CARNAL NATION

It has become a truism that too much of a good thing is bad. This may also be true of sex toys, but not necessarily for what they do (or what you do with them). Rather, it may have everything to do with what they're made of.

The Vancouver Sun reports that the chemical used to make some of your favorite sex toys may be harmful to your health. Since the sex-toy industry is largely unregulated (its products are marketed as novelties), manufacturers are largely immune to governement regulation. Phthalates, a type of chemical often added to plastics to increase their flexibility, may be absorbed through the body's mucus membranes. In tests on animals, phthalates have been shown to cause a number of health issues, including infertility, endocrine problems, liver and kidney damage, and tumours. No studies on their effects in humans have been completed, although there are a number currently being conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the Canadian governement.

Following an announcement by the Canadian government that phthalates will be banned from children's toys, they have become the focus of much scrutiny about safety with regard to insertion: in the mouth, in the vagina, and in the anus. Over time, the phthalates may potentially leach out, releasing compounds that can be absorbed through the body's mucus membranes. In a 2006 study, Greenpeace Netherlands found that 7 out of 8 vibrators and dildos tested contained phthalates in concentrations from 24 to 51%. Buyers of sex toys need to be wary of the toys they are buying. "Some manufacturers say their toys are made of silicone when there's only about 10-per-cent silicone. They need to be 100-per-cent medical- or food-grade silicone, Pyrex glass or Elastomer to fully protect you," says Edmonton, Canada, sexologist Brian Parker.

If you have a toy you love but are unsure of its chemical make-up, try using a condom with it.