Is It Dangerous to Inhale Helium?

Helium is a colorless, odorless, and non-flammable gas commonly used in balloons and laboratories.

Many people have tried inhaling helium for fun to make their voice sound high-pitched — but how safe is it really?

Although it may seem harmless, inhaling helium can cause serious health risks, especially when done repeatedly or directly from a pressurized tank.

Here’s the scientific explanation of why.

What Is Helium – and Why Does It Change Your Voice?

Helium is a noble gas that is lighter than air.

When you inhale it, it displaces oxygen in your lungs.

It doesn’t directly affect the vocal cords — but because sound waves travel faster in helium than in regular air, your voice sounds higher and thinner.

This effect is temporary and purely acoustic, caused by the change in resonance frequency.

Why Understanding the Risk Matters

• Helps prevent accidental suffocation, especially in children and teens

• Raises awareness about how gases affect the body

• Reduces the risk of oxygen deprivation or loss of consciousness

The “Just Once” Myth

Many assume that inhaling helium once is harmless.

While it’s true that a small puff from a balloon is rarely dangerous, there are documented deaths from just a single inhalation directly from a pressurized tank.

The risk increases dramatically with high pressure or repeated inhalation.

What Happens in the Body When You Inhale Helium

When you breathe helium, several dangerous things can occur:

1. Oxygen Is Displaced

Helium contains no oxygen.

If you breathe only helium, your body receives zero oxygen, and brain cells start dying within seconds.

2. The Brain Suffers Oxygen Deprivation

This can cause dizziness, confusion, nausea, and fainting.

In severe cases, it may lead to hypoxic injury to the brain or heart.

3. Pressurized Gas Can Damage the Lungs

Inhaling helium directly from a high-pressure cylinder can rupture the lungs or cause air embolisms, as gas enters the bloodstream with extreme force.

Common Symptoms After Helium Inhalation

• Temporary high-pitched voice

• Dizziness or loss of balance

• Head or ear pressure

• Shortness of breath

• Confusion or fainting

• In rare cases: death

When Is It Dangerous?

• Repeated inhalation: multiple breaths without normal air can cause loss of consciousness

• Pressurized tanks: inhaling from large helium cylinders can be fatal

• Pre-existing conditions: people with asthma or lung disease are at higher risk

Documented Deaths and Injuries

Medical reports describe several fatal cases involving helium inhalation — often among children or teenagers who thought it was harmless.

In one case, a teenager suffered a brain hemorrhage and died after inhaling from an industrial helium tank.

Even brief hypoxia (oxygen deprivation) can lead to permanent brain injury.

Is a Single Inhalation Dangerous?

For healthy individuals, a single small puff from a balloon is unlikely to cause harm if followed by normal breathing.

However, the risk rises sharply if:

• You inhale multiple times without breathing normal air

• You use large balloons or pressurized tanks

• You have respiratory or cardiac conditions

What to Do If Someone Passes Out After Inhaling Helium

• Move the person into fresh air immediately

• Call emergency services (113) if they do not regain consciousness or breathe normally

• If the person is semi-conscious, place them in the recovery position

• Never allow anyone to inhale helium alone or in enclosed spaces

Summary

Inhaling helium may seem funny, but it can quickly become life-threatening.

Breathing helium replaces oxygen in the lungs and can cause suffocation, loss of consciousness, or death, especially when inhaled repeatedly or from pressurized tanks.

A small breath from a balloon may not harm a healthy person, but even then, it’s best avoided — particularly for children and teenagers.

Helium is made for balloons, not for the lungs.

Sources

• Titze IR. (2000). Principles of Voice Production. National Center for Voice and Speech.

• Weaver LK, Deru K. (2007). Hypoxic encephalopathy from helium inhalation. Undersea Hyperb Med, 34(6):407–411.

• Ng SH, et al. (2011). Pulmonary barotrauma after inhalation of helium from a high-pressure tank. Am J Emerg Med, 29(6):691.e3–691.e5.

• O’Halloran RL, et al. (2001). Fatal accidental asphyxiation due to helium inhalation. J Forensic Sci, 46(3):685–687.

• Yamaguchi S, et al. (2017). A fatal case of helium inhalation. Leg Med (Tokyo), 26:49–52.