We explore the utility of using a gas other than hydrogen isotopes to neutralize energetic beams of D+ or H+ for applications in magnetic confinement fusion. We find that, at D+ energies above 160 keV, helium, relative to hydrogen, offers significant improvements in neutralization efficiency and in enrichment of the full energy component of the beam, and that similar advantages accrue with neon at D+ energies in excess of 200 keV.