Ever the popular gag at birthday parties, inhaling helium has the ability to humorously change your voice. However, many people wonder whether this funny practice is dangerous to their health. The answer really depends on just how much helium you’re inhaling.
As you probably already know, oxygen deprivation is never a good thing for your body. On the less severe end of the spectrum, it can leave you feeling lightheaded and dizzy, while serious cases can lead to brain damage or even death. When you inhale helium you’re actively depriving yourself of oxygen in two ways. For one, breathing in helium means that you’ve got no oxygen coming into your lungs. Additionally, because of the difference in weight between the two gases, helium actually pushes more oxygen out of your lungs.
If you’re merely taking hits off of a helium balloon, there’s virtually no chance you’ll die of oxygen deprivation—you’ll pass out long before then, at which point your body will stop taking in helium and start taking in oxygen again. However, there have been cases where people have died of asphyxiation related to helium, but these were instances in which individuals managed to sneak their way into commercial balloons used for advertising—an environment that has no oxygen whatsoever. Additionally, inhaling helium directly from a tank can cause your lungs to explode, due to the high levels of pressure at which the gas is expelled.
