Kissing someone can be anxiety-provoking enough (will they have bad breath, is their technique off, are they even worth the effort?) without having to consider your health. But that’s the reality for those with celiac disease and other gluten allergies. Can you enjoy a proper snog after your partner houses down an entire loaf of bread? No one knew.
Fortunately, a recent study presented at Digestive Disease Week put kissing to the test and found that people with celiac disease didn’t suffer any immediate negative symptoms after kissing someone who had just eaten gluten. How do I sign up to participate in the next study?
So, what did the study actually involve? Researchers, led by Dr. Anne Lee, Ph.D., at Columbia University, recruited 10 couples in which one partner had celiac disease and the other did not. The non-celiac partner ate a large amount of gluten (10 saltine crackers, about 590 mg of gluten), waited five minutes, and then kissed their celiac partner for up to a minute. In a second scenario, the gluten-eating partner drank water before kissing. Saliva and urine samples were collected before and after kissing to test for gluten transfer and any possible reactions.
The results? Only 10% of participants who kissed partners who had just eaten gluten were found to have traces of gluten higher than the amount deemed safe for food. However, even those with celiac who had these gluten traces in their system didn’t experience or develop any symptoms. Importantly, when the gluten-eating partner drank water before kissing, all gluten levels detected in the celiac partners were below the FDA’s gluten-free threshold (20 parts per million).
“Everyone worries about whether gluten is getting into their food at a restaurant, but no one really looked at what happens when you kiss afterwards,” said Dr. Lee, who is an assistant professor of nutritional medicine at Columbia University, in a statement. “The advice we gave about kissing and celiac disease was based on precaution and assumptions. We were using our best judgment. I felt it was important to do research to see if there was any actual risk.”
“For clinicians, we can now say to patients, ‘You don’t have to go to extreme measures,’” Dr. Lee added.
Researchers also thought it important to conduct this study for more than just the celiac community. “Understanding how gluten transfers through kissing could also be useful to people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity who experience symptoms like bloating, fatigue, or brain fog after exposure to gluten,” the study noted.
While these findings should put those with celiac and other gluten intolerances at ease, it’s important to note that the study was small and only looked at short-term effects. No participants developed symptoms right after kissing, but the study did not examine whether repeated small exposures could cause long-term harm. (It’s also important to note that wheat allergy is a separate condition from celiac disease and can cause life-threatening allergic reactions, whereas celiac disease does not.)
Those who suffer from celiac disease or other gluten allergies should still take precautions, according to Sahar Berjis, RD, MPH, and founder of Innerhealthwellness. “When it comes to protecting their gut, even a tiny amount of gluten can affect their gut lining—even if they don’t immediately feel a reaction,” she tells Delish. “The reality is that repeated exposure, no matter how small, can lead to long-term damage to the gut, which can cause chronic inflammation and a host of other health issues.”
If you’re in a relationship with someone sensitive to gluten, Berjis recommends using gluten-free lip products whenever possible, brushing your teeth and rinsing your mouth prior to kissing if you’ve consumed gluten, and avoiding sharing any utensils, drinks, or foods that may be cross-contaminated. “Kissing is absolutely safe—it just comes with a little extra care when someone you love has celiac. Protecting their health is an act of love, and it’s 100% worth it,” she concludes.
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