NASA has issued a statement addressing rumours concerning astronaut Sunita Williams‘ health on board the International Space Station (ISS) in the wake of recent health concerns. A spokesman for NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate, Jimmy Russell, stated that every astronaut now aboard the ISS is in “good health.” Russell told the Daily Mail that in order to guarantee their health and safety, NASA astronauts are closely watched by flight surgeons and go through routine medical exams.
Astronauts who spend a lot of time in space frequently experience weight loss, and the new photos of Williams and Wilmore point to similar consequences. In a microgravity setting, maintaining body mass is difficult because to physical demands that change how the body uses energy and metabolises nutrition. Dr. Vinay Gupta, a pulmonologist in Seattle, noted that Williams’ cheeks, which were visibly sunken, suggested a calorie deficit in her case because they showed a lower body weight.
The ISS is a hard place to live. Muscle and body mass are lost when gravity is absent. Astronauts workout for almost two and a half hours every day to prevent muscle atrophy and preserve strength. Sleeping circumstances are also impacted by the cramped area, which increases stress levels both mentally and physically.
Astronauts may experience a variety of physical symptoms from microgravity. For instance, fluid changes brought on by muscle atrophy and bone density loss might result in head swelling and possibly impair vision.
Due to the body’s need to adjust to the demands of the space environment, these impacts may result in nutritional deficits. These changes brought on by microgravity may have contributed to Williams’ weight loss by making it more difficult for the body to maintain regular metabolic functions.
Dr. Gupta added that the human body experiences stress in the space environment, even in the pressurised ISS cabins. The physical consequences that astronauts encounter are comparable to those that occur at high altitudes, including affects on respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Astronauts are more prone to disease because space travel impairs their immune systems. Dr. Gupta pointed out that the weight loss, particularly around the cheeks, was a blatant sign that the body could not be getting enough calories to meet its energy requirements.
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