Long stints on the International Space Station take a bell on the human consistence , and it does n’t help that the food up there is limited by what can be moderately air and stored in space . To improve conditions for astronauts , a squad of scientists devised and tested a solid food plan specific to the blank space environs , resulting in noticeable health and performance benefit .
The ISS , orbiting 100 of mi above Earth , is n’t the place for sophisticated kitchens and elaborated meals . It cost a lot to transmit foodstuff to space , and once there , it all must be lay in as compactly as possible .
Astandard spaceflight dieton the ISS direct to duplicate healthy diet back dwelling , butresearchpublished today in Scientific Reports evoke astronauts could profit from an “ enhance ” dieting specific to the space surroundings . Beyond general wellness and execution benefits , an upgrade , fruit- and veggie - tamp diet could potentially mitigate the injurious effects unique to working in space , according to the research worker . Grace Douglas from the Human Health and Performance Directorate at NASA Johnson Space Center lead the team .
European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti preparing a meal aboard the ISS on 23 December 2024.Photo: NASA
The bailiwick aimed to value the impact of the enhanced diet prior to actually testing it out in outer space . To simulate the distance environs , Douglas and her colleague ran their experiment in NASA’sHuman Exploration Research Analog(HERA ) habitat . Sixteen participants , working in sets of four , were confined to the spaceflight simulation chamber for 45 - day stints . The 10 work force and six adult female between the ages of 30 and 50 received anterior breeding on how to record their daily dietary intakes , collect biologic sampling , and run cognitive tryout .
In addition to the confined space - like conditions , the nutrient were pre - packaged and made to be shelf - static , just like they would be on the ISS . Individuals either ate the enhance dieting or the standard diet , the latter serve as the ascendance group .
The enhanced diet feature an increase phone number of servings as well as a greater variety of fruit and vegetable , more fish , and added source of flavonoids and omega-3 fatty acids , liken to the stock menu . The player consumed more than six daily servings of yield and vegetables and eat rough two to three helping of fish each workweek , in addition to other tidy solid food . Over the course of the fake 45 - Clarence Shepard Day Jr. mission , each participant provided samples of urine , spittle , blood , and stool , while also completing cognitive mental testing .
Yummy. Foods in the new study included shrimp cocktail, butternut squash, and braised red cabbage. The freeze-dried foods were rehydrated prior to being eaten.Photo: NASA
Interestingly , participants in both group lost a little bit of weighting . But for those on the enhanced diet , they experienced some discernable benefits . “ Overall , subjects consuming the enhanced diet had improve nutritional intake that associated with several improvements in markers of wellness , stress , and cognitive functioning , as well as greater stability in the microbiome [ i.e. microbic intestine health] … liken to subject down the standard diet , ” the scientists wrote in their study . More specifically , this included lower cholesterol and cortisol level ( the latter evoke reduced stress ) and boosts to cognitive speed , accuracy , and attention .
“ This cogitation provides evidence of wellness and cognitive performance benefits from an enhanced space travel dieting start ahead of time in a mission , ” the researcher claim . They added that the study “ provides important priming - based service line data ” to liken with spaceflight data pertaining to “ added stressor ” like microgravity and increased vulnerability to radiotherapy . That said , future research is needed to better evaluate the enhanced diet as a potential countermeasure to these harmful effects , the scientist enunciate .
I like this study , but it feels uncompleted . The obvious limitation is that the participants consumed these food for thought on Earth and not the destine environment of infinite . A smart next footstep would be to replicate this 45 - day field in distance and take down potential conflict , such as the cortisol levels , as working in space is in all likelihood far more stressful than just bid meter indoors of HERA . Also , 45 days is a drop-off in the pail compared to actual long - length delegation , which typically last for six month . I ’d like to know how the enhanced dieting make for across that much longer , more relevant , timeframe .
A larger sampling size of it would also be nice , and admit more women , somebody with varied dietary needs and limitation , medical conditions ( such as diabetes ) , different kinds of body masses , and the great unwashed on certain medication . The researchers , aware of the low sample sizing , said their approach still “ provide crucial brainwave into impacts from the complete spaceflight diet . ”
These concern by , the theme does enhance our understanding of the foods needed to keep astronaut levelheaded , vibrant , and productive . And as the researchers point out , foods might even protect crew from the ravages of place .
“ Food is the one potential countermeasure that will perfectly be included on future exploration - class space missionary post , ” to “ enable safe exploration far beyond low - terra firma celestial orbit , ” the researchers wrote . Indeed , it ’s crucial that we think about this now , as space becomes increasingly accessible , be it through trips around the Moon , expedition to Mars , or stays aboard private space stations .
More : Astronauts Can Suffer a Decade of Bone Loss During Months in Space , New Research suggest
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