Smelling Salt: How to Use Smelling Salts Safely, Benefits, and Possible Risks

Smelling salt products have been used for decades to help increase alertness and revive people who feel faint. Today, smelling salt use has expanded beyond medical settings into sports, gyms, and competitive environments where athletes use smelling salts to sharpen focus before heavy lifts.

But with popularity comes questions. Are smelling salts bad for you? How do smelling salts work? Are they safe when used as directed, or do they come with side effects?

This guide explains what a smelling salt is, how inhalation affects the body, why athletes use smelling salts, and what risks you should understand before use.

What Is a Smelling Salt and How Does It Work?

A smelling salt is a product that releases ammonia gas when opened. This sharp smell triggers a reflex response in the body, increasing alertness almost instantly.

How Smelling Salts Work Inside the Body

When you inhale smelling salts, the ammonia irritates the nasal passages and airway. This irritation causes a reflex that makes you inhale deeply, increasing oxygen intake and stimulating the nervous system. As a result, blood flow to the brain increases, which can help revive someone who has fainted or boost alertness before physical effort.

Smelling salts contain ammonium compounds, often a mixture of ammonium carbonate and perfume, which produce the strong odour responsible for the reaction.

How Smelling Salts Work During Inhalation

When you inhale smelling salts, the ammonia vapours the nasal and lung membranes. This irritation activates the respiratory reflex, forcing a quick inhalation and increasing airflow through the airway.

This response can:

• Increase alertness

• Sharpen focus

• Temporarily elevate heart rate

• Increase blood flow to the brain

Smelling salts work quickly, which is why athletes use smelling salts immediately before intense activity like a heavy lift in the gym.

Why Athletes Use Smelling Salts

Athletes use smelling salts because they provide an immediate sensory jolt. In powerlifting, strongman, and contact sports, athletes sometimes use smelling salts to mentally prepare for high-intensity efforts.

Athletes use smelling salts to:

• Improve alertness

• Overcome momentary fatigue

• Heighten focus before a lift

• Reset mental state during competition

Hockey players, strength athletes, and lifters in the gym sometimes use smelling salts to prepare for maximal effort.

Benefits of Smelling Salts in Training

The benefits of smelling salts are mainly neurological rather than physical. Smelling salts do not increase strength directly, but they can improve readiness.

Benefits of smelling salts include:

• Increased alertness

• Faster reaction time

• Improved focus

• Temporary boost in perceived energy

This can positively impact athletic performance when timing and mental readiness matter, such as during a heavy lift in the gym.

Are Smelling Salts Bad for You?

The question “are smelling salts bad” depends on how they are used. Smelling salts are generally safe when used as directed, but misuse or repeated use can cause problems.

Smelling salts bad outcomes usually occur when:

• Used too frequently

• Held too close to the nose

• Inhaled deeply or repeatedly

• Used by individuals with respiratory conditions

Understanding proper use is critical to avoiding negative effects.

Side Effects of Smelling Salts

The side effects of smelling salts are usually related to irritation caused by ammonia inhalation.

Possible side effects include:

• Nasal irritation

• Lung irritation

• Watery eyes

• Headache

• Burning sensation in nasal passages

In rare cases, smelling salts can cause chemical burns if there is contact with your skin or prolonged inhalation.

Smelling Salts and Health Conditions

Smelling salts may worsen certain medical conditions. People with asthma, respiratory issues, or nasal sensitivity should avoid using smelling salts.

Smelling salts might worsen symptoms for individuals with:

• Asthma

• Respiratory conditions

• Concussion or head injuries

• Nasal or lung membrane sensitivity

Smelling salts should never be used to revive someone with a suspected concussion or head injuries, as this can mask symptoms and delay proper medical evaluation.

Smelling Salts Use and Safety Guidelines

To safely use smelling salts, follow basic guidelines.

How to safely use smelling salts:

• Hold the container away from your nose

• Take a brief sniff, not a deep inhale

• Avoid repeated use in a short time

• Do not inhale smelling salts directly into the lung

• Never place smelling salts in contact with skin

Smelling salts are generally safe when used responsibly and sparingly.

Can Smelling Salts Help Revive People?

Smelling salts were used historically to help revive people who have fainted. The strong ammonia smell triggers a reflex that increases breathing and alertness.

Smelling salts help revive people by stimulating the airway and nasal passages. However, modern medical guidelines suggest caution. If someone faints repeatedly, medical attention is recommended rather than relying on smelling salts.

If someone develops unexplained or unexpected symptoms, poison control or medical professionals should be contacted.

Are Smelling Salts Safe When Used as Directed?

Smelling salts are generally safe when used as directed and in appropriate situations. The Food and Drug Administration allows ammonia inhalants for specific uses, but they are not intended for frequent or recreational inhalation.

Smelling salts are safe when:

• Used occasionally

• Used for short inhalation

• Not used by individuals with health risks

• Not used to mask injuries

Responsible use is key.

Smelling Salts for the Gym and Heavy Lifts

In strength training, lifters sometimes use smelling salts before attempting maximal lifts. The intense smell helps reset focus and increase alertness immediately before exertion.

Smelling salts help some lifters mentally prepare, but they do not replace proper training, technique, or recovery. Smelling salts should be treated as a tool, not a crutch.

When used occasionally and responsibly, smelling salt products can be a useful addition to a serious training environment.

Final Thoughts on Smelling Salts and Safety

Smelling salts are powerful sensory tools that can increase alertness and focus when used correctly. They have been used to revive people, improve readiness, and support athletic performance.

However, smelling salts are not without risks. Overuse, improper inhalation, or use by individuals with respiratory or neurological conditions can cause harm.

If you choose to use smelling salts:

• Use them sparingly

• Follow safety guidelines

• Avoid repeated inhalation

• Never use them to mask injury

When used responsibly, smelling salts can support performance without unnecessary risk.