I’m a physician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, writing to share a cautionary story about a drug, often seen as harmless, having serious consequences: nitrous oxide, also known as “laughing gas” or “whippets.”
A patient from the Athens area came to the hospital with sudden numbness, weakness and trouble walking. It looked like a severe vitamin B12 deficiency affecting the spinal cord, but there was no obvious cause. Only after being directly asked about nitrous oxide did the patient admit to regular use for six months and a heavy binge in the two weeks before symptoms started. Like many others, the patient assumed it was safe.
Nitrous oxide is inhaled to be used as a drug. It is easy to buy — it’s sold in whipped cream chargers and other products — and many people don’t realize it can be dangerous when misused. Of its users, 77% think it has no harmful effects. But nitrous oxide can deactivate vitamin B12 in the body, leading to nerve damage, trouble walking, numbness and even confusion. Poison control data shows nitrous oxide misuse nearly doubled between 2014 and 2023, and deaths linked to it have more than doubled since 2019. My patient reports widespread use in their community in the Athens area.
My patient recovered with vitamin B12 treatment and stopping nitrous oxide, but others may not be so lucky. Even doctors don’t always recognize the signs — in an informal survey at Ohio State, only 19% of internal medicine physicians were aware of the link between nitrous oxide and B12 deficiency.
I’m sharing this story because my patient wanted to warn others. I urge readers: don’t use nitrous oxide recreationally. It’s not harmless. What seems like a quick high can lead to nerve damage, paralysis or even death. We need better public awareness and stronger regulations.
Sincerely,
Eric J Nolan, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Hospital Medicine, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Addiction Medicine
