How does enriched air nitrox help in decreasing the risk of decompression sickness?

Enriched air nitrox helps decrease the risk of decompression sickness primarily by reducing nitrogen accumulation in the body during diving. When you dive with air, which contains approximately 78% nitrogen, a significant amount of nitrogen is absorbed into the body tissues as you descend and spend time at depth. This nitrogen can lead to complications if you ascend too quickly, resulting in decompression sickness.

Switching to enriched air nitrox, which contains a higher percentage of oxygen and a correspondingly lower percentage of nitrogen, means that less nitrogen is available to be absorbed by the body tissues during a dive. As a result, divers using nitrox experience a reduced nitrogen load, which ultimately lowers the risk of developing decompression sickness. This is particularly beneficial for longer dives, where the potential for nitrogen accumulation is greater.

While the other choices touch on aspects related to diving, they do not directly relate to the primary benefit of reduced nitrogen exposure that enriched air nitrox provides. Increasing workout intensity, extending dive durations significantly, and allowing dives in colder water do not address the fundamental mechanism by which nitrox mitigates the risks associated with nitrogen absorption.