Is helium good or bad for us?

Answer 1

No. Just breath every once and a while. There is helium in the air we breathe and we're just fine. So after everytime you suck down some helium from a balloon or whatever, just take a deep breath so your brain gets the oxygen it needs.

Answer 2

Inhaling helium deprives your body of oxygen. So basically you're not breathing. Your body reacts normally to helium since it is a light gas, and you won't feel that suffocating feeling- but it will make you pass out without warning. That and no oxygen to your brain kills irreplacable cells.

Helium itself is not harmful and in fact divers sometimes use a breathing mixture composed of helium and oxygen for deep descents.

Also when mixed with oxygen it is used for Asthma treatments.

Answer 3

No, helium is a Noble gas with all the valence electrons it needs so it doesn't cause a reaction when you suck it in. It can kill you though, if you don't breathe actual oxygen every once and a while. That's the only way it's dangerous, when you get no air.

Answer 4

Helium is an inert, non-toxic, unreactive gas.

It is also the second most abundant element in the known universe.

At very high concentrations, it may cause suffocation where the oxygen level is reduced, but this is only possible in a confined space or if a huge quantity was released. Helium is a very light gas and quickly disperses, eventually escaping into space.

Liquid helium can cause frostbite in contact with skin or eyes.

At normal temperatures and pressure, helium is not harmful to the environment.

Answer 5

Helium will suffocate you if helium is the only gas you are breathing. There is a Compressed Gas Association warning related to the hazard of inhaling helium from toy balloons. Every time you exhale you are getting rid of excess carbon dioxide. If you are inhaling only helium, you do not produce excess (or any, for that matter) carbon dioxide. The problem is that carbon dioxide levels in the blood is what triggers the reflex to breathe. If you pass out from lack of oxygen your body won't know to start breathing again.

That said, helium mixed with an appropriate percentage of oxygen is routinely used as a breathing gas for deep commercial diving because helium will not saturate the tissues like nitrogen will.

Read the Material Safety Data Sheet at the attached link. That is where this quote comes from:

WARNING

The practice of intentionally inhaling helium for a voice altering effect is

extremely dangerous and may result in serious injury or death!

Answer 6

No, but you should not do it. Too much might cause problems or pain.

Answer 7

Yes and no. More than 10 balloons might cause death.

Answer 8

I'm not a 100% sure, but i don't think so because helium is part of the air we breath so i hope that helps

Answer 9

Helium is bad for us. It has no oxygen in it so when you breathe it in, it kills your brain cells. (Because it has no oxygen for your brain)

Answer 10

If inhaled helium will displace oxygen, which is bad if you do it for too long. But helium isn't toxic, so the occasional breath is no danger.