Videos of heavy lifters often go viral on social media; the sheer power and endurance is not something people can achieve easily. One thing that a lot of them do before they proceed with the lift is smell something and immediately go in for the lift. Those are smelling salts. Smelling salts are products that have a strong ammonia smell and have been used to wake people up after they faint. Lately, some athletes have become interested in using them to feel more alert and perform better. However, do they actually work? Another thing to consider is how something that has such an immediate effect on a person can be safe. How do Smelling Salts Affect Someone? According to the National Capital Poison Centre the ammonia that these salts contain has a pungent smell that can cause irritation to the lungs. It can also lead to changes in the breathing patterns. This change in breathing causes people who have fainted to become conscious. These have been present since the 13th century to treat lightheadedness and fainting. The strong odor temporarily increases the heart rate of a person and blood flows to the brain. These symptoms remain for about 15 seconds after inhalation and then subside withing a minute or so. So why do lifters use it when they are fully conscious and do not need to be more alert? Why Do Gym-Lifters Use Smelling Salts? Athletes commonly use smelling salts to get a quick boost before or during competitions, hoping it will give them more energy, make them more alert, and speed up their reactions. Unlike many other stimulant drugs, the ammonia in smelling salts is allowed by the World Anti-Doping Agency. You'll often see powerlifters using them, especially right before their final lift, the deadlift. The International Powerlifting Federation even lets athletes inhale ammonia as long as they do it privately. However, even though athletes might feel like smelling salt improves their performance but there is no evidence of it. According to a British Journal of Sports Medicine 2006 article, there's no real proof that they actually make them stronger or more powerful. In the past, smelling salts were sometimes used to treat athletes with minor head injuries, but they probably didn't actually help in those situations. Smelling Salts Can Go Badly For Anyone Smelling salts haven't been studied well for use as performance-enhancing supplements, and they aren't approved by the government as stimulant drugs.The US Food and Drug Association has even warned people about using certain smelling salts that were being advertised to make people more alert and give them energy, even though they hadn't been approved for these uses. They had also received reports of people having problems like shortness of breath, seizures, migraines, vomiting, diarrhea, and fainting after using these products. National Capital Poison Control provided an example of a female powerlifter who had used smelling salts right before competing. After inhaling, she developed severe symptoms like a runny nose, eye redness, dizziness and a headache. These symptoms got worse over the hour leaving her gasping for air. It was later diagnosed that she was allergic to smelling salts and was treated as such.Note: If you are thinking about using smelling salts, it's best to talk to a doctor first to see if they are right for you. They can also tell you how often you can use them, if at all, and which products might be best. Keep in mind that smelling salts are not a good idea for everyone. For example, if you have conditions like asthma, allergies, bronchitis, emphysema, or other lung problems, smelling salts might not be safe for you.