Myths and facts about poppers: What is really true?

Poppers, the little bottles whose contents you can inhale to have hotter sex, are familiar to many. There are countless myths and stories about them and many people don’t know exactly what is true and what is not. As a poppers specialist store, we want to clear this up and remedy the situation.

Poppers are dangerous

This is probably the myth that most often lingers in the minds of people who are considering trying poppers. To answer this question, you need to know what happens in your body when you inhale poppers. When you inhale the vapors, the poppers have a vasodilating effect. This causes your blood pressure to drop rapidly and your heart starts to beat faster.

This can lead to a reduced oxygen supply to the brain, which in turn can cause headaches and, in the worst case, fainting. The truth is that an overdose can also lead to strokes with permanent paralysis. There is also a risk of side effects if you consume poppers in combination with antihypertensive medication, alcohol or other drugs. You should also avoid poppers if you have a pre-existing heart condition, as they accelerate the heartbeat. Bear in mind that there are different ingredients. Some, such as isopropyl and isobutyl, are carcinogenic. We deliberately do not sell these ingredients. So always pay attention to the ingredients of the poppers. You can find out more here.

Poppers have no long-term effects

This myth must be clearly contradicted, as the consumption of poppers can have long-term effects on your health. For example, functional impairments can occur due to damage to the retina (macular degeneration). A study by the University of Münster points this out.

Deutsche Aidshilfe points out that the consumption of poppers can increase the heart rate, dilate the blood vessels and lower blood pressure, which can lead to dizziness, circulatory disorders and, in extreme cases, unconsciousness. In the long term, this can damage the cardiovascular system.

According to Chemie.de, contact with poppers can damage the respiratory tract and mucous membranes. Excessive, repeated use of poppers can also lead to irritation of the respiratory tract and long-term damage to the nasal mucosa.

In principle, the probability and severity of the effects mentioned vary from person to person. Factors such as the frequency of consumption and the physical constitution of the person using the drug play a particularly important role.

Poppers are only for gays

Admittedly, at the beginning of their triumphant rise, poppers were primarily consumed in the LGBTQIA+ community and mainly by men who had sex with men. This has long since changed, which is why the myth that poppers are only for gays has now been dispelled. Today, more and more heterosexual men are also using poppers to take their sexual activities to a new level.

Poppers are not for women

Let’s be honest, why shouldn’t women use poppers to improve their sex? They also use the bottles for the purpose of emancipation and thus send out a signal that women also have the right to do everything they can to have fulfilling and satisfying sex. They are showing that it is not just the tough macho man who is allowed to have fun and experiment. Manufacturers have embraced this change and developed poppers for women.

Poppers definitely make for better experiences

Unfortunately, this cannot be said in general terms. One reason for this is that the effects can vary in intensity. Inhaling poppers can certainly make sex better and more intense. But everyone is different and reacts differently to poppers. While one person almost falls into ecstasy when inhaling poppers, another hardly notices any change. While one person feels no side effects whatsoever, another feels physically unwell after using poppers and prefers to avoid the experience in future.

All poppers are the same

The effects of the various poppers may be similar. However, this does not mean that all poppers are the same. Firstly, it should be noted that poppers are available in different strengths from 1 to 6 (with strengths 3 to 6 being the most commonly available). In addition to the intensity of the effect, the various poppers also differ in the duration of the effect. They also differ in terms of their ingredients, as there are different nitrite variants (amyl nitrite, butyl nitrite, isobutyl nitrite, pentyl nitrite, hexyl nitrite, isopropyl nitrite or mixtures of these three ingredients). Isopropyl and isobutyl are carcinogenic and we do not sell poppers with these ingredients.

There are also clear differences in terms of quality. The purity and composition of the ingredients play a major role here. Some manufacturers add by-products that can have toxic properties. The origin, packaging and quality of the distillation process also play an important role in the quality and product safety of poppers. When buying, it is better to go for products from well-known manufacturers such as Lockerroom rather than unknown brands. In this article, we show you how to recognize quality poppers.

Poppers should be stored in the refrigerator

This myth is widespread, but has proven to be false. Although poppers should be stored in a cool (and dark) place, it is not necessary to keep them in the fridge. After all, it is a chemical and keeping it next to fresh vegetables or open milk is not a good idea. There is also a risk that one of your guests will mistake it for a drink shot and drink it.

You should keep your poppers (whether unopened or opened) in a drawer in your bedroom, for example. At room temperature, opened poppers (packed in a zip-lock bag or a good old tupperware bowl) will keep for about a month, unopened bottles will stay fresh for several months if kept in a dark and not too warm place.

Poppers are a dangerous drug

Although they can induce a state similar to intoxication, poppers are not considered extremely dangerous and are not classified by experts as a physically addictive substance. The expert assessments are also reflected in the legislation. However, the effects experienced (relaxation, increased pleasure, lower inhibition threshold, pain reduction) can lead to people reaching for a bottle of poppers more often. They can also cause serious health problems, especially if used incorrectly or if you have a pre-existing condition. For this reason, you should use poppers in a conscious and informed manner.

Poppers work like Viagra

You often read that poppers and Viagra should not be consumed together. This is not a myth, because the fact is that the respective effects reinforce each other. Both lower blood pressure, which can have serious consequences if used at the same time. We would therefore like to take this opportunity to point out that Poppers and Viagra should never be used together.

Poppers are responsible for the spread of HIV

This is a completely false assertion that crops up again and again and does not become any more correct as a result. Poppers, or the nitrites they contain, are not responsible for the spread of HIV.

The HIV virus(human immunodeficiency virus) is transmitted through direct contact with certain bodily fluids of an infected person. The primary transmission routes include unprotected sexual intercourse, sharing injection needles (drug use), transmission from mother to child during pregnancy, birth or breastfeeding.

This myth arose in the 1980s when the first known HIV infections were detected in members of the gay community, who were mainly poppers users. This led to the assumption that poppers could be responsible. Leading health organizations such as the WHO, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) and various medical studies have long confirmed that HIV is not transmitted or spread through the use of poppers.

Conclusion: See for yourself what is true and what is not

So some of the information circulating about poppers as myths is true, others are fantasy and nonsense. It’s best to form your own opinion. Simply try poppers for yourself, taking our recommendations and tips into account. If you handle poppers responsibly, they can indeed give you unique experiences.

If you have any further questions about the safe and responsible use of poppers, you can contact us at any time via WhatsApp or email.