What is Helium?
Element number two of the periodic table, helium [He], is an inert gas which is colourless, odourless and tasteless – and well known for its peculiar physical and chemical characteristics. Notable among these are its low density, which is smaller even than the one of hydrogen at standard pressure, its very low solubility, and its high thermal conductivity. These make noble helium successful in a wide range of uses, from giants’ air balloons to sophisticated medical technologies [1].
Applications of Helium
In the medical field, helium is used as an adjunct therapy in asthma exacerbation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), croup, and bronchiolitis. Its low density and low viscosity give it smoother, more laminar, and less turbulent passage through airways than air or oxygen [1, 2].
In addition, inspired industrial gases have been demonstrated to protect the myocardium from ischaemia, a condition caused by reduced blood flow to the heart via both direct and indirect mechanisms. The mechanism by which the inhalation of these gases protects the heart isn’t fully understood [1, 3].
Helium has also been used in surgical abdominal procedures (laparoscopy). Here, too, surgeons employ helium to insufflate the patient’s abdomens rather than carbon dioxide, which is inferior in preventing respiratory acidosis in patients suffering from carbon dioxide retention disorders [1].
Inhaling too much can cause adverse effects, as helium displaces oxygen in the body. Side effects include dizziness, loss of consciousness – and death if inhaled in excess [4].
Risks of Helium
Breathing helium has several health risks. Foremost among them is that helium displaces oxygen in the body, causing dizziness and even loss of consciousness leading to death [4].
Intoxication with helium inhaled from a back-pressurised tank is especially risky; the force of the exiting helium can cause a gas embolism, or bubble, in a vessel, blocking blood flow. It can rupture blood vessels or rupture the lungs [4].
In some cases, the effects of breathing in helium can include low blood pressure, trouble breathing, irregular heart beat, bad eyesight, chest pains, weakness or muscle paralysis in one or more limbs, bluish face or lips (cyanosis), coughing up blood, seizures and loss of consciousness [4].
Inhaling helium can also result in gas embolism, reminiscent of changes seen in cases of the bends [5].
Furthermore, inhaling helium can be especially hazardous to kids. In fact, most patients reported to have sustained helium-inhalation-related injuries were boys between the ages of 6 and 12 [4, 6].
Can Helium Influence Health?
Helium, a noble gas, is generally considered non-toxic and plays no biological role in the human body. However, when inhaled in excess or used in specific medical applications, it can influence health in several ways.
Extreme helium inhalation causes a disorder called simple tissue hypoxia, where oxygen is displaced from the reaction required for regular breathing. As a consequence, a person can become groggy, pass out and suffocate to death because their cells are not receiving enough oxygen [7]. Indeed, between the years 2000 and 2019, 2,186 injuries resulting from the inhalation of helium were reported in emergency departments of hospitals in the United States of America [4]. Almost all patients were male children between the ages of 6 and 12.
In contrast, helium has been studied for the prevention/treatment of diseases. For example, it was shown that heliox does not affect the intensity of free radical oxidation processes in rat blood plasma but increases the total antioxidant activity and significantly reduces a malondialdehyde concentration, a marker of oxidative stress [8].
Helium/oxygen mixtures have also been studied as a therapy for lung disorders in respiratory medicine, with mixed results: the approach reliably reduces symptoms of obstructive lung diseases in some persons but not others [9].
In cardiology, it is recognised that helium has a promising role in influencing beneficial outcomes by mimicking the cardioprotection of anaesthetic gases or xenon [3].
Can You Die From Inhaling Helium?
Yes, it is possible to die from inhaling helium. Although helium is non-toxic and plays no biological role in the human body, inhaling it in excess can be dangerous [7].
Inhaling helium displaces oxygen in your lungs that your body needs for normal respiration, and you can become hypoxic as a result (a condition where your body or a region doesn’t have enough oxygen) [4].
Breathing in helium from pressurised containers can also be especially harmful. The less contaminant in your helium, the longer your body goes without oxygen. Death by asphyxiation can come swiftly when breathing pure helium [4].
Besides asphyxiation, inhaling helium from a pressurised tank from a balloon or other source can lead to a gas or air embolism – in other words, a bubble entrapped in a blood vessel so that blood flow stops and blood vessels rupture and haemorrhage. The helium entering your lungs can possibly rip open your lungs [4].
Sometimes, death is not because of asphyxia but because of a pressure injury to the respiratory tract. This quickly causes alveolar damage, with massive bleeding [10].
To be clear, inhaling some helium from a balloon is not a great way to injure yourself. It will probably not do much harm, barring some temporary voice changes (and maybe some room-spinning) from hyperventilation. However, there are reports of people, especially young children, dying from asphyxiation after inhaling helium from a balloon [4].