Humans need oxygen to live, but not as much as you might think.

The minimum
oxygen concentration in the air required for human breathing is 19.5 percent. The
human body takes the oxygen breathed in from the lungs and transports it to the other
parts of the body via the body's red blood cells. Each cell uses and requires oxygen to
thrive. Most of the time, the air in the atmosphere contains the proper amount of
oxygen for safe breathing. But at times, the level of oxygen can drop due to other toxic
gases reacting with it.

Normal Air Composition

Each time you take a breath, you inhale more than oxygen. The normal air in our
environment consists of a few different gases. Approximately 78 percent of the air is
nitrogen gas while only about 20.9 percent is oxygen. The remaining fraction is made
up of primarily argon gas, but trace amounts of carbon dioxide, neon and helium are
also present.

Safe Oxygen Levels

For humans and many animals to sustain normal functions, the percentage of oxygen
required to sustain life falls within a small range. The Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, OSHA, determined the optimal range of oxygen in the air for humans
runs between 19.5 and 23.5 percent.

Not Enough Oxygen: Side Effects

Serious side effects can occur if the oxygen levels drop outside the safe zone. When
oxygen concentrations drop from 19.5 to 16 percent, and you engage in physical
activity, your cells fail to receive the oxygen needed to function correctly. Mental
functions become impaired and respiration intermittent at oxygen concentrations that
drop from 10 to 14 percent; at these levels with any amount of physical activity, the
body becomes exhausted. Humans won't survive with levels at 6 percent or lower.

Too Much Oxygen: Side Effects

Higher-than-normal oxygen levels aren't as harmful to life, but there is an increased
change of fire or explosion risk. With extremely high concentrations of oxygen in the
air, humans can experience harmful side effects. Very high levels of oxygen cause
oxidizing free radicals to form. These free radicals attack the tissues and cells of the
body and cause muscle twitching. The effects from short exposure can most likely be
reversed, but lengthy exposure can cause death.

Altitude Sickness
The right amount of oxygen starts at sea level. When altitude is increased, such as
driving or climbing up a mountain, there is less atmospheric pressure. Lower pressure
allows air to expand more than it does at sea level. While the ratio of the oxygen and
nitrogen in the air remains the same, less molecules are available within the same
space. Each breath you take at a higher altitude contains less oxygen molecules than
breathing at a lower altitude. This can cause altitude sickness. Most people afflicted
with altitude sickness experience nausea, headache and fatigue. Without proper
treatment, the problem can become more serious.