In a world packed full of gluten free breads, pastas, and flours, it may not come as a surprise to you that gluten free condoms have made their way to the forefront.
Someone with no dietary restrictions may laugh and roll their eyes at this fact, but those with celiac or gluten sensitivities know the everyday stress of trying to find out what random items have gluten, and which don’t.
So, just how much gluten DO condoms have in them? And what brands of condoms are certified to be safe for those with gluten allergies and sensitivities?
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What is Gluten?
To understand gluten sensitivities and allergies, it’s important to first get a very basic understanding of what gluten is.
Gluten is the term that is used for the protein found in grains. Gluten is found in things that contain any rye, barley, or wheat product. Many people think of gluten as just being located in pastas, baked goods, and breads, but it is sneaky! Gluten can hide in many different things like soups, desserts, and even condoms.
What is Celiac Disease?
Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disease that causes small intestine damage as a result of eating gluten. While many people have gluten sensitivities and allergies that causes them to have adverse reactions to consuming gluten, celiac disease is different because it makes gluten actually cause harm to your body when you consume it.
If you don’t get it diagnosed and take your diagnosis seriously, it can lead to serious complications and diseases like “intestinal cancers, type 1 diabetes, osteoporosis, thyroid disease, multiple sclerosis, anemia, infertility, miscarriage, epilepsy, and more” [1].
Over 80% of Americans who have celiac are not diagnosed yet, 1 out of every 100 people in the world has celiac disease, and it can impact every single organ in your body [1]. To put it simply, celiac disease is a huge deal and should not be taken lightly.
While trace amounts of gluten in products may not seem like a big deal to someone that is not allergic to gluten, it could absolutely damage the organs of someone with celiac disease.
How Much Gluten is Safe for People with Celiac Disease?
For a product to be able to label itself “gluten free”, the Celiac Foundation states that it “cannot contain more than 20 parts per million of gluten, which is the safe threshold of gluten consumption for people with celiac disease” [1].
Are Gluten Free Condoms Necessary?
For someone with celiac disease, gluten free condoms may provide peace of mind as they can be 100% certain that their products do not contain any gluten. Normal condoms may have trace amounts of gluten within the lubricant and because condoms are considered medical devices, this gluten doesn’t have to be listed by manufacturers.
Though experts have stated that the amount of gluten within condoms is miniscule at most, it is understandable that anyone with celiac disease may not want to risk using condoms with undisclosed ingredients.
There are many others that are allergic to gluten but do not meet the criteria for celiac disease. This means that though their organs are not being damaged due to gluten consumption, they are still dealing with difficult side effects that can be dangerous. Non-celiac gluten sensitivities and allergies are becoming more common every day, thus making clearly labeled products vital.
There are also many individuals who are gluten free by choice. Due to diets, fads, and/or personal reasons, these individuals do not consume gluten and therefore seek out gluten free products.
In fact, a Mayo Clinic Survey determined that though the amount of celiac diagnoses have remained nearly the same over the years, the amount of Americans who choose a gluten free diet has skyrocketed [3].
Cynthia Rudert M.D., medical advisor for the Celiac Disease Foundation stated in an interview with Men’s Health that as gluten cannot be absorbed through the skin, gastrointestinal issues that come from celiac disease are not as much of a concern when it comes to condoms.
At most, some individuals may contract a rash or deal with other topical symptoms, especially if the condom is inside their mouth [3]. Most individuals won’t experience any symptoms at all but as celiac is a difficult disease to predict, it’s difficult to know for sure as every case is different.
So, are gluten free condoms necessary? If you don’t have celiac disease, then no. Even if you do, experts say that a reaction is very rare, but if you prefer 100% certainty then there’s no shame in wanting condoms that are labeled transparently!
Gluten Free Condom Brands
If you are searching for gluten free condoms, you’re living in the right time period! Years ago, the thought of gluten free condoms would’ve been a fleeting dream. Today, there are several condom manufacturers that explicitly disclose their ingredients to ensure full transparency and safety for every user.
1. Glyde
Glyde promises that their condoms are celiac safe! The lubricant they use is made completely out of silicone oil, which means that there are no other chemicals involved in the process and their ingredient list is very straight forward.
Some of the top choices include:
Blueberry
Source: luckybloke.com
At a glance, it presents the blue color and cylindrical. Also, it measures 180mm long, 53mm wide, and 0.062mm thick. But above all, it gives you the blueberry taste.
Maxi
Source: luckybloke.com
The maxi Glyde has a length of 190mm, a width of 56mm, and a thickness of 0.062. So if the standard size condom feels uncomfortable tight, try the Maxi size. It’s non-flavored, boasts a transparent color, and thus may blend with a wide group of people.
Slimfit
Source: luckybloke.com
Its name suggests it all. From its length of 170mm, 49mm width, and thickness of 0.062, it promises you a tight but snug fit. However, just like the ordinary condom, it has a transparent color and no flavor.
Slimfit Strawberry
Source: luckybloke.com
The Slimfit strawberry condom offers a close-fitting size that doesn’t easily slip off at the heat of excitement. That’s due to its length of 170mm, width of 49mm, and thickness of 0.062mm. In addition to the slim size, it bears the strawberry flavor.
Strawberry
Source: luckybloke.com
It’s red, cylindrical, and has a strawberry flavor. By size, it measures 180mm long, 53mm wide, and 0.062mm wide. So if the standard size condom fits you snugly, the strawberry is a viable option.
Supermax
Source: worldcondoms.com
It boasts a transparent color and is ideal for the well-endowed man. Supermax is 200mm long, 60mm wide, and 0.0062. Besides, it has no flavor.
Ultra
Source: luckybloke.com
It’s a transparent, and a cylindrical-shaped condom. It measures 180mm long, 53mm wide, and 0.062mm thick. Besides, it has no flavor.
Vanilla
Source: luckybloke.com
The yellow-colored condom presents the vanilla flavor. By dimension, it is 180mm long, 53mm wide, and 0.062mm thick. The vanilla taste makes it unique.
Wildberry
Source: luckybloke.com
As its name suggests, it presents the wildberry taste. Its size stands at 180mm long, 53mm wide, and 0.062mm thick. And to give you more visual appeal it’s violet.
2. Lola
Source: mylola.com
Lola’s Ultra-Thin Latex Condoms are gynecologist approved and are a great option for anyone looking for a gluten free condom! They’re vegan, made with a natural rubber latex that is low odor, and they’re completely electronically safety tested.
They come with a length of 189 mm and a width of 52mm.
3. Royal Tailored Fit Ultra-Thin Condoms
Royal offers ultra-thin condoms that are gluten free, nontoxic, and vegan. They contain no BPAs and are odorless! They’re a great product for anyone looking for a cleaner condom.
The FDA cleared ultra-thin condoms measures 7.5 inches long, 2.17inches wide (at minimum), and 0.056mm thick.
4. Green Condom Club
Source: greencondom.club/
Green Condom Club is a vegan condom option that provides clean condoms. They’re hypoallergenic, contain no gluten or parabens, and have a very clear and clean ingredient list.
The Green condom club brand even has the European vegan certification CH-P224001quality mark. By measurement, they are 180mm long, 53mm wide, and 0.065mm thick.
5. Sustain
Source: condomania.com
Sustain condoms donate 1% of every purchase to support women’s health organizations in the U.S! What better way to give back to the ladies in your life? Sustain makes gluten free condoms out of fair trade latex, ensuring that your condoms are ethically sourced like the rest of the products you purchase.
Gluten Free Condoms – Are They Worth It?
Gluten free condoms may seem like a trend at first glance and for some users, they are. To those with celiac disease and gluten allergies and intolerances, gluten free condoms provide peace of mind.
Though the risk of any sort of reaction to the gluten in a condom is extremely rare due to the minuscule amounts used, gluten free condoms provide an option with full transparency. At the end of the day, no matter what kind of condom you decide to use, ensuring that you are using it and storing it correctly are the most important factors!
References
- 20 things you might not know about celiac disease. Celiac Disease Foundation. (2016, October 14). Retrieved October 20, 2021, from https://celiac.org/about-the-foundation/featured-news/2016/08/20-things-you-might-not-know-about-celiac-disease/.
- HuffPost. (2017, December 7). Huge number of adults are going gluten-free. HuffPost. Retrieved October 20, 2021, from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gluten-free-diet_n_2818954.
- Lampen, C. (2021, March 11). Does your penis really need a gluten-free condom? Men’s Health. Retrieved October 20, 2021, from https://www.menshealth.com/sex-women/a20791279/gluten-free-condoms/.
