Living in the weightlessness of space can wreak havoc on the human body, leading to a laundry list of physical ailments: weakened bones, shrinking muscles, and even ocular swelling. But hold onto your helmets—there’s a glimmer of good news for those brave astronauts!

Recent research has shed light on cardiovascular health during long missions aboard the International Space Station (ISS). A study conducted on 13 NASA astronauts, ages 30 to 50, who spent between four months and a year in orbit, reveals that their arteries emerged unscathed.

Using ultrasound technology, scientists meticulously examined the astronauts' carotid and brachial arteries at various stages: before, during, and after their space journeys, even checking in at one, three, and five years post-mission. The results? Everyone's arteries were in impeccable condition.

The researchers triumphantly declared, "Long-duration spaceflight missions on the ISS did not result in thickening of the carotid artery wall, increased CCA stiffness, endothelial dysfunction, or development of new symptoms or signs of cardiovascular disease in the first 5 years after long-duration spaceflight." What's more, any cardiovascular risks were attributed to natural aging, not the experience of space travel.

However, it wasn’t all perfect—some signs of oxidative stress and inflammation were detected in blood and urine samples, although these concerns vanished within just a week after the astronauts returned to Earth. This points to the remarkable resilience of the cardiovascular system when exposed to microgravity.

Still, this is merely one study, and as we set our sights on missions to the Moon and plans for establishing a human presence on Mars, it’s crucial to continue monitoring the health of astronauts. The researchers emphasized, "Continued long-term surveillance of cardiovascular health in the larger astronaut cohort is necessary to characterize the lifetime risk of disease, particularly in astronauts who venture beyond low Earth orbit and are exposed to deep space radiation."