Nitrous oxide gas is used in dentistry and to boost the power in vehicle engines, but it is also used recreationally as an inhalant. It is also known as ‘whippits’, ‘laughing gas’ and ‘hippy crack’.
Dangers of nitrous oxide gas
When inhaled nitrous oxide gas can lead to fainting and even be fatal as oxygen is effectively pushed out of the body by the gas. As with many drugs, severe vitamin B deficiency can develop with regular use of nitrous oxide.
Using nitrous oxide gas can lead to serious nerve damage, spinal cord degeneration, and ultimately paralysis. This occurs because nitrous oxide interferes with the body’s metabolism of vitamin B12. Nitrous oxide inactivates the cobalt atom in vitamin B12, making it non-functional. Without active vitamin B12, the body cannot produce enough methionine, a substance needed to maintain the myelin sheath that insulates and protects nerves in the brain and spinal cord.
Low vitamin B12 can also cause dangerously high homocysteine levels. Cholesterol then gets deposited in the arteries impaired by homocysteine, which can lead to blockage and stroke or cardiovascular disease. If the blood flow to the brain is interrupted, the individual can suffer a brain attack also known as a stroke. When blood fails to reach any area of the brain, brain cells die rapidly and set off a chain reaction that kills other brain cells.
For more details about the health implications of vitamin B12 deficiency see>> Vitamin B12
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