Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Young Asian men most at risk of nerve damage from nitrous oxide use: Study

Rishi Sunak recently announced plans to criminalise the drug

Young Asian men most at risk of nerve damage from nitrous oxide use: Study

A new study has said that male and Asian young people most likely to experience nerve damage from the use of nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas.

The study of patients admitted to hospital in England has revealed a predominance of young men of Asian ethnicity among those experiencing neurological harm.


The research, led by researchers from Queen Mary University of London, is the largest complete clinical case series of recreational users of laughing gas to date.

It investigated a group of 119 young individuals who experienced neurological problems as a result of using nitrous oxide.

The majority of patients (57 per cent) were of Asian or British Asian background, with the highest proportion found in London (73 per cent). People of Asian or Asian British ethnicity made up a large proportion of cases in east London (73 per cent), Birmingham (54 per cent) and Manchester (29 per cent).

White patients comprised 19 per cent of the total, followed by black patients at 7.5 per cent, and mixed race individuals at 6 per cent. In approximately one out of ten cases, ethnicity was either unknown or not recorded.

These patients were admitted to hospitals in three major cities in England—London (56), Birmingham (35), and Manchester (28)—between 2014 and 2022.

While the average age of those requiring treatment was 22, their ages ranged from 14 to 39. The study found that three out of four patients were male, although around a third of the patients in London were female.

Nitrous oxide (commonly known as ‘laughing gas’) is widely used as a painkiller in medicine and dentistry. It is also the second most commonly used recreational drug among 16- to 24-year-olds in the UK.

Its use is associated with spinal cord and peripheral nerve damage (myeloneuropathy) in some people, but this is mostly based on small studies.

According to experts, avoidable harm from laughing gas abuse is increasingly being observed worldwide. This may indicate genetic susceptibility to nerve damage caused by exposure to the gas, or other as yet unidentified social factors.

The primary symptoms observed were sensations of pins and needles in the arms and legs, which resulted from spinal cord and peripheral nerve damage identified through MRI imaging, the study, published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, has pointed out.

Challenges with bladder and bowel control, impaired balance, involuntary arm movements, erectile dysfunction, difficulties with memory and speech, visual disturbances, as well as episodes of nausea or vomiting are other symptoms.

According to a statement, nerve damage from nitrous oxide is thought to occur through inactivating vitamin B12, preventing the formation of myelin on nerve cells.

The study found a correlation between weekly consumption of nitrous oxide and elevated levels of methylmalonic acid. This biomarker suggests impaired functioning of vitamin B12, indicating that nerve damage is not solely attributed to a B12 deficiency but rather a functional deficiency. This means that there might be an adequate amount of B12 in the body, but its effectiveness is compromised.

The primary treatment method involves intramuscular injections of vitamin B12, although it is believed that these injections are only effective if the use of nitrous oxide is also discontinued.

In recognition of the significance of prevention, the researchers within this group launched a campaign called 'N2O: Know the Risks' to increase awareness among young individuals in east London about the neurological risks associated with nitrous oxide. It involves conducting workshops to educate the participants.

Although the UK government has recently prohibited the sale of laughing gas for public use, the researchers emphasise the need for thoughtful consideration in implementing policies aimed at users, who may already face disadvantages in terms of education and employment.

“While the study shows a high number of Asian individuals are affected, the influence of social factors on this must be appreciated alongside any possible genetic or dietary factors," said Devan Mair, fourth year medical student at Queen Mary who leads the campaign and first author of the paper.

"Legislation to control sales of nitrous oxide is important, however, criminalisation of nitrous oxide could further marginalise users, in turn prolonging the time taken to present with symptoms and so exacerbating neurological harm.”

More For You

Air India flight crash
Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft, operating flight AI-171 to London Gatwick, crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12.
Getty Images

Air India crash probe finds fuel to engines was cut off before impact

Highlights

 
     
  • Fuel to both engines of the Air India flight was cut off seconds before the crash
  •  
  • A pilot was heard questioning the other over the cut-off; both denied initiating it.
  •  
  • The Dreamliner crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, killing 260 people.
  •  
  • Investigators are focusing on fuel switch movement; full analysis may take months.

FUEL control switches to both engines of the Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff were moved from the "run" to the "cutoff" position seconds before the crash, according to a preliminary investigation report released early Saturday.

Keep ReadingShow less
Chinese vessel tracked in Bay of Bengal after disabling identification system

The Indian Navy and Coast Guard have consistently reported Chinese research vessel presence. (Representational image: Getty Images)

Chinese vessel tracked in Bay of Bengal after disabling identification system

A Chinese research vessel was detected operating in the Bay of Bengal near Indian waters while attempting to conceal its presence by disabling its Automatic Identification System (AIS), according to a report by The Economic Times, citing French maritime intelligence firm Unseenlabs.

The French company conducted a 16-day satellite-based survey tracking ships through radio frequency emissions. It monitored 1,897 vessels, with 9.6 per cent showing no AIS activity, indicating attempts to avoid detection. The survey raised concerns amid increased Chinese activity in the region.

Keep ReadingShow less
Asian-inspired garden earns
five awards at Hampton Court

(From left) Malcolm Anderson (RHS, head of sustainability) Clare Matterson (RHS director general), Lorraine Bishton (Subaru UK and Ireland, managing director) Andrew Ball (director, Big Fish Landscapes) Mike McMahon and Jewlsy Mathews with the medals

Asian-inspired garden earns five awards at Hampton Court

BRITISH Asians are being encouraged to take up gardening by a couple who have won a record five medals at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival.

“It’s a contemporary reimagining of a traditional walled garden, highlighting the British and Irish rainforests,” said Jewlsy Mathews, who was born in Britain of parents from Kerala, a southern Indian state known for its lush vegetation.

Keep ReadingShow less
Essex ladybird invasion

One of the largest gatherings was filmed on a beach at Point Clear

Dee-anne Markiewicz / SWNS

Swarms of ladybirds invade Essex coastline amid soaring temperatures

Highlights:

  • Ladybird swarms reported across Essex and Suffolk coastal towns
  • Hot weather likely driving the sudden surge in population
  • Sightings include Point Clear, Shoebury, Clacton and Felixstowe
  • Similar outbreaks occurred in 1976 during another hot UK summer

Sudden surge in ladybird numbers across the southeast

Millions of ladybirds have been spotted swarming towns and villages along the Essex coast, with similar sightings stretching into Suffolk. Residents have reported unusually high numbers of the red and black-spotted insects, particularly near coastal areas, with the recent hot weather believed to be a major contributing factor.

One of the largest gatherings was filmed on a beach at Point Clear, a village near St Osyth in Essex, where the insects could be seen piling on top of each other on driftwood and plants.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kapil Sharma

Kapil Sharma’s Canada cafe shot at days after opening

Instagram/ginnichatrath

Kapil Sharma’s Canadian café targeted in shooting, Khalistani terrorist cites mockery of Nihang Sikhs as motive

Highlights:

  • Shots were fired at Kap’s Café in Surrey, Canada, owned by comedian Kapil Sharma, just days after its opening.
  • Khalistani extremist Harjit Singh Laddi, linked to banned group BKI, claimed responsibility.
  • The motive cited was an old comedy segment from The Kapil Sharma Show that allegedly mocked Nihang Sikhs.
  • No injuries were reported; Canadian authorities are investigating the incident.

Comedian Kapil Sharma’s recently launched Kap’s Café in Surrey, British Columbia, was the target of a shooting in the early hours of 10 July. Though no one was harmed, the property sustained significant damage. A known Khalistani extremist, Harjit Singh Laddi, has claimed responsibility for the attack, citing perceived religious disrespect on The Kapil Sharma Show.

 Kap\u2019s Cafe in Surrey  Kap’s Cafe in Surrey was struck by gunfire late at night with staff still insideInstagram/thekapscafe_

Keep ReadingShow less