{
  "id": 10546266,
  "title": "Astronauts Tend to Get Constipated in Space, a Blood Test May Reveal Why",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/astronauts-tend-to-get-constipated-in-space-a-blood-test-may-reveal",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-28T22:01:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Discover Magazine",
    "slug": "discover-magazine",
    "url": "https://www.discovermagazine.com/astronauts-tend-to-get-constipated-in-space-a-blood-test-may-reveal-why-49739"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Between 2006 and 2018, astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) had their blood drawn, preserved, and later analyzed for NASA research on various health impacts of space travel. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and NASA have now studied these blood samples to gain insights into how spaceflight affects the gut. They discovered an increase in compounds produced by gut bacteria when they ferment protein, suggesting that food takes longer to pass through the intestine in space. This change was evident during the astronauts' initial weeks in space and largely diminished within days of their return to Earth, according to the study published in Nature Communications. The researchers believe this could be due to the effects of reduced gravity on the digestive process, potentially contributing to constipation experienced by astronauts. Microbes in the large intestine typically derive energy from fiber and undigestible carbohydrates. When food moves more slowly, these microbes switch to using amino acids, the building blocks of protein, leading to increased protein fermentation and resulting blood chemistry changes. The team examined 488 blood samples from 52 astronauts who spent between two to nine months on the ISS. Out of over 400 compounds in their blood, around 40 changed during spaceflight, including these fermentation byproducts. Another compound, previously linked to slow gut movement, also increased. While the researchers didn't measure the speed of food movement through the astronauts' intestines, they inferred the slowdown from the blood chemistry. The findings were consistent across the mission duration and unaffected by gender, suggesting a universal impact of space travel on gut microbial activity. The researchers propose that increasing dietary fiber, particularly types fermented slowly by gut bacteria, could help alleviate constipation during long missions, such as those to Mars. This insight might also benefit bedridden patients who often suffer from constipation.",
  "summary": "Learn how slower digestion mat change what astronauts’ gut bacteria feed on during a long stay in orbit.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}