The risks associated with nitrous oxide revilement   have been foreground by a recent medical case report of a 29 - year - old serviceman with spine problems .

When nitrous oxide was first find in1772 , and then made easier to produce and breathe in a few year later , it was usedmainly as a recreationaldrug . dub " laughing flatulence " for the apt cause that it does make you laugh your ass off in high amount , the gas was popular at upper - class parties in Britain for decades before the infliction - allay effect were put to purpose in dentistry and medicine , where it is still used today .

In late clock time , the natural gas has examine a resurgence as a recreational drug , often find out as safer than others – but it is not without its risks , as one humanity recently rule out .

The young man showed up at hospital with reform-minded apathy and tingling of the extremities . Though he did n’t report any motor dysfunction or helplessness , he had been experiencing numbness for 10 day , following initial feelings of tingling in his fingertip and feet .

The squad found no obvious implicit in cause for the numbness , nor his lack of awareness of where his limbs were in blank . There was no story of diabetes , and he had ceased to apply heroin and cocaine over two class ago . However , an MRI of his upper backbone prove abnormalities consistent with a vitamin B12 want .

" Given the patient ’s non - vegetarian nutrition , negative autoimmune workup , it was learn that the patient role ’s B12 deficiency and megaloblastic anaemia were the result of heavy nitrous oxide , " the team wrote in their report , published in Cureus .

Nitrous oxideinactivates vitamin B12 through oxidization . While inactive , it is unable to aid with the   product of several key protein and can causesymptomsranging from   breathlessness and extreme weariness to the symptoms live by the world highlighted in the case report .

" Upon discharge , he was counseled on tobacco cessation in addition to nitrous oxide cessation . He was also seen in the outpatient clinic and reported betterment in his symptom with B12 replacement and consummate resolve of his symptom three month later . "

The affected role stick to desist from nitric oxide misuse , and reported   no symptom three months subsequently .