Stranded astronaut Sunita Williams said the growing concerns about her health were nothing but “rumors” — as she attributed the change in her appearance to “fluid shift.”
Williams, 59, sparked concern last week when she appeared in a NASA photo looking gaunt, with sunken cheeks and a noticeably thinner frame.
Stranded astronaut Sunita Williams noted the growing concerns about her health. NASA
Williams, 59, sparked concern last week when she appeared in a NASA photo looking gaunt, with sunken cheeks and a noticeably thinner frame. NASA JohnsonThe astronaut tried to dispel the worries while speaking with the “New England Sports Network Clubhouse” kids show Tuesday, saying she was healthy.
“Folks in space, you know, their heads look a little bit bigger because the fluid evens out along the body,” she explained.
“I think things shift around quite a bit, you probably heard of a fluid shift,” she added, referencing the phenomenon that occurs to astronauts in space.
Fluid shifts have affected half of all American astronauts aboard the International Space Station, with fluid in the body moving upward and increasing volume and pressure in the head, according to NASA.
Williams also hit back against the claims that she is losing too much weight in space by saying she has actually put on muscle since her return trip home got delayed until February.
“My thighs are a little bit bigger, my butt is a little bit bigger,” she said. “We do a lot of squats.”
But a NASA employee who is directly involved in Williams’ mission told The Post last week that the astronaut “has lost a lot of weight.”
“The pounds have melted off her and she’s now skin and bones,” he said. “So it’s a priority to help her stabilize the weight loss and hopefully reverse it.”
The source said Williams, who was only meant to be in space for eight days, has been unable to keep up with the high-caloric diets that astronauts must consume.
She attributed her appearance to a “fluid shift.” AFP via Getty ImagesNASA doctors started working with Williams about a month ago to help her pack on the pounds — even before the viral images caused global concern about her health, the source said.
NASA has stressed that there’s no major concern about Williams’ health or weight.
“All NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station undergo routine medical evaluations,” the agency said in a statement.
“They have dedicated flight surgeons monitoring them, and are in good health.”
Williams and her fellow astronaut Barry Wilmore have been stuck on the ISS for more than five months after their Boeing Starliner craft experienced technical malfunctions and returned to Earth empty.
A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule will give them a ride home, but it is not scheduled to return until February 2025.
