, the journal and the year.
- We check in code that the quotation appears word for word in the original abstract and that the figures we give are in it.
- If an article is retracted, we remove it from the page.
- We do not use full texts or copyrighted PDFs: we link to the DOI or to PubMed.
What these pages are not
- They are not medical advice and do not replace a healthcare professional.
- We do not claim that any product treats, cures, prevents or improves an illness or a health problem.
- A single study cannot prove a cause on its own: in each topic we explain its limits.
- On health topics we do not show products or links to the shop.