Upon entry into microgravity, body fluids tend to migrate far from the legs towards the upper body and head, with the usual result of nasal congestion, a feeling of fullness in the head and deals with that look puffy. This fluid shift has actually also become part of the studies of why astronauts vision deteriorates while in area.
Astronaut Tim Peakes first blood draw finished in space. The sample was taken as part of the MARROW experiment. Credit: NASA
Previous research studies showed that astronauts lose 10 percent of the liquid in their blood vessels while their bodies adjust to being in area. From those studies, it was thought vascular systems in the space environment rapidly damaged 10 percent of the red cell to restore the balance, which red cell control was back to normal after 10 days in area.
Rather, a group led by Dr. Guy Trudel from the Ottawa Hospital and University of Ottawa, discovered that the red blood cell damage was a primary impact of being in space, not just triggered by fluid shifts. Plus, the rate of red cell damage persisted, albeit at a lower rate, for at least a year following the astronauts six-month explorations in area.
” Here, we show that space flight is associated with persistently increased levels of products of hemoglobin degradation, carbon monoxide in alveolar air and iron in serum, in 14 astronauts throughout their 6-month missions onboard the International Space Station,” Trudel and his team wrote in their paper, published in Nature Medicine. “One year after landing, erythrocytic results persisted, including increased levels of reticulocytosis, hemoglobin, and hemolysis.”
Astronaut David Saint-Jacques gathering breath, ambient air, and blood samples for the MARROW experiment. Credit: NASA
These findings, the group stated, recommend that the damage of red cell, called hemolysis, is a primary effect of microgravity in space flight and support the hypothesis that the anemia associated with area flight is a hemolytic condition that ought to be considered in the screening and tracking of both astronauts and space travelers.
Red blood cell destruction occurs all the time in our bodies. In the world, our bodies destroy and create 2 million red cell every second. The researchers discovered that astronauts bodies were damaging 54 percent more red blood cells throughout the six months they remained in area, or 3 million every second. These results were the very same for both female and male astronauts.
However the impacts of this type of anemia arent evident till the astronauts go back to Earth.
Astronaut Jeff Williams collects a breath sample for the MARROW experiment on board the International Space Station. Credit: NASA
” Thankfully, having fewer red blood cells in space isnt a problem when your body is weightless,” said Trudel, in a press release. “But when landing in the world and potentially on other planets or moons, anemia affecting your energy, endurance, and strength can threaten mission objectives. The results of anemia are only felt when you land, and need to handle gravity again.”
In this research study, 5 out of 13 astronauts were clinically anemic when they landed– one of the 14 astronauts did not have blood drawn on landing. While the researchers discovered that the anemia slowly improved after a couple of months, even one year after astronauts returned to Earth, red blood cell damage was still 30 percent above preflight levels. The team said these results recommend that structural modifications may have happened to the astronaut while they remained in space that altered red blood cell control for as much as a year after long-duration area missions.
What does this mean for future space tourists? Trudels group said that everyone going to area needs to be screened for existing blood or health conditions that are affected by anemia. However also, because the research study showed that the longer the area mission, the even worse the anemia, this could affect long-duration objectives to the Moon and Mars, given that it is unclear at this moment the length of time the body can endure the greater rate of damage and production of red blood cells. The scientists suggest an adapted diet plan for astronauts to try to combat the anemia.
As with the majority of physiological research studies in space, these findings are suitable to individuals in the world. Trudel desires to study this connection in future studies.
” If we can learn exactly whats causing this anemia, then there is a potential to treat it or avoid it, both for astronauts and for clients here in the world,” stated Trudel.
Originally published on Universe Today.
For more on this topic, read Space Anemia: Being in Space Destroys More Red Blood Cells.
Reference: “Hemolysis adds to anemia during long-duration space flight” by Guy Trudel, Nibras Shahin, Timothy Ramsay, Odette Laneuville and Hakim Louati, 14 January 2022, Nature Medicine.DOI: 10.1038/ s41591-021-01637-7.
Flight Engineer Anne McClain in the cupola holding biomedical equipment for MARROW. Credit: NASA
Its truly true: space wishes to eliminate us. And this time, area is attempting to eliminate us from the inside out.
A new research study on astronauts living on board the International Space Station reveals that while in space, the astronauts bodies destroyed 54 percent more red blood cells than they generally would in the world. Even one year after their flight and back in the world, the signs of “space anemia” persisted in the 14 astronauts tested.
Anemia in astronauts has been referred to as an issue, even because a few of the very first human objectives to space. Medical experts havent made certain, nevertheless, about the systems adding to anemia in space. For quite a long time, it was thought that area anemia became part of the fluid shift in astronauts when they arrive in area due to the zero-gravity conditions.
Anemia in astronauts has been understood as a concern, even given that some of the very first human objectives to area. For quite some time, it was thought that space anemia was part of the fluid shift in astronauts when they get here in space due to the zero-gravity conditions.
Astronaut Tim Peakes very first blood draw completed in area. The scientists discovered that astronauts bodies were ruining 54 percent more red blood cells throughout the 6 months they were in area, or 3 million every second. The group said these results recommend that structural modifications may have taken place to the astronaut while they were in space that changed red blood cell control for up to a year after long-duration space missions.
