Preventing bone loss in astronauts
Title of paper: Interventions to prevent bone loss in astronauts during space flight.
Jun Iwamoto, Tsuyoshi Takeda and Yoshihiro Sato
Weightlessness during space flight results in calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin K deficiency among many other conditions. The loss of bone mineral density (BMD) in the spine, neck (femoral neck), thigh (trochanter), and pelvis is 1.0－1.6% per month. Merely taking calcium, vitamin D and vitamin K supplements may not be enough to prevent astronauts developing osteoporosis during or after space flight. This may lead to an increased risk of fractures in later life. This paper reviews the interventions to stabilize calcium balance and bone metabolism and prevent bone loss in astronauts during space flight.
