Space travel might be bad for the heart, according to recent research.
Appollo Astronauts at Risk for Cardiovascular Complications:
Twenty-four members of the Apollo space program flew into deep space between 1968 and 1972. Eight of them have since died, and more than 40 percent of those deaths were due to cardiovascular causes. Astronauts are well-educated and have access to excellent health care, so it is a bit surprising that their cardiovascular mortality rate is four or five times higher than that of astronauts who did not get into space.
Cosmic Radiation May Be Bad for the Heart:
The researchers who published these findings in Scientific Reports hypothesize that the Apollo missions’ exposure to galactic cosmic radiation may be responsible for damage to the heart and blood vessels. Mice exposed to this type of radiation developed arterial damage. Space travel exposed the astronauts to deep space radiation.
If NASA plans further space travel that will send astronauts to the moon and Mars, this problem will need to be solved.
