Sports players use smelling salts mainly because the strong ammonia vapor can trigger a brief reflex that makes them feel more alert and awake. Athletes may use them before a competition, during a break, or after a hard effort when they want a quick sensation of increased alertness.
Despite the name, smelling salts are not ordinary salts. Traditional smelling salts contain ammonium carbonate, while modern ammonia inhalants commonly release ammonia gas. When the athlete inhales the vapor, it irritates the lining of the nose and airways, producing a strong sensory response.
The important point is that smelling salts do not provide extra oxygen or directly increase muscle strength. Their main effect is a short-lived stimulation caused by irritation of the respiratory passages.
What Do Smelling Salts Do?
When an athlete inhales ammonia vapor, it irritates the nose and upper respiratory tract.
That irritation can cause an immediate reflex response. The athlete may take a deeper breath, feel more awake and experience a temporary increase in alertness.
The sensation can be intense. Some athletes describe smelling salts as a quick “wake-up” effect.
This is why they are sometimes associated with sports where athletes need to become highly focused immediately before an important effort.
However, the effect should not be confused with a direct performance-enhancing increase in strength or endurance.
Why Do Athletes Want to Feel More Alert?
Many sports require athletes to switch quickly from rest to intense physical activity.
A football player may be preparing for a crucial play. A hockey player may be getting ready to return to the ice. A powerlifter may be preparing for a heavy attempt.
In these situations, an athlete may want to feel mentally stimulated and ready to perform.
Smelling salts can create a strong sensory jolt that some athletes find useful as part of their pre-performance routine.
The effect is generally short-lived, which is one reason athletes who use them may use them immediately before an activity rather than long before it.
Do Smelling Salts Make Athletes Stronger?
Not directly.
This is one of the biggest misconceptions about smelling salts.
Ammonia inhalants do not supply muscles with additional fuel, and they do not directly increase muscle mass or aerobic capacity.
The immediate effect comes from irritation of the respiratory passages and the body’s reflex response.
Some athletes may nevertheless feel that they can perform better after using them because they feel more awake, focused or aggressive.
That subjective feeling can be useful for an athlete’s routine, but it should not be interpreted as evidence that ammonia itself dramatically increases physical strength.
Why Are They Popular in Football?
Smelling salts have become particularly visible in American football.
Football involves repeated short bursts of intense physical activity. Players may spend time standing or sitting between plays before suddenly needing to perform at maximum intensity.
Some players use smelling salts as part of their preparation before returning to the field.
They may believe the sharp sensation helps them become mentally switched on.
However, smelling salts are not necessary for football performance. Many elite athletes never use them.
Why Do Powerlifters and Weightlifters Use Them?
Strength athletes are another group commonly associated with smelling salts.
A powerlifter preparing for a heavy squat, bench press or deadlift may want to enter a highly focused state immediately before an attempt.
The powerful ammonia sensation can provide a sudden sensory stimulus.
This is particularly appealing for maximal or near-maximal attempts, where an athlete may deliberately want to feel highly activated before lifting.
But smelling salts do not replace proper strength training, technique, sleep, nutrition or recovery.
They are better understood as a psychological or sensory routine than as a source of physical strength.
Why Do Hockey Players Use Smelling Salts?
Some hockey players also use smelling salts before games or during preparation.
Hockey requires rapid reactions, skating ability, coordination and repeated high-intensity efforts.
Because players may use short breaks between periods or before taking the ice, some consider smelling salts a convenient way to create a quick feeling of alertness.
Again, individual practices vary. Smelling salts are not a requirement of hockey, and their use does not mean an athlete will automatically skate faster or react better.
Do Smelling Salts Help With Concussions?
No. Smelling salts should not be used to treat or mask a concussion.
This is one of the most important safety points.
A player who has suffered a blow to the head should not use smelling salts to try to become alert and return to competition.
A brief increase in alertness does not mean that a head injury has healed.
Concussion symptoms can include headache, dizziness, confusion, balance problems, nausea, sensitivity to light or noise, memory problems and changes in behavior or concentration.
If a concussion is suspected, the athlete should be removed from play and evaluated according to the appropriate medical protocol.
Smelling salts cannot diagnose or treat a concussion.
Why Can Smelling Salts Be Dangerous?
The main concern is that ammonia is an irritant.
Breathing ammonia vapor can irritate the eyes, nose, throat and respiratory tract. Strong exposure can cause coughing, burning sensations and breathing difficulties.
People with asthma or other respiratory conditions may be particularly sensitive to irritating vapors.
Another issue is improper use.
An athlete who holds an ammonia inhalant extremely close to the nose or uses a very concentrated product may receive a stronger exposure than intended.
Products can also differ in their ingredients and concentration, so athletes should not assume every product marketed as a smelling salt is identical.
Are Smelling Salts Banned in Sports?
Smelling salts are not universally prohibited across sports.
Whether a particular product is permitted can depend on the sport, league, competition rules and the ingredients in the product.
The World Anti-Doping Agency’s Prohibited List does not list ordinary ammonia inhalants as a prohibited substance.
That does not mean every ammonia-containing product is automatically appropriate or safe. Athletes should check the rules that apply to their particular competition and be aware of what a product actually contains.
Professional teams may also have their own medical or equipment policies.
Are Smelling Salts Addictive?
Smelling salts are not generally considered addictive in the same way as substances that produce dependence.
However, athletes can develop habits and routines around them.
Someone may begin to feel that they need smelling salts to prepare for a heavy lift or competition even though the product is not physiologically necessary for normal performance.
That is different from chemical addiction.
The bigger concern is excessive or inappropriate exposure to ammonia rather than addiction itself.
Do Smelling Salts Improve Athletic Performance?
The evidence is more complicated than the way smelling salts are portrayed in sports culture.
The immediate ammonia response can increase alertness and create a strong sensation of stimulation. That may be psychologically useful before a short, explosive effort.
But that does not mean smelling salts dramatically improve athletic performance across all sports.
For endurance activities, for example, a brief sensory jolt does not replace cardiovascular conditioning.
For technical sports, smelling salts cannot replace skill development.
For strength sports, they cannot substitute for training, technique and recovery.
Their usefulness, if any, is more closely connected with arousal and alertness than with creating new physical capacity.
Why Do Athletes Like the Strong Sensation?
Part of the appeal is psychological.
The ammonia vapor produces an immediate and unmistakable sensation. Compared with ordinary preparation methods, it feels dramatic.
An athlete who is tired, nervous or mentally flat may interpret that strong sensation as a signal that it is time to compete.
Sports often involve routines and rituals. Athletes may listen to particular music, visualize a performance, move through a specific warm-up or use other cues before competing.
Smelling salts can become one of those cues.
The ritual itself may help an athlete transition mentally from preparation to competition.
Can Smelling Salts Wake Someone Who Has Fainted?
They should not be treated as a general first-aid solution for unconsciousness.
If someone collapses or becomes unresponsive, the priority is determining whether they are breathing normally and getting appropriate emergency assistance.
Using ammonia to try to wake an unconscious person can expose the person to an irritant without addressing the underlying medical problem.
This is especially important in sports because collapse can result from serious conditions, including cardiac problems, heat illness, head injuries or other medical emergencies.
Smelling salts should never be considered a substitute for medical evaluation.
Are Smelling Salts Safe for Teen Athletes?
Parents and young athletes should be especially cautious.
Young athletes do not need smelling salts to participate successfully in sports. Their performance should be built around appropriate training, hydration, nutrition, sleep, coaching and recovery.
Because ammonia is an airway irritant, intentionally inhaling it carries potential risks.
Youth sports organizations may also have their own policies about inhalants and athlete safety.
If a young athlete is considering using smelling salts, discussing the product with a qualified healthcare professional is a safer approach than copying what professional athletes do.
What Should Athletes Use Instead?
For most athletes, there are safer and more fundamental ways to prepare for competition.
These include:
- A sport-specific warm-up
- Adequate sleep
- Proper hydration
- Appropriate pre-event nutrition
- Mental preparation
- Mobility and activation exercises
- Consistent training
- Good technique
- Recovery between competitions
If an athlete regularly feels unusually tired, dizzy or unable to stay alert during training, the problem should not simply be covered up with an ammonia inhalant.
Persistent fatigue may have an underlying cause that deserves professional attention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do sports players use smelling salts?
Sports players use smelling salts because ammonia vapor can create a strong, short-lived sensation of alertness. Some athletes use them before intense efforts as part of their preparation routine.
Do smelling salts increase strength?
Not directly. They do not add muscle strength or energy. Their primary effect is stimulation caused by irritation of the nose and respiratory passages.
Do NFL players use smelling salts?
Some NFL players have used ammonia inhalants as part of their pre-game or sideline routines. However, they are not required, and individual practices vary.
Can smelling salts help a concussion?
No. Smelling salts do not treat concussions and should never be used to make an athlete appear more alert after a head injury. Suspected concussions require appropriate medical evaluation.
Are smelling salts dangerous?
They can be. Ammonia is an irritant that can cause burning, coughing and breathing difficulties, particularly with strong or improper exposure.
Are smelling salts banned?
Ordinary ammonia inhalants are not universally banned across sports. Rules can vary by sport and competition, so athletes should check the regulations that apply to them.
Do smelling salts give athletes more oxygen?
No. The common idea that smelling salts work by supplying extra oxygen is misleading. The strong response comes primarily from irritation of the respiratory passages and the resulting reflex response.
The Bottom Line
Sports players use smelling salts mainly because ammonia vapor creates a sudden, intense sensation that can make them feel more alert and ready to compete. They are especially associated with football, hockey and strength sports, where athletes sometimes want a quick mental and sensory stimulus before an explosive effort.
However, smelling salts are not magic performance enhancers. They do not directly build strength, increase endurance or provide muscles with additional energy.
They are also not a treatment for concussion, fainting or other medical problems. Because ammonia can irritate the respiratory system, athletes should understand the risks and follow the rules and medical guidance applicable to their sport.