How Space Travel Affects Astronauts’ Physiology Written 24 August 2023

UPI reports that when astronauts “travel to space, the experience depletes their red blood cells and bone, according to a new study.” Fortunately, it appears their bodies “can eventually replenish them after they’ve returned to Earth, thanks to fat stored in the bone marrow.” University of Ottawa Rehabilitation Physician and Researcher Guy Trudel, one of the authors of the study, said, “We found that astronauts had significantly less fat in their bone marrow about a month after returning to Earth. We think the body is using this fat to help replace red blood cells and rebuild bone that has been lost during space travel.” The new research “builds on Trudel’s earlier work, which found that astronauts’ bodies destroyed 54% more red blood cells during space travel than they normally would on Earth.” It’s known as “space anemia.” The research “is part of MARROW, which is an experiment looking at bone marrow health and blood production in space, with funding from the Canadian Space Agency.”
Full Story (UPI)