When doing dives, do you feel more clear-headed on Nitrox?

[vjanelle]

Nope. Feel the same.

If anything the extra oxygen should have a higher narcotic potential? Or has this been disproven yet?

 

[boulderjohn]

I would just like to point out that a lot of the later posters misread the poll. The OP was asking if your head was clearer during the dive (less narcosis), not whether you felt better after the dive.

 

[TMHeimer]

I see that "no" is the overwhelming response and agree. I'm the furthest thing from a medical expert, but I believe the body needs an exact amount of oxygen-no more, no less. Kind of like orange juice--One glass a day will give you the vitamin C you need. More than that may taste good, but doesn't help with more benefit to fight off colds. So, I can't see how more 02 makes you feel better.

 

[debajo agua]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that Nitrox isn't about increasing Oxygen content, but decreasing the amount of Nitrogen. Allowing for longer BT and shorter SI.

 

[ajduplessis]

If you remove something you have to replace it with something else. Thus if you want to reduce the normal 79% Ne to 60%, you have to replace the 19%Ne with a substitute, either O2 or Helium. If you use O2 is called Nitrox, If you add Helium is called trimix.

 

[TMHeimer]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that Nitrox isn't about increasing Oxygen content, but decreasing the amount of Nitrogen. Allowing for longer BT and shorter SI.

Right. But I think the question is if breathing nitrox makes you more clearheaded--feel better maybe, etc. This arguement is probably made because the body metabolizes 02, thus it is good for you. Since nitrox has more 02, thus the reasoning. But I think breathing more 02 doesn't help you if it's beyond what the body requires. Nitrogen is inert in our bodies--it does nothing except present us with bubbles if we are careless. So breathing more oxygen or less nitrogen should make no difference in how you feel.

 

[boulderjohn]

Right. But I think the question is if breathing nitrox makes you more clearheaded--feel better maybe, etc. This arguement is probably made because the body metabolizes 02, thus it is good for you. Since nitrox has more 02, thus the reasoning. But I think breathing more 02 doesn't help you if it's beyond what the body requires. Nitrogen is inert in our bodies--it does nothing except present us with bubbles if we are careless. So breathing more oxygen or less nitrogen should make no difference in how you feel.

What you are missing is that the poll is part of the OP's quest to prove that nitrox diminishes the effects of narcosis because of the lesser amount of nitrogen.

Just to show the problem with this, I felt perfectly clear headed on the occasions when I knew from my actions that I was the most thoroughly narked.

 

[debajo agua]

What you are missing is that the poll is part of the OP's quest to prove that nitrox diminishes the effects of narcosis because of the lesser amount of nitrogen.

Prove? I don't think a SB poll is going to prove anything... It might give a snap shot of part of the dive communities opinion, but prove anything? No.. not here.

Just to show the problem with this, I felt perfectly clear headed on the occasions when I knew from my actions that I was the most thoroughly narked.

Interesting... What happen?

 

[RonFrank]

No.

Higher nitrox = more O2. I feel more energetic using nitrox.

 

[Fish-R-Man]

I don't feel any more clear headed on nitrox, but as one previous poster suggested, it may have more to do with your breathing style. A friend of mine on my last trip to Coz got his OW cert and he had an issue with gas consumption. I worked with him for some time during the next couple days to control his breathing. He mentioned that he felt better once he stopped the rapid shallow breathing he was doing. I also feel less fatigued at the end of the day if I dive Nitrox.