Smelling Salts

Description

Smelling Salts – Product Details

Smelling salts are typically known as a combination of diluted ammonia, water, and ethanol. They may also be a mixture of ammonium carbonate and perfume which is known as ammonia smelling salts. These compounds may both posses the potential to be a physical stimulant. [R]

The raw chemical compounds has a long history and research shows some version of ammonium inhalants can be tracked back to the 13th century.

In the 17th century an aqueous solution of ammonium, also known as aquila coelestis, was obtained from the processing of shavings of harts’ hooves and horns. When crystallised, this chemical was effectively turned into ammonium carbonate. It was initially called salt of hartshorn and later became known as smelling salts or ammonia vapor when mixed with perfumes. [R]

How Does Smelling Salts Work?

According to research, salts are used for its potential to arouse consciousness due to the release of ammonia vapor (NH3) that accompanies their use in irritating the membranes of the lungs and nose, and thereby stimulating a potential inhalation reflex.

This reflex may potentially alter the pattern of breathing, possibly resulting in improved respiratory flow rates and possibly alertness. [R]

Smelling Salts Research

Smelling salts have been research extensively and are commercially available for purchase. However, ammonia smelling salts have not been FDA approved for use as a potential performance enhancer. PureRawz sells bottled ammonia smelling salts for research purpose only.

Smelling Salts and Head Injury

Head injuries occur when there is damage or trauma to the scalp, skull, or brain. The differentiation being when it affects the brain, it is referred to as a traumatic brain injury, or TBI. [R]

To most people, head injuries are considered an acceptable risk when engaging in sports and other types of recreational activities. Ammonia inhalants have long been closely linked to such head injuries in the context of contact sport.

The primary benefit of smelling salts is to resuscitate someone who has fainted. However, even though they are not recognized as a widely used therapeutic modality, athletic trainers and first aid practitioners believe that there might be more smelling salts potential.

However, research has found it to be unlikely that the induced inhalational reflex has a significant therapeutic effect over and above the natural history of the condition. Increasing the respiratory rate alone certainly has no beneficial pathophysiological effect on the nature or underlying cause of head injury. Whether the ammonia stuffed compounds may potentially improve reaction time or increase alertness, any and all positive cognitive benefits remains to be proven scientifically as it lacks concrete research. [R]

Smelling Salts for Strength and Performance

Smelling salts, or Ammonia Inhalants, are often used as a potential performance enhancement aid prior to competitive sport and heavy resistance training bouts. Bottled ammonia smelling salts have become very widespread among athletes and weight lifters seeking a potential beneficial enhancement in strength and performance. [R]

These ammonia stuffed compounds are categorised as respiratory stimulants and when inhaled, the lungs, nose and mucus membranes may potentially be rapidly irritated causing involuntary inhalation. A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine reported the involuntary inhalation may potentially accelerate respiration and stimulate a higher degree of consciousness. [R]

A “higher degree of consciousness” could potentially be responsible for the perceived increase in focus and attention, which may allow an athlete such as a weight lifter to block out unnecessary distractions. The perceived potential increase in focus on the ability to execute an exercise is a psychological trait that many expert athletes may utilize to perform successfully under pressure. [R]

The 2014 study examined the impact of ammonia inhalants on the strength performance in 25 resistance trained males. The subjects were tested in three separate sessions to evaluate 1RM and number of repetition values for both bench press and back squat. There was no significant difference between the number of repetitions performed in the back squat or the bench press. There was also no significant difference between the calculated 1RM for both back squat and bench press when using ammonia inhalants. [R]

However, while there were no significant difference in performance, this study does not account for any potential psychological impact associated with these inhalants.

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