By the Boost Oxygen Team | Last Updated: October 2026
It’s a fair question. When you pick up a canister of anything and prepare to breathe it in, you want to know exactly what’s in it. The short answer is no: Boost Oxygen does not contain chemicals, propellants, or additives. Here is a full breakdown of what is actually inside every can, and why it is as clean as it gets.
The short answer: Boost Oxygen contains 95% pure oxygen and up to 5% ambient air. That’s it. No chemicals, no propellants, no additives
What Is Inside a Boost Oxygen Canister?
Every Boost Oxygen canister is high-pressure filled with 99.5% pure oxygen at the point of manufacture at our Connecticut world headquarters. We are proudly made in the USA. Because the filling process takes place in ambient air (normal atmospheric air), a small trace amount of that air (which is 21% oxygen and 78% nitrogen) remains in the can. After filling, the resulting contents are guaranteed to contain 95% or higher pure oxygen. The remaining fraction is simply the ambient air that is an unavoidable part of the filling process. Note: Our Extra-Large Rapid Response canister contains 98% pure oxygen, which we offer as a premium product for emergency preparedness.
That is the complete list of ingredients across all standard canisters: pure oxygen and a trace of normal air. There are no propellants to push the gas out because the oxygen itself is stored under pressure, and that pressure is what delivers it when you open the valve. There are no preservatives, no fillers, no chemical carriers.
This is confirmed in Boost Oxygen’s own Safety Data Sheet, which lists the single active substance as oxygen (CAS: 7782-44-7) at greater than 95%, with maximum impurities below 0.5%, and notes that “the product contains no substances which at their given concentration are considered to be hazardous to health.” You can also verify this on the What Is Boost Oxygen page, where the full product description and composition are explained.
What About the Aromatherapy Varieties?
Boost Oxygen comes in Natural (unflavored) and six aromatherapy varieties: Peppermint (REVIVE), Pink Grapefruit (BALANCE), Lavender (CALM), Menthol-Eucalyptus (BREATHE), Rosemary (FOCUS), and Orange (SPORT). A common question is whether these varieties contain synthetic fragrances or chemical additives.
They do not. The aromatherapy scents in every Boost Oxygen product are derived entirely from natural plant-based essential oils. Aromatherapy is the practice of using naturally extracted aromatic essences from plants, and that is exactly what Boost uses: nothing synthetic, nothing artificial. The scents you experience are the same kind of naturally derived botanical extracts you would find in quality essential oil products.
You may see these referred to as “flavors” elsewhere, but to be precise: these are aromas, not flavors. Aroma is something you smell; flavor is something you taste. Because Boost Oxygen is inhaled, what you experience is a scent, not a taste. The term “flavor” is sometimes used loosely to mean variety or option, but the correct term for what Boost Oxygen offers is aromatherapy, which is a meaningful distinction for a product you breathe.
Each aroma serves a functional purpose. Peppermint is associated with alertness and recovery. Lavender with calm and relaxation. Rosemary with focus and mental clarity. Menthol-eucalyptus with easier breathing. You can read more about the full range on the Boost Oxygen Aroma Scents page.
How Does It Compare to Energy Drinks and Other Products?
This is where the contrast is sharpest. Many energy drinks and performance supplements contain caffeine, synthetic stimulants, artificial sweeteners, colorings, preservatives, and a long list of ingredients that can be hard to pronounce and harder to understand. Compared to energy drinks, Boost Oxygen is about as simple as it gets: you breathe in pure oxygen, your body uses it, and there is nothing left to process or eliminate. No crash, no jitters, no ingredients that require a chemistry degree to evaluate.
The same applies to the canister itself. The can and mouthpiece are made from 100% recyclable aluminum and food-grade materials. There are no aerosols, no chemical propellants, and no components that would leave residue or byproducts.
Is Oxygen a Chemical?
Technically speaking, oxygen (O₂) is an element and a molecule. In the broadest scientific sense, everything is chemistry. But when people ask whether Boost Oxygen contains chemicals, what they are really asking is whether it contains synthetic additives, artificial compounds, propellants, or substances that are foreign to the body. The answer to that question is definitively no.
Oxygen is the most natural substance you can breathe. Your body has been using it since birth. Every cell in your body depends on it. Boost Oxygen simply delivers more of it at 95% concentration, compared to the 21% found in normal air, in a convenient portable format.
Is Boost Oxygen Safe?
Boost Oxygen is safe for recreational use by healthy adults and is used daily by athletes, older adults, people at high altitude, and individuals in areas with poor air quality. It requires no prescription. It has no known side effects when used as directed. For a detailed look at safety considerations, see our article on common misconceptions about oxygen and Boost Oxygen, which addresses the most frequently asked safety questions including whether oxygen is flammable and whether you can use too much of it.
Boost Oxygen is intended for recreational use and is not a medical device or treatment for any medical condition. It is not a substitute for doctor-prescribed medical-grade oxygen. Consult your physician if you have any medical conditions or concerns about your respiratory health.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the ingredients in Boost Oxygen?
Boost Oxygen contains 95% or higher pure oxygen and up to 5% ambient air (normal atmospheric air that enters during the filling process). There are no chemicals, propellants, preservatives, or additives of any kind. The aromatherapy varieties contain natural scents derived from plant-based essential oils.
Does Boost Oxygen contain propellants?
No. Boost Oxygen uses no aerosol propellants. The oxygen is stored under pressure inside the canister, and that pressure is what delivers the gas when you open the valve. When the pressure is gone, the canister is empty.
Are the aromatherapy scents natural or synthetic?
All aromatherapy scents in Boost Oxygen products are derived from natural plant-based essential oils. There are no synthetic fragrances or artificial additives in any Boost Oxygen product.
Is Boost Oxygen the same as medical oxygen?
No. Medical oxygen is prescribed by a doctor and regulated at 99.2% purity or higher for the treatment of specific health conditions. Boost Oxygen is supplemental recreational oxygen at 95% purity, intended for healthy people looking to support performance, recovery, altitude acclimation, or everyday respiratory wellness. It is not a substitute for medically prescribed oxygen. Learn more about the difference between Boost Oxygen and medical oxygen.
Can I recycle the Boost Oxygen canister?
Yes. The canister and mouthpiece are made from 100% recyclable aluminum and food-grade materials. Once empty, you can place the canister in any standard recycling bin.
