Why is carbon monoxide poisonous to humans?
The human body is like a machine that burns fuel (our burning fuel is glucose). We need oxygen to burn fuel efficiently. Oxygen (O2) from the environment must be delivered to the cells of our body. Oxygen is delivered by hemoglobin, a molecule found in our red blood cells. In normal circumstances, oxygen that we breathe into our lungs is deposited on the hemoglobin molecules as blood passes through the lungs. The heart pumps the O2 rich blood to the tissues of the body where the oxygen is unloaded to aid as a critical component to help our body’s cells metabolize glucose. Carbon monoxide, when inhaled, binds or blocks the hemoglobin molecule so that oxygen can not be picked up in the lungs efficiently. The blood, which is then delivered to the tissue, does not contain enough oxygen. The cells of our organs that require oxygen start to become damaged, leading to signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning in the chart below. Of significant concern, newborns and babies in utero have
