May 31, 2004 7:00 AM

Where the Rubber Meets the Bod

Most condoms contain a cancer-causing chemical, says a German scientific research institute. A substance used to improve condom elasticity can release traces of the carcinogen N-Nitrosamine when it contacts human bodily fluids, according to the study. Government officials recommended condom users continue using rubber contraceptives because N-Nitrosamine does not present an immediate health danger, though it was present in 29 of 32 types of condoms tested. But daily condom use exposes users to N-Nitrosamine levels up to three times higher than levels naturally present in food. So, go ahead and eat, but a condom a day will not keep the doctor away.
-- Beverly Hanly

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