According to tests conducted on rats, the cosmic radiation to which astronauts are exposed could cause erectile dysfunction (note the subtlety of the illustrative image). Anthony Kaczmarek 02/12/2023 07:00 4 min
THE Conclusions from this study carried out by American researchers and published in the FASEB Journal, a journal specializing in experimental life sciences, are to say the least confusing…Even though we already knew it some dangerous health effects of space travelcatch sight of Male astronauts would now be susceptible to… erectile dysfunction!
A variety of health consequences
Let’s go back to that first Risks from space travel : because yes, sex is not safe for your health. Stay above the atmosphere, Among other things, astronauts suffer from muscle loss, have weaker bones, develop a higher risk of cancer, but can also suffer morally from homesickness..
But that’s not all : Prolonged exposure to weightlessness could also be responsible for another condition like this strange respiratory disease from which the Astronauts who walked on the moon and unveiled last July. This respiratory illness would last Form of allergic rhinitis caused by suspended moon dust.
And the list doesn’t end here, becauseafter conducting tests on ratsSAmerican researchers have now discovered this Exposure to cosmic rays could affect men’s sexual health through erectile dysfunction!
One culprit: oxidative stress
In a NASA laboratory A group of rats were hung on harnesses (the poor…) and another stayed on the ground, all around Simulate microgravity. In total, 43 rodents were involved in the experiment conducted by these University of Florida researchers. Some rats were then exposed to galactic cosmic rays of varying strength in a simulator.
Why astronauts suffer from erectile dysfunction more often
️ https://t.co/424NM0WS6h pic.twitter.com/gOxZKZlGf6– GEO (@GEOfr) November 29, 2023
So after we simulated a trip into space, Researchers observed one year after radiation exposure (even at low doses) The Rat tissues were degraded due to increased oxidative stress (the change in cells, a type of accelerated aging). Constriction of blood vessels was observed in the penises of rats exposed to the radiation.
This shrinkage could “impair the function of the artery that supplies blood to the penis during erection”, say the researchers. Furthermore, the Microgravity could also play a role in these erectile dysfunctions, but to a lesser extent.
New health risks for deep, long-term space exploration missions…
“Neurovascular dysfunction associated with erectile dysfunction persists even after long-term recovery from microgravity simulations and space irradiation”https://t.co/pcx0tX2SUb— Rodrigo Fernandez-Gonzalo (@Rodrigo_FerGo) November 27, 2023
However, without losing interest, let’s put these results into perspective as we take this into accountOne year for a rat is equivalent to ten years for humans, so our astronaut friends have some leeway before suffering from this possible disorder. Over and beyond, There are no statements from astronauts on this topic yet, so we remain cautiousand thank the rodents for this important information…