Is oxygen a drug?

We all know that air is essential for life, but have you ever wondered if oxygen could also be considered a drug? After all, it’s used in hospitals to aid with breathing and enhance performance for athletes. In this article, we’ll delve into the fascinating world of oxygen and explore whether or not it qualifies as a drug.

What Exactly is Oxygen?

To understand whether oxygen can be classified as a drug, it’s important to first define what oxygen actually is. Oxygen (O2) is an odorless, colorless gas that consists of two atoms of oxygen bonded together. It makes up about 21% of our atmosphere and plays a vital role in supporting aerobic respiration in living organisms.

But does its ubiquitous presence make it any less potent or effective at altering human physiology? Certainly NOT!

How Do We Use Oxygen?

While breathing in air seems like an involuntary task that we do without thinking about it (unless someone just farted near you), there are instances where external sources of supplemental (see footnote) O2 may prove beneficial. These instances include:

• Medical Conditions: Individuals suffering from chronic respiratory illnesses like COPD/asthma use inhalers containing medicated oxygen.
• High Altitude Athletics: Athletes training at high altitudes often use enhanced levels (not too much!) of atmospheric supplemental O2 to provide their bodies with added energy during the competition.
• Wound Healing: The tissues require suitable levels (hence monitored) + circulation level/high blood flow accessibly supplemented air/oxygen over tissue wounds inflicted by surgeries/crashes/accidents etc..

(Supplemental/(enhanced/optimalised/greater than average) = increased amounts where necessary)

In these situations, doctors or trainers may prescribe supplemental doses(here comes another footnote!)of pure medical grade O2; this would imply that it may be altering your physiology when artificially increased, so could it then classify as a drug? Let’s find out.

What Makes Something a Drug?

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, drugs are “something and often an illegal substance that causes addiction, habituation or a marked change in consciousness”; with that definition in mind it’s hard not to consider oxygen being categorized under this sphere. However!! Weren’t we taught that excess of anything is bad for health? So where does additional support fall into this same league too?

Surely if something is used within reasonable levels under therapeutic supervision whilst following proper safety guidelines laid out by concerned bodies around the world then there shouldn’t be any negative connotations associated with its usage; perhaps akin more closely to vitamin supplements than cocaine consumption.

A Little Bit About Hormesis

To get one step closer towards answering our original question, let’s talk about another concept called hormesis. When exposed to small amounts of potentially harmful substances such as radiation or certain chemicals/plants/food toxins/fluids/amplified atmospheric gases (this includes oxygen), our body triggers basic instinctive reparatory steps for future immunisation against hazardous substances similar thus helps via cellular training analogous to workouts for betterment.

This means that while high doses of oxygen can lead to toxicity/agitation/stupor/life-threatening conditions like blindness/nervous system damage/seizures/etc., low (monitored) supplemental amounts won’t cause harm but instead strengthen immune responses leading towards induced well-being!

(Low = Less Than Usual)

So…Is Oxygen A Drug?

At this point you must have realized the answer isn’t quite black & white just yet! If taken in medicinal doses, oxygen supplementation isn’t classified as a recreational drug but considered safe and beneficial. Its legal implications aren’t synonymous with typical prescription medications either; hence doesn’t induce apprehensive social stigma on users during regulated medical practice.

(Benefits like increased endurance re breathing improvement / pain management/injury recovery nasal applications, and more)

But Wait… It Gets Ridiculous!

With all that said, one can’t deny how hilariously ridiculous it would sound if someone offered you a supplement with just darn air in it! (Dances around)
Alas! The internet never seizes to amaze, and as expected people are now selling canned or pouch oxygen which they claim contains higher levels of O2 for optimal health benefits. At this point I couldn’t care less what the bees eat so long as my skin is moisturized(I’m kiding).

Although tempting these products aren’t medically recognized hence any potential side effects thereof fall entirely on the buyer aka Dum Dum Backscratchers Inc.

Conclusion

So to answer our question ‘is oxygen a drug?’; Yes & No…without going into deep philosophies/semantics(terms&Meanings) of social connotations imposed upon terminologies based on socio-clinical factors – Oxygen doesn’t qualify as a recreational drug under normal fortitude but at supplemental prescribed quantities-based administered by qualified personnel whilst following designated precautions, there should be no cause for concern over its usage(follow specific instructions when using inhaling/exhaust home-use cylinders/tanks).

Now that we’ve put your mind at ease let us know what you think!

(Precautions like avoiding/incorporating burning sources nearby gas outlets /being aware of exposure time/dosage requirements whilst constantly monitoring)

Footnotes:

Supplemental=Additional therapeutic doses