What happens to your red blood cells whilst in space?

Being in space destroys red blood cells. A world first study has revealed how space travel can cause lower red blood cell counts known as space anemia. Analysis of 14 astronauts showed their bodies destroyed 54 percent more red blood cells in space than they normally would on earth according to a study published in Nature Medicine. Welcome to Science Unmasked. Please subscribe and turn on the notification button so you can get our latest videos. Before the study, space anemia was thought to be a quick adaption to fluids shifting into the astronauts upper body when they first arrived in space. Astronauts lose 10 percent of the liquid in their blood vessels this way. It was thought astronauts rapidly destroyed 10 percent of their red blood cells to restore the balance and that red blood cell control was back to normal after 10 days in space. Instead, lead author Dr. Guy Trudell, a rehabilitation physician and researcher at the Ottawa Hospital and his team found that the red blood cell destruction was a primary effect of being in space not just caused by fluid shifts. They demonstrated this by directly measuring red blood cell destruction in 14 astronauts during their six-month space missions. In space, 54 percent more red blood cells are destroyed. On earth, our bodies create and destroy 2 million red blood cells every second. The researchers found that astronauts were destroying 54 percent more red blood cells during the six months they were in space or 3 million every second. These results were the same for both female and male astronauts. Dr. Trudell's team made this discovery thanks to techniques and methods they developed to accurately measure red blood cell destruction. At Dr. Trudell's lab at the University of Ottawa, they were able to precisely measure the tiny amounts of carbon monoxide in the breath samples from astronauts. One molecule of carbon monoxide is produced every time one molecule of heme, the deep red pigment in red blood cells, is destroyed. Having fewer red blood cells in space isn't a problem when your body is weightless, but when landing on earth and potentially on other planets or moons, anemia affecting your energy, endurance and strength can threaten mission objectives. The effects of anemia are only felt once you land and must deal with gravity again. In this study, five out of 13 astronauts were clinically anemic when they landed. One of the 14 astronauts did not have blood drawn on landing. The researchers saw that space-related anemia was reversible, with red blood cells levels progressively returning to normal three to four months after returning to earth. Interestingly, the team repeated the same measurements one year after astronauts returned to earth and found that the red blood cells destruction was still 30 percent above pre-flight levels. These results suggest that structural changes may have happened to the astronaut while they were in space that changed red blood cell control for up to a year after long-duration space missions. The discovery that space travel increases red blood cell destructions has several implications. First, it supports screening astronaut or space tourists for existing blood or health conditions that are affected by anemia. Second, a recent study by Dr. Trudell's team found that the longer the space mission, the worse the anemia, which could impact long missions to the moon and mars. Third, increased red blood cell production will require an adapted diet for astronauts. And finally, it's unclear how long the body can remain this higher rate of destruction and production of red blood cells. These findings could also be applied to life on earth. As a rehabilitation physician, most of Dr. Trudell's patients are anemic. After being very ill for a long time with limited mobility, an anemia hinders their ability to exercise and recover. Bed rests have been shown to cause anemia but how it does this is unknown. Dr. Trudell thinks that the mechanism may be like space anemia. His team will investigate this hypothesis during future bed rest studies done on earth. He believes that if we can find out exactly what's causing this anemia, then there is a potential to treat it or prevent it, both for astronauts and for patients here on earth. That's all from Science Unmasked. Remember to subscribe and like our videos and share it with your friends.