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NASA Fears for Sunita Williams’ Health as Weight Loss Reaches Dangerous Levels: Are Space Missions Making Astronauts Sick?”β¦β¦π³ππ
The astronaut’s thinness triggered a NASA race to help her gain weight during her stay on the ISS
Williams and fellow astronaut Barry Wilmore passed the physical exams prior to the space mission without any problems and were only scheduled to spend eight days on the ISS.
However, their Boeing Starliner shuttle experienced technical failures and both were stranded in space. As a solution, a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule will bring them back to Earth, but this is not expected to happen until February.
The eight-day stay has turned into more than 155 days. According to NASA, the 5-foot-6-inch Williams began the mission weighing approximately 139 pounds.
“They have to eat between 3,500 and 4,000 calories a day just to maintain their current weight,” the NASA employee explained. “And when you start to fall behind, your weight drops quickly,” as was the case with the astronaut.
They must also exercise for more than two hours a day to maintain their muscle mass and bone density, burning even more calories.
On Earth, Williams is an avid runner, to the point that she became the first person to run a marathon in space in 2007, virtually participating in the Boston Marathon on a treadmill.
However, to gain weight, Williams would have to undergo a diet of up to 5,000 calories a day, compared to a caloric requirement on Earth, which ranges from 1,600 to 2,400 calories on average, to maintain his weight.
According to NASA, the effects of space travel are more severe in women than in men, as they lose muscle mass at a faster rate than male astronauts.
NASA steps in to regulate astronauts’ weight
Faced with the situation, NASA doctors began working with Williams about a month ago to help her gain weight, after images of her physical condition caused worldwide concern about her health, the source said.
However, NASA says there is no need to worry about Williams’ case: “All astronauts aboard the International Space Station undergo routine medical evaluations,” the agency said in a statement. “They have specialized flight surgeons who oversee them and reported that they are in good health.
“In a similar case, a crew of four NASA astronauts returning to Earth in SpaceX’s Dragon capsule were rushed to hospital after spending 200 days on the ISS. One of those astronauts spent the night at Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola hospital and was discharged the next day. NASA did not disclose the reason for the hospitalization.
Speculation about Williams’ health has become a source of gossip around NASA, the source said.