Flying in space may cause negative problems for the human body, as astronauts who spend long periods in space suffer from health concerns..
A number of experts have put forward the most worrying effects that space travel can have on the human body.
DNA mutations
A team of researchers looked at astronauts’ blood stored for 20 years to study the effects of space travel, and in a shocking study, they found that astronauts’ blood showed signs of mutation in DNA..
And space experts explained: “The researchers found a higher frequency of somatic mutations in the genes of the 14 astronauts included in the study, compared to the statistics of the population who went to space.“.
muscle atrophy
The absence of gravity weakens the muscles used by astronauts on Earth, but not in space, and this is called muscular atrophy, and these muscles are usually referred to as the anti-gravity muscles and include the calf muscles, thigh muscles, back and neck muscles.
NASA further explains: “Because astronauts work in a weightless environment, our muscles contract too little to support their bodies or move, without regular use and exercise our muscles weaken and deteriorate.”“.
NASA adds: “Studies have shown that astronauts experience up to 20 percent loss of muscle mass in spaceflights lasting five to 11 days.”“.
eye problems
Most of these concerns arise when astronauts are on the International Space Station (ISS) Or wearing space suits, due to the lack of gravity, which can lead to the accumulation of body fluids in the head.
This puts pressure on the eyeballs, causing a condition called neurogenic eye syndrome associated with spaceflight (SANS).
Other eye problems can range from flat eyeballs to enlarged optic nerves and poor eyesight, according to a 2011 study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. The risk of these problems is especially high for astronauts who spend more than six months in space..
heart contraction
Time in space can cause an astronaut’s heart to shrink, according to a study published in the journals AHAAnd in 2021, it was revealed that the heart of NASA astronaut Scott Kelly shrank after spending 340 days aboard the International Space Station, and Scott’s heart returned to its normal size when he returned to Earth..
Researchers believe that space shrinks hearts because it doesn’t have to pump against gravity.
Anemia in space
The effects of zero gravity over time can cause the human body to destroy its own red blood cells, this phenomenon is referred to as “space anemia” and scientists do not know why it occurs.
And a new study published in the journal Nature Medicine Space causes the human body to destroy red blood cells at a faster rate than on Earth.
The researchers worked with 14 astronauts over a period of 6 months, and their results showed that the astronauts were destroying about three million red blood cells every second, which is 54% higher than the average rate here on Earth..
The results showed that 5 of the thirteen astronauts whose blood was drawn when they landed on Earth were suffering from anemia, and according to the study, the longer a person stays in space, the longer he suffers from anemia on Earth.
(Russia Today)