Excessive use of aromatic salts can cause damage to the nasal passages. The penetrating vapors of ammonia can burn the membranes of the nasal passages, but this would require frequent and intensive use of aromatic salts. The use of aromatic salts as directed is very unlikely to be fatal. However, ammonia is still a toxic substance and inadequate exposure carries health risks.
It dissolves in aromatic salts, but using them repeatedly or placing them near the nose is not healthy. This can lead to serious swelling of the nose and lungs. And besides suffocation and death in rare cases. However, adverse health problems or risks have not yet emerged.
However, resorting to aromatic salts to cure loss of consciousness or force a boxer to fight multiple head injuries can be deadly. This is why aromatic salts were finally banned in boxing. A number of sports medicine textbooks have consistently criticized the use of aromatic salts, as they show a propensity to aggravate spinal injuries. Because the vapors cause a reflex that causes a violent sudden movement in the head and unintentionally takes the player away from the source of the annoyance, the smell of salts can seriously aggravate head or spine injuries.
While athletes often use aromatic salts to increase their energy or to concentrate quickly, there is no evidence to support that they improve performance. According to anecdotal reports, aromatic salts can sometimes cause headaches, especially when used in higher doses. People with respiratory diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, and chronic lung disease can experience different critical effects from smelling salt. It's only legal in the United States for a person to use aromatic salts to help someone regain consciousness after fainting.
Although illegal in boxing, the use of aromatic salts is not prohibited in football, hockey, or weightlifting. In the United States, the use of aromatic salts is legal and approved to revive a person who has fainted. This indicates that aromatic salts may offer a placebo effect, giving people confidence that their performance is increasing. The smell of ammonia is so strong that a person can smell it even if it is in 5 parts in the air with millions of parts of air (ppm).
Aromatic salts are usually a dilute ammonia solution, while poppers are a broad term for inhalable alkyl nitrates. There is insufficient evidence to demonstrate the safety or efficacy of aromatic salts for any of these uses. A player who rules out these possibilities and persists in administering aromatic salts could win the next game, but end up losing his life. Most of the aromatic salts you see today are aromatic alcohols of ammonia, which is a mixture of ammonia, water, and alcohol.
Inhaling aromatic salts can help stimulate the senses, providing a burst of energy and better concentration. Historically, aromatic salts have been used to revitalize people suffering from fatigue and revitalize energy levels. Some medical professionals have expressed concern about the potential dangers of misusing aromatic salts. For people without underlying health problems, there is no evidence to indicate that using aromatic salts as directed is dangerous.
