Beyond Earthly Meals: Shubhanshu Shukla Reveals The Secrets Of Space Digestion | India News
As part of the Axiom Mission 4 (AX-4), Shubhanshu Shukla, the Captain of Indian Astronaut group at the International Space Station (ISS), is participating in important scientific work and educational activities.
Recently, he recorded a special video message for school students in India, where he has simply announced how our digestive system has adapted to the unusual field conditions.
In space, the lack of gravity of the Earth has a strong effect on how the stomach and intestines work. On earth, gravity helps to move food from the digestive system using a natural process called peristalsis. But in space, without gravity, this movement slows down. As a result, digestion slows down and changes in the form of food change of the body.
Peristalsis is a wave -like movement that pushes the muscles in the digestive system to the stomach and intestines, helps to move and digest the body properly.
In space, body fluids move upwards towards the chest due to lack of gravity and move to the head. This change can affect how the stomach works, sometimes cause discomfort, and the body’s foods can change the way of sucking from food.
In space, micro gravity can change the balance of good bacteria in the stomach and intestines known as intestinal microbiome. This affects how the food is broken down and how the nutrients are taken by the body. If it is not managed properly, it can lead to a lack of basic vitamins and minerals.
How do astronauts keep their intestines healthy in space
In space, the balance of good bacteria in the stomach can be disturbed, so that astronauts follow special steps to stay healthy:
Probiotics and prebiotics – They receive supplements with good bacteria (probiotics) and eat foods that help the growth of these bacteria (prebiotics).
Private Diet – It includes foods such as fiber and fermented products that support intestinal health and help the body to absorb nutrients better.
Intestinal controls – Scientists regularly test the intestinal bacteria of astronauts and make changes if necessary.
Exercise – Daily exercises not only keep their muscles strong, but also help digestion.
Extra Vitamins – Since it is more difficult to absorb nutrients in space, they receive extra vitamins and minerals to stay healthy.
Before the launch – Astronauts prepare intestinal health before going to the field to reduce future problems.
These steps help astronauts to remain strong even during long space tasks on Mars!
On muscle atrophy
Together with training efforts, Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is conducting important muscle health research within the Kibo Laboratory, a science module at the International Space Station (ISS) built by Japan. In Japanese, Kibo means “hope ve and is used for life science, medical and space experiments.
Shubhanshu Shukla is doing research on muscle stem cells, special cells that help repair and build muscles in the body. In space, the absence of gravity means that the muscles of the astronauts are not used as much as on earth. This lack of activity causes muscles to weaken and shrink – a condition known as muscle atrophy.
Shukla’s work is investigating how these stem cells work in micro gravity and whether certain supplements or treatments can help maintain muscle power during long space tasks. Findings may also be useful on earth, especially for people suffering from muscle loss due to aging or long -term inactivity periods.
Life Sciences Glovebox is a special indoor working area that keeps the area clean and away from germs at the space station. It allows astronauts to safely handle and examine biological examples such as cells or tissues in space. Since it is a closed and controlled environment, it helps scientists to do detailed studies – even in micro gravity – even in micro gravity without the risk of contamination.
What is a torpedo?
A torpedox is a closed cap with an outside gloves. Astronauts keep both the astronaut and the sample safe by placing their hands on these gloves to process the samples in the box without touching it directly.
Shubhanshu Shukla’s research is going hand in hand with astronauts with other experiments in ISS. These include brain-computer connections and mental health in space supported by both the government and private groups.
With his scientific study, Shukla encourages young Indian students to be interested in space science and biology. His efforts help us to learn more about space travel while inspiring future generations.
(Girish Linganna is a science communication and a defense, aviation and geopolitical analyst. Add Engineering components India Pvt.
