Understanding Poppers: A Quick Guide
Poppers, aka amyl nitrite, are a liquid chemical substance that releases fumes when heated. Inhaling these fumes can give a temporary high and boost sexual pleasure lasting just a couple of minutes. Often associated with parties, poppers have become popular, yet problematic for numerous health reasons.
Dr. Henry Ng, an LGBTQ+ health specialist, warns that while poppers have been around for enhancing sexual experiences, their use can have negative consequences that people might not recognize. Let's dive deeper into understanding poppers, their impact on health, and some dangers lurking beneath the surface.
Poppers and Their Chemistry
Alkyl nitrites, the class of chemicals that poppers belong to, act as vasodilators, causing blood vessels to widen and blood flow to increase. As your heart doesn't have to work as hard, the increased blood flow causes your blood pressure to drop. The relaxation of smooth muscle tissue throughout the body follows.
Interestingly, these vasodilators were initially used by Thomas Lauder Brunton in 1867 as a treatment for angina pectoris (chest pain). However, during the 1970s, poppers transformed into a club drug, particularly significant for the LGBTQ community due to their effects on relaxing soft muscle tissue during anal sex.
Poppers today come in compact plastic containers and are available in retail shops and online. Although not illegal to buy or sell in the United States, they're off-limits for human consumption. Due to the unregulated nature of the drug, manufacturers market poppers as room deodorizers, leather cleaners, VHS cleaners, or nail polish removers.
Dangers for Your Health
Yes, poppers can indeed be harmful to your health when inhaled. Here are some reasons to avoid their use:
Blood Pressure Issues
Poppers can lead to a drop in blood pressure, causing symptoms such as head rushes, warmth throughout the body, increased heart rate, dizziness, and lightheadedness for up to a couple of minutes at a time. In severe cases, your blood pressure may drop too low, resulting in fainting or even losing consciousness. Some users may also experience headaches due to the widening of blood vessels in the brain.
Heart Conditions
Poppers can overwork your heart by making it beat more rapidly. Rapid heartbeats, or tachycardia, can potentially pose a threat if accompanied by chest pain or dizziness. In some extreme cases, poppers may cause sudden sniffing death syndrome, where the heart stops functioning abruptly. In some instances, this can even happen for first-time users.
Medication Interactions
When combined with medications associated with blood pressure, heart failure, or erectile dysfunction, like Viagra® or Cialis®, poppers can lead to dangerous effects such as stroke or heart attack, especially in relation to the escalating trend of chemsex, or the recreational use of poppers and other drugs to augment sexual pleasure.
Statistics reveal that this combination of poppers and erectile dysfunction medications increases the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) because users may be less likely to use condoms during sexual activities.
Long-Term Health Effects
Frequent use of poppers can lead to skin irritation, respiratory issues, vision problems, immunosuppression, cognitive effects, and organ damage. Certain forms of nitrites, like propyl or isopropyl, have been linked more often to eye problems and vision loss.
Healthier Usage Practices (If Using)
It is essential to avoid direct contact with poppers and to refrain from mixing them with erectile dysfunction medications. To minimize the risks associated with poppers, discuss safe-sex practices with your partner(s) prior to any sexual activity.
"Poppers can be potentially dangerous," cautions Dr. Ng. "They can affect cardiovascular function, eye function, and increase the risk of STIs."
While using any drug carries some inherent risks, it's advisable to avoid inhalants such as poppers. The health consequences, some of which can be life-threatening, simply aren't worth the brief momentary high.
- Dr. Henry Ng, a health specialist focusing on the LGBTQ+ community, emphasizes that while poppers may be commonly used for enhancing sexual experiences, their potential negative effects on health are often overlooked.
- Apart from their temporary high and boost of sexual pleasure, poppers can have harmful effects on various aspects of health, including the heart, blood pressure, mental health, and eye health due to their vasodilating properties.
- To mitigate the risks associated with poppers, it is crucial to avoid direct contact with them, discuss safe-sex practices with partners, and be aware of the potential dangers they pose to cardiovascular function, eye function, and the increased risk of sexually transmitted infections.
