Space travel can be hard on the gut
Research conducted by the University of Copenhagen and NASA suggests that microgravity may disrupt gut bacteria in astronauts, leading to increased protein fermentation. This biological change is believed to be a contributing factor to the common issue of constipation during space travel.
Why it matters
Understanding the physiological challenges of long-term space flight is critical for the health and safety of future deep-space missions.
Even in space, the digestive system can make its displeasure known - and microgravity might be part of the problem. (AI-generated pic)
PETALING JAYA: Space travel is often associated with dramatic challenges such as radiation exposure, muscle loss and the effects of living without gravity. But there is also a far less glamorous problem that astronauts know well - constipation.
Scientists have long known that digestion can become disrupted in space, but new findings out of Copenhagen, conducted with Nasa, suggest one possible reason lies in the way gut bacteria behave once the body enters microgravity.
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