How much easier is Nitrox 32% / EAN32% on your body?

[Jay]

...Just your general subjective feeling. Please assume same similar dive profiles and times - nothing too scientific.

 

[BikerBecca]

Superstition.
You get to do more dives/day without increased tissue saturation. That's really all it is.
Do people, including myself, think it makes us feel better? At first yes, eventually, no difference other than tissue saturation and surface time. When ya do the math that's what the NITROX is all about, right.

 

[Jay]

Superstition.
You get to do more dives/day without increased tissue saturation. That's really all it is.
Do people, including myself, think it makes us feel better? At first yes, eventually, no difference other than tissue saturation and surface time. When ya do the math that's what the NITROX is all about, right.

Interesting. Some good poll options to add. Thanks.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

It's a tool for longer NDLs or shorter surface intervals. Higher percentages can be used to shorten deco time. There is no evidence that it does anything else.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I've never felt less tired, that I can recall.

However, having had skin bends twice on air, I'm sticking to nitrox.

 

[mafi]

Superstition.
You get to do more dives/day without increased tissue saturation. That's really all it is.
Do people, including myself, think it makes us feel better? At first yes, eventually, no difference other than tissue saturation and surface time. When ya do the math that's what the NITROX is all about, right.

Some people think that diving Nitrox (if we use it to replace air on a dive to the same depth) decreases formation of silent bubles (subclinical DCS), which manifests as tiredness after a dive.

I have yet to see a proper research on that, though, and personally I do not think that this particular phenomenon is worth spending research funds on.

 

[AfterDark]

I'm old, I don't dive nitrox, it doesn't make me feel any different than air. My sac rate is high enough especially below 30FSW nitrox does not extend my BT. I don't see any evidence it makes a difference for older divers. Just another sea story, IMO

 

[tursiops]

I'm old, I don't dive nitrox, it doesn't make me feel any different than air. My sac rate is high enough especially below 30FSW nitrox does not extend my BT. I don't see any evidence it makes a difference for older divers. Just another sea story, IMO

I'm probably older, I DO dive Nitrox, and I DO feel less tired after a series of dives...not a one or two dive day, but a series like in Bonaire or on a liveaboard. My SAC rate is low enough that Nitrox clearly extends my bottom time, but if I dive to the NDL then the "less tired" effect is less pronounced...so if I did a really short air dive it might be the same not-as-tired effect as a normal length Nitrox dive. I dive with a number of older divers....and many DO feel the less-tired effect. I see no reason to denigrate someone's personal experience as a "sea story" just because you haven't felt the same thing.

 

[Sevenrider860]

SportDiver had an Ask DAN article on July 10, 2019 about this topic

Ask DAN: Can Diving with Nitrox Prevent Fatigue?

"While the reports of this phenomenon are widespread and often fiercely defended, our best understanding is that nitrox can prevent fatigue about as well as a manatee can pass for a mermaid: There might appear to be some similarity on a foggy day, but a close look reveals little resemblance to the truth."

 

[tbone1004]

your body "feels" partial pressures of inert gases. If all other dive parameters are the same, especially time, then when you use nitrox you are exposing your body to less inert gas so you should feel a bit better. How much will depend on how rich the mix is. If however you are diving to NDL on both air and say EAN32, then the total inert gas load is essentially the same and you should feel no different.