is sucking helium dangerous???!!!?

Answer 1

Breathing in pure helium can be risky because it displaces oxygen (as breathing in any gas besides or not mixed with oxygen would do), the gas necessary to sustain life. In other words, since bodies need oxygen, but are getting pure helium instead, the result is suffocation. One breath of pure helium can cause hypoxia (a deficiency of oxygen reaching the body's tissues) and result in dizziness. The next real breath of (oxygenated) air will allow everything to return to normal. That breath will happen automatically once the air from speaking expended. If anyone is going to inhale helium this way, it might be wiser to do so while sitting down; that way, if the person becomes dizzy, s/he won't fall and possibly hurt her-/himself.

Inhaling continuous breaths of helium one after another starves the body of oxygen. A person will eventually pass out, and perhaps even worse. At most, inhaling once or twice from a helium balloon, separated by deep inhalations of air, will be a way to prevent the harm.

Breathing in helium (or any other gas) from a pressurized tank, as opposed to from a balloon, is dangerous. Inhaling pressurized gas creates the possibility of rupturing a lung or creating an air embolism (gas bubbles in the blood that can cause seizures). In this case, it is not necessarily the helium that is dangerous, but the pressure of the gas itself. Breathing in pressurized oxygen would be just as dangerous.

Answer 2

It's okay to do a little bit as a joke every now and then. If you take pauses in between "hits" to regain your normal oxygen level, any damage should be minimal. If you did it regularly, you would eventually kill some brain cells or have trouble breathing. Use it sparingly - only when you can make an extra-funny joke by doing so, not just for the amusement of hearing a high voice.

Answer 3

It ain't too bright, dude. Helium readily displaces oxygen in the blood, which means less oxygen to your brain - and brain cells deprived of oxygen begin to die immediately. Brain cells do not regenerate, so those losses are forever. Sucking helium is a perfect example of "dumbing down". A self-applied weapon of mass destruction - of your own brain!

Answer 4

The only thing dangerous about it is when you inhale the He you are not inhaling O2. That means you are actually suffocating if you do this too much. People pass out from He because they do not stop to take several deep breaths of regular air in between the breaths of He. If you are wise and give your body a break in between the He hits, you will be fine.

Answer 5

If you breathe in a single breath at a time that is fine, just don't do it repeatedly in a short time. Allow at least one minute between hits.

Answer 6

i believe the biggest danger is anoxia - that you don't get sufficient oxegen. it should be fine if you take sufficient breaths of normal air inbetween. oh and don't take any gas directly from the cannister - take it from a balloon. fromt the canister you may get "cold burns" or you may get too much gas too fast and rupture your lungs.

Answer 7

It will change the pitch of your voice but as long as you have enough oxygen it should be safe.
To each his own!
Tie yourself to the ground.

Answer 8

http://www.balloonartists.com.au/helium.htm

see this link for info - it is potentially a very dangerous thing to do