Adam’s Journal
Here’s a question from Kate Miller, our ever-curious colleague at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation:
The other night, despite a strong start, Texas Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi seemed off his game. When the camera cut to him in the dugout, he was taking a big whiff of smelling salts.
What are smelling salts anyway? And do they really improve athletes’ performance? (I should note that Eovaldi pitched seven scoreless innings that night.)
Dr. Scofield Prescribes
The last time I administered smelling salts was in the 1970s, during my medical training. We typically used them if someone had lost consciousness, hoping the odor would be powerful enough to awaken the person.
Smelling salts are usually made of ammonium carbonate. When exposed to air – most often by the opening of a small capsule – they release ammonia gas.
Ammonia gas is extremely irritating to the mucous membranes in the nose, and that irritation triggers the body to inhale deeply. The salts can also cause a burning sensation in the respiratory tract, watery eyes and coughing.
Many athletes – including, apparently, Mr. Eovaldi – believe the salts give them an edge, jolting them to an enhanced level of consciousness and performance. But research on the topic paints a less convincing picture.
A 2022 study in athletes found that the salts improved alertness and perceived performance. However, when scientists gauged the athletes’ performance, they determined that actual strength and reaction times were unaffected. A 2018 study yielded similar results, with researchers finding no improvements in strength.
So, the short answer seems to be that while smelling salts can provide a psychological boost, they haven’t been shown to enhance actual athletic performance.
The salts, however, can come with some downsides. In football, their use could mask the symptoms of concussions. And if someone has suffered a spinal injury, the involuntary jerk that follows the inhalation of noxious fumes could be dangerous.
Ammonia is a known toxin, and concentrated exposure can lead to burns or even lung injury. While I found no studies examining the effects of repeated exposure to low concentrations of the gas, if there’s no benefit, why risk it?
In any case, I hope no one had to resort to smelling salts to get through this column.
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Dr. Hal Scofield is a physician-scientist at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, and he also serves as Associate Chief of Staff for Research at the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center. Adam Cohen is OMRF’s senior vice president and general counsel. Send your health questions to contact@omrf.org.
