Smelling salts have been part of strength sports for decades, that sharp hit before a max attempt is as familiar as chalk on the hands. What's less familiar is what the research actually says about whether they do anything for your lift.
Jump to:
- What are smelling salts?
- How they work
- What the evidence actually says
- Safety and how to use them
- Common myths
- Smelling Salts FAQs
What Are Smelling Salts?
Smelling salts, or ammonia inhalants, are a preparation of ammonium carbonate that release ammonia gas when opened. Originally used medically to rouse someone from fainting, they've become a strength sports ritual, a sharp hit before a competition attempt, an opening kickoff, or a heavy training set.
How They Work
When inhaled, ammonia gas irritates the nose, lungs and mucous membranes, triggering an involuntary sharp inhalation and a jolt in respiration. This is reported to increase alertness and a subjective sense of heightened focus, the physiological response includes cerebral vasodilation and a rise in heart rate.1
What the Evidence Actually Says
Here's the honest picture: the research doesn't support smelling salts directly increasing peak strength. A controlled study on resistance-trained men found no significant difference in the number of repetitions performed on the back squat or bench press at 85% of 1RM after inhaling ammonia inhalants compared to a placebo scent.2 What the same research does report is a genuine subjective effect: participants described feeling "more aroused and awake," even without a measurable strength difference. A broader review of ammonia inhalant research reached a similar conclusion, they reliably increase alertness and perceived performance, without a consistent effect on measured strength, power or reaction time.1
That doesn't mean they're pointless. Feeling more switched on before a heavy attempt has real value, even if it isn't showing up as extra kilos on the bar in a lab setting. It just means the honest claim is "helps you feel dialled in," not "makes you stronger."
Safety and How to Use Them
- 18+ only. This isn't a casual product, ammonia is genuinely potent and should be treated with respect.
- Avoid if you have respiratory issues. Conditions like asthma can make lung irritation from ammonia worse.
- Never use for head or neck injuries. The sudden, unexpected inhalation reflex can be a risk if there's an existing injury.
- Screw the lid back on immediately after use. Keeps the product potent for longer and limits unnecessary exposure.
Beast Smelling Salts come in three strengths, Strong, Stronger, and World's Strongest, so you can match the hit to what you actually need rather than starting at maximum.
Common Myths
- "Smelling salts make you physically stronger." The controlled evidence doesn't support a measurable strength increase, the benefit is alertness and focus, not raw output.
- "Stronger is always better." Not necessarily, if a lower strength gets you switched on without discomfort, that's the right choice for you.
- "They're only for competition." Plenty of lifters use them for heavy training sets too, not just meet day.
Smelling Salts FAQs
Eddie's take: "I'm not going to tell you salts add kilos to your deadlift, the science doesn't back that up. What they do is get your head right before a max attempt, and in this sport, that matters more than people think."
Beast Smelling Salts
References
- Bender, J. M., & Popkin, C. A. (2024). Ammonia inhalants: use, misuse, and role in sports performance. Sports Health, 16(5), 675–680. https://doi.org/10.1177/19417381231217341
- Richmond, S. R., Potts, A. C., & Sherman, J. R. (2014). The impact of ammonia inhalants on strength performance in resistance trained males. Journal of Exercise Physiology Online, 17(2), 60–66.
This article is for informational purposes and is not medical advice. Smelling salts are intended for use by adults aged 18 and over only, and should be avoided by anyone with respiratory conditions or without first consulting a healthcare professional if you have any pre-existing health condition.