But on the International Space Station, the astronauts’ bodies were destroying closer to 3 million blood cells every second.
After their return to Earth, five out of the 13 astronauts involved in the study were clinically anemic; the levels of red blood cells in their blood, and those of the oxygen-carrying component hemoglobin, dropped so low that other tissues in their bodies were not receiving enough oxygen.Even after that period of time, however, their bodies were destroying about 30% more red blood cells than before they went to space, suggesting longer-term changes as a result of space travel.
Fortunately, none of the astronauts involved in the study suffered obvious health effects of anemia while in space?In addition to helping astronauts stay healthy in space, research on space anemia could eventually help people who develop anemia after being bedridden due to an injury or a long illness.Just like with space anemia, scientists don't yet fully understand the reasons why being bedridden makes the body destroy red blood cells.
The study is the first research published as part of the Canadian Space Agency's MARROW project, which is examining the effects that being in space have on human bone marrow and blood cells. .