Astronauts suffer from several health symptoms that negatively affect the functioning of vital functions in the body, and in extreme cases vital organs may be exposed to partial or complete damage, and over the past decades in which humans have been active in working outside planet Earth under harsh conditions, several health risks have been observed. Physiological changes occurred in astronauts, especially during long missions in which there is continuous separation from Earth.
Due to the harsh environment of space that is not subject to the laws of Earth, the low influence of the force of gravity and exposure to cosmic and solar radiation are among the main reasons that put the astronaut’s life at risk.
In a lengthy report, the Human Research Program of the US Space Agency (NASA) monitored all these health symptoms, the most important of which was the effect of low gravity on the bones, which causes them to lose their mass at an average rate of between 1% and 1.5% per month on long-term flights. Short trips, the effect is negligible.
The elements calcium and phosphorus constitute more than half of the bone material, and bones are also called the “calcium bank” in the body of a living organism. And just like muscles, bones are formed and their density constantly changes, as they are living tissue, in response to the forces affecting and affecting them, such as gravity, according to what I observed. American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.
When the influence of gravity is absent on the body, the bones begin to lose their mass little by little because they were freed from the constant mechanical load on the skeleton while they were on the ground, in response to the adaptation required in a completely different environment. When bones erode, they become brittle and susceptible to serious fractures when exposed to stress, and it is not known whether the loss of bone mass will eventually reach a stable stage, or whether it will continue to erode indefinitely.
When the astronauts return to Earth, the loss of bone mass stops immediately, and the body’s rehabilitation process begins, which takes a long time in conditions of normal gravity. Studies are still ongoing on the nature of the missing bone if it is completely replaced, and whether the new bone is the same strength or weaker than the bone. the original.
The astronauts adhere to a daily exercise schedule to perform specific exercises for at least two hours on the International Space Station to reduce the effects of lack of gravity on the bones and muscles, and their strict diet is rich in calcium.
Despite this, damage is still possible, and it is not possible to guarantee that the body will return to its previous state after recovery, in addition to the long hours of exercise that astronauts take from their valuable time, and this has prompted scientists to search for more effective solutions in the long term.
Drugs that prevent bone erosion
A research paper published in the scientific journal Nature on September 18, 2023 indicates that a newly discovered drug was used in a study conducted on a group of mice up to 30 weeks old, to ensure the maturity of their skeleton. The drug showed high efficiency in reducing bone mass loss. The study’s authors, from the University of California, believe that this would enhance the chances of long-term spaceflights to Mars.
The drug, called BP-NELL-PEG, did not show any side effects. On the contrary, bone density increased in mice that received the treatment, while bone density decreased in other mice, as expected in the study. An experiment conducted on board the International Space Station.
The drug used is a modified version of the NELL-1 protein, which is biologically coupled to an inactive bisphosphonate to create a molecule.
The smart “BP-NELL-PEG” capable of targeting bone tissue with greater precision and efficiency.
According to several studies conducted on a group of animals; The protein has been shown to enhance the activity of cells that make up bone tissue, and to inhibit cells that lead to osteoporosis. The research team is looking forward to giving the green light to try the drug on adult humans undergoing special surgeries, such as those who suffer from the erosion of spinal discs over time, known as degenerative disc disease.
In an interview with the University of California Health Organization, Chia Su, a plastic surgeon and leader of the research team, expressed her pride in the results they reached, and said that they give great hope for the future of space exploration, especially those human missions that take long months of work away from Earth.
