Posted by Maddiver on January 20, 2002 at 18:28:01:
In Reply to: Helium & deco... posted by Bob3 on January 18, 2002 at 13:26:58:
Additonal significance while Walker covered the deco efficiency, come in the work of breathing arena. Simply stated, nitrogen is 'heavier' than helium and thus the lungs have to work that much harder with each breath creating stress on the lungs. With extended decos, the use of helium based deco mix vs nitrox (leaving walkers already mentioned time savings out of it) is the reduction of stress on the lungs allowing for greater efficiency and less residual effect or as some say post dive vital capacity reduction. This vital capacity reduction can have consequences on the deco portion of the dive itself but that is another can of worms in and of itself.