How is the human body affected by space traveling?

When astronauts travel into space for a long time, their bodies get impacted in a multitude of ways, with effects that sometimes last a lifetime.

Besides the unique advantages of space journey, there are also a few downsides of spending time away from the planet. Sometimes, the consequences of space exposure can last forever.

As a recent documentary shows, astronauts can experience calcium spoliation while in space due to the impossibility of walking and running normally. The effects on the overall skeletal structure’s health can be disastrous, as they may lead to serious diseases, such as osteoporosis and bone fragility. In order to avoid this as much as possible, astronauts follow a special exercise and nutrition plan.

The level of bone and muscle mass is also an issue for space pioneers. In the case of long term traveling, many astronauts can lose as much as 40% of their muscular weight, and 20% of their bone mass respectively. Constant exposure to radiation can as well lead to cancer in further stages of their life.

As little as 6 months spent in space can trigger significant health changes: the spine and legs expanding, face getting puffy or muscles liquefying, eye and immunity problems are just a few of them. Moreover, insomnia and limb coordination are also issues for newly returned astronauts. In the same way, isolation impacts their mental health more than common depression.

But, with all of the aforementioned risks, passionate astronauts are constantly trying to untangle the mysteries of space, this way contributing to the progress and evolution of the human race and develop research on how to limit space travel influence over the human body.