too much of a good thing?
with pretty much anything, overindulgence is generally a problem. i've seen many people look at me strange when i say this, but even oxygen, required as it is for continued life, will kill if there is too much of it. for proof, simply examine hyperventilation. this causes over saturation of oxygen and makes a person lightheaded. continued, dizzy, then unconscious. and this is only from the rather low concentration of oxygen in the atmosphere (8% if i remember correctly). just imagine doubling that... still less than 20% of the air we breathe would be oxygen, and we'd all be on the ground unconscious because that is too much.
just something to think about...
--- The Dancer in the Shadows
just something to think about...
--- The Dancer in the Shadows
posted by The Dancer in the Shadows @ 2/04/2005 08:31:00 AM
3 Comments:
At Monday, February 07, 2005 7:44:00 AM ,
The Dancer in the Shadows said...
very interesting, thank you T. however, why then is hyperventilation considered so dangerous? also, do they (nasa) use pure oxygen entirely in the cabin, or is that how it is stored? it was my understanding that the cabin was roughly equivalent to our atmosphere, and that pure oxygen was added to it to maintain the balance as breathing depleted the usable oxygen in the cabin. this way, only pure oxygen would need to be carried into space rather than a complete atmosphere. this would reduce both the weight and space requirements for maintaining breathable air in the cabin.
i didn't think fat was a good example because it has far too negative a connotation. while it is very beneficial to have some fat in the diet, the average person in most first world industrialized nations has had more fat than is beneficial before breakfast is finished.
perhaps water would have been a better choice? the human body is 60-75% water, the last recommendation i heard was about 2 litres (roughly 1/2 gallon) per day during the summer of combined water intake (drinking water as well as water in foods). still, too much water can still kill (floods, drowning, and i've heard that it is possible to drink too much water too quickly, though i've yet to find confirmation either way)
--- The Dancer in the Shadows
At Sunday, February 13, 2005 1:24:00 PM ,
Anonymous said...
Hyperventilation is not really getting to much oxygen. The air we breath is 21%. We have a system in our bodies called acid/base. This system is used to keep our blood ph constantly between 7.35-7.45. the quickest way to uset this is to breath fast. When we exhale what comes out is a higher concentrated CO2 and oxygen mix. This is how hyperventilation works in a nut shell. If you breath too fast, you exhale more and more CO2 causing your ph to rise. If your ph gets to high. lets say 7.6 you are in danger of seizure and death. Most people simply cannot sustain a respiratory rate high enough to do this purposfully.
There are MANY MANY more facets to acid/base and the body. If you find it interesting enough read a chapter or two out of a medical book. You will be amazed at what the body can do..
At Monday, February 14, 2005 1:42:00 PM ,
The Dancer in the Shadows said...
so it is actually a lack of carbon dioxide that triggers the problems associated with hyperventalation... wow. so abruptly *all* CO2 from the human system would be catastrophic. talk about surprise information. proof that balance is key though...
my thanks to you anonymous, i'm sure we would all like a name of some form to attach to you...
--- The Dancer in the Shadows
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