When inhaled, carbon monoxide combines with red blood cells and displaces the oxygen our bodies need to survive. Carbon monoxide bonds with blood 200 times faster than oxygen, creating a condition known as carboxyhemoglobin saturation. As carbon monoxide is carried to the vital organs through the bloodstream, our bodies start to asphyxiate or suffocate. It takes the body much longer to eliminate carbon monoxide than to absorb it, which is one reason why exposure can be so dangerous.