Does digestion work the same inside our bodies in space? Each time I see an astronaut about to eat in space and watch their food floating around I wonder if it still moves through the body the same as it does under the gravity conditions on earth. Is there no gravity impact on that process? I know pressure has a direct relationship with gravity but how does that influence impact our bodies internally?
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It works the same way it does on Earth. The digestive process is not dependent on gravity. Food moves through you digestive system because your stomach and intestines have muscles that contract to push things through. Muscle movements are not affected by the microgravity environment in space.
Studies have shown that long-term living in space changes the gut flora (the bacteria that live in your gut) and these bacteria play a role in digestion, but overall, the mechanical process of eating, swallowing, digesting, and all the rest of it is the same.
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