Why do people die from carbon monoxide poisoning?

Answer 1

It is definitely possible for a person to kill yourself this way. Some people who are concerned about life insurance paying out think they can make monoxide poisoning look like an accidental death. Assuming that you're asking this for real, rather than coming up with a plot for a novel or something, please call 1(800)SUICIDE [1-800-784-2433] before doing anything irrevocable. Carbon monoxide is a gas molecule that binds to a red blood cell more strongly that oxygen. Because oxygen cannot displace the CO once bound, the blood system is left with less and less oxygen for fuel. This yields a slow, toxic suffocation. Symptoms of CO poisoning - headache first, then nausea/vomiting, then altered level of consciousness (something like being very drunk and incoherent), then after that generally losing consciousness and death. After death there is often cherry-red skin, much like the meat at the grocery store which is treated with CO for preservation.