Inhaling helium can be dangerous and even deadly. When you inhale helium, it displaces oxygen, putting you at risk of side effects such as dizziness, loss of consciousness, and even death. Inhaling helium from a balloon isn’t likely to cause major health issues or kill you, but it’s not impossible. There have been news reports of some folks, particularly young children, dying from asphyxiation after inhaling helium from a balloon. The majority of serious health issues and deaths related to helium inhalation involve inhaling helium from a pressurized tank. These are the same tanks used to fill helium balloons at events or party supply stores. Tanks not only hold a lot more helium than your everyday party balloon, but they also release the helium with much more force. The more pure helium you inhale, the longer your body is without crucial oxygen. Breathing in pure helium can cause death by asphyxiation in just minutes. Inhaling helium from a pressurized tank can also cause a gas or air embolism, which is a bubble that becomes trapped in a blood vessel, blocking it. The blood vessels can rupture and hemorrhage.

In summary, inhaling helium can be dangerous and even deadly. It displaces oxygen, putting you at risk of side effects such as dizziness, loss of consciousness, and even death. While inhaling helium from a balloon is unlikely to cause major health issues, inhaling helium from a pressurized tank can cause serious health issues and even death.