Astronaut Sunita Williams’ weight loss triggers NASA race to help her pack on the pounds: ‘I gasped out loud when I saw the last picture’

NASA doctors are frantically trying to thief stranded astronaut Sunita Williams battalion connected nan pounds aft she has suffered a “significant” weight nonaccomplishment since arriving astatine nan International Space Station successful June.

Newly released photos show Williams, 59, appearing jarringly gaunt, pinch sunken cheeks and a noticeably thinner frame.

“She has mislaid a batch of weight,” said a NASA worker who is straight progressive successful nan ngo and has attended aggregate briefings.

“The pounds person melted disconnected her and she’s now tegument and bones. So it’s a privilege to thief her stabilize nan weight nonaccomplishment and hopefully reverse it.”

Williams and chap astronaut Barry Wilmore passed their pre-mission physicals earlier nan abstraction flight, and were only slated to beryllium connected nan ISS for 8 days.

But when their Boeing Starliner knowledgeable method malfunctions, they became stranded successful space.

A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule will springiness them a thrust location — but it’s not owed to return to Earth until February.

They person now been successful abstraction for 155 days.

According to nan NASA source, nan 5-foot-8 Williams began nan ngo astatine astir 140 lbs.

But arsenic nan ngo dragged on, Williams was incapable to support up pinch nan high-caloric diets that astronauts must consume, nan root said.

Due to changes successful their metabolisms, astronauts person eat doubly arsenic galore calories arsenic earthbound humans request each day.

“They person to eat astir 3,500 to 4,000 calories per day, conscionable to support their existent weight,” said nan NASA employee.

“And erstwhile you commencement falling behind, your weight drops fast.”

Adding to nan issue: They must besides workout for much than 2 hours each time to support their musculus wide and bony density successful a zero-G environment, burning moreover much calories.

Williams, an avid runner, became nan first personification to tally a marathon successful abstraction successful 2007 by moving on pinch nan Boston Marathon connected a treadmill.

To put connected weight, Williams could person to eat up to 5,000 regular calories, nan root said.

The mean female connected Earth needs astir 1,600 to 2,400 calories to support their weight.

NASA doctors started moving pinch Williams astir a period agone to thief her battalion connected nan pounds — moreover earlier nan viral images caused world interest astir her health, nan root said.

Several NASA studies person wished that nan effects of abstraction recreation are harsher connected women. A 2023 study recovered that female astronauts suffer musculus astatine a faster complaint than their antheral counterparts.

But successful a connection connected Thursday, NASA stressed that there’s thing to interest about, and that they are not overly concerned astir Williams’ weight loss.

“All NASA astronauts aboard nan International Space Station acquisition regular aesculapian evaluations,” nan connection reads.

“They person dedicated formation surgeons monitoring them, and are successful bully health.”

The alarming photograph comes aft a unit of 4 NASA astronauts returning to Earth connected SpaceX’s Dragon capsule were rushed to nan infirmary aft spending 200 days connected nan ISS.

One of those astronauts was kept overnight at Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola hospital, according to NASA.

The abstraction agency did not uncover nan quality of nan aesculapian emergency and nan astronaut was released nan pursuing day.

Speculation of Williams’ wellness has go fodder for rumors astir NASA, said nan source.

“I gasped retired large erstwhile I saw nan past picture,” nan NASA worker said.

“And it’s thing we’re talking about, but not thing we’re obsessing about. It’s a existent interest and everyone is taking it seriously.”