Matthew Gutter emailed Poppers Myth with the content he'd recently posted in a forum. His contribution here is appreciated.
As a consumer, I recently did some research about poppers. During the course of looking for additional information, I noticed the posts about poppers on this forum, and wanted to add to them if I could. I realize these posts were several months ago, but there was so much misunderstanding about poppers in the thread that's it important to try to clear some of them up.
Much of what people posted is consistent with what most people report experiencing with poppers; namely, that they enhance their sexual experience and/or produce positive experiences dancing, masturbating while viewing porn, and so forth.
Some of the comments, however, were very negative, implying that poppers are dangerous. Most often when people post negative stuff about poppers it's because what they think about poppers is what they've read somewhere on the web, and there's a lot of negative stuff out there about poppers.
Often what one finds searching for credible poppers information is moralistic ranting against their use, claiming dangers associated with their inhalation.
Most, if not all, of which has been posted by a handful of anti-popper zealots, all associated with each other and part of the "virusmyth" group.
This group has relentlessly beat the drum about an alleged Poppers-AIDS link for decades. They are part of the discredited 'denialists' who claim AIDS is not caused by the HIV virus, but instead is caused by poppers and other drugs.
The main problem with the research supporting their Poppers-AIDS hypotheses, is that many of the standards of experimental design are simply not upheld. Most experiments are in vitro (test tube) or involve mice and other animals. Results of these studies are then used by advocates to support the poppers-AIDS hypotheses, disregarding the fact that doses were not adjusted for body weight and lung size in the animals, and were often administered at near toxic levels over a duration that failed to reflect human nitrite use. Under these conditions, it is simply impossible to extrapolate the findings to human beings. Not to mention that results derived from the same experimental design were often inconsistent. Even if one fails to consider these experimental design flaws, the small number of studies supporting a connection between poppers and AIDS or KS still do not stand up under the tremendous weight of a large number of well-designed research studies incriminating viruses, not drugs, as the causal agent in both AIDS and KS. Advocates of the poppers hypotheses seem to want to sweep this burgeoning body of research under the carpet.
To prove something is true in science, you also need try to show that the alternative is false.
Also, some people will post saying that, aside from AIDS, poppers are otherwise harmful.
Inhalation of alkyl nitrites does only one thing in the human body; namely, it relaxes smooth muscle. Smooth muscle is what surrounds our blood vessels. For about 90 seconds after inhalation, your blood vessels are allowed to relax, and dilate or open up.
As a result, your heart pumps faster to fill the vessels with blood. That 'rush' of blood throughout your body is responsible for what most people find to be very pleasurable sensations. Most people find that the rush makes them feel sensual, that their sense of time is altered, and that their sense of touch is enhanced. Almost everyone who inhales poppers agrees that they seem to make orgasms feel much more intense and longer in duration. As one woman was quoted as saying: "Think of your best orgasm. Then, think of your best orgasm on poppers -- and it's 100 times better."
Moreover, smooth muscle is what makes up the body’s sphincter muscles, including the anus and the vagina. By relaxing the anus and vagina, insertion can be easier and more pleasurable.
There is no effect on "brain cells". However, there is a small subset of people who are predisposed to headaches after inhaling these compounds.
During my research I recently ran across a post in a blog where someone made a good point about purity. He said he'd tested the contents of some popper brands and that they contained isopropyl or pentyl nitrite. This is typical of off brands. The major sellers are made of highly pure isobutyl nitrite.
Purity is the most important variable with poppers. Those brands which contain impurities or contaminates, are more likely to give you headaches. And, their dubious content could otherwise be bad for you. That's why it's best to stick with the known brands.
Nitrites have been safely used for almost 200 years, much of that by heart patients who used amyl nitrite for relief of angina attacks. Recreational use of nitrites has been going on for 50 or more years. In the 1970's, the US and other countries conducted studies on popper usage, all of which determined that there was no sign of significant harm or hazard as a result of typical popper inhalation. A search on the internet shows that many of the same brands tested back then, are still on the market today, being safely used by people all around the world to greatly enhance their sexual experiences.
I hope this is helpful.
Matthew Gutter
