Space travel depletes red blood cells and bone, but bone marrow fat may come to the rescue

A examine of 14 astronauts means that whereas space journey depletes pink blood cells and bone, the physique can finally replenish them again on Earth with the assistance of fats saved within the bone marrow. The examine, revealed in Nature Communications, has necessary implications for well being in space and on Earth.

“We discovered that astronauts had considerably much less fats of their bone marrow a couple of month after returning to Earth,” mentioned senior examine creator Dr. Man Trudel, a rehabilitation doctor and researcher at The Ottawa Hospital and professor on the College of Ottawa. “We predict the physique is utilizing this fats to assist change pink blood cells and rebuild bone that has been misplaced throughout space journey.”

This examine builds on Dr. Trudel’s earlier analysis which confirmed that in space travel, astronauts’ bodies destroyed 54% more red blood cells than they usually would on Earth, leading to what is called “space anemia.” This analysis is a part of MARROW, a made-in-Ottawa experiment taking a look at bone marrow well being and blood manufacturing in space.

“Fortunately, anemia is not an issue in space when your physique is weightless, however when touchdown on Earth and probably on different planets or moons with gravity, anemia would have an effect on vitality, endurance, and energy and will threaten mission objectives,” mentioned Dr. Trudel. “If we will discover out precisely what’s controlling this anemia, we would be capable of enhance prevention and therapy.”

The brand new examine concerned MRI scans of the astronauts’ bone marrow at a number of time factors earlier than and after a six-month mission on the Worldwide House Station. The researchers discovered a 4.2% lower in bone marrow fats a couple of month after returning to Earth. This steadily returned to regular ranges and was carefully related to elevated manufacturing of pink blood cells and restoration of bone.

“Since red blood cells are made within the bone marrow and bone cells encompass the bone marrow, it is sensible that the physique would dissipate the native bone marrow fats as a supply of vitality to gasoline pink blood cell and bone manufacturing,” mentioned Dr. Trudel. “We sit up for investigating this additional in numerous scientific circumstances on Earth.”

The analysis additionally means that youthful astronauts could have an elevated potential to harness the vitality from bone marrow fats, and that feminine astronauts’ bone marrow fats elevated greater than anticipated after a yr.

As a rehabilitation doctor, most of Dr. Trudel’s sufferers are anemic and have misplaced muscle and bone mass after being ailing for a very long time with restricted mobility. Anemia hinders their potential to train and get better muscle and bone mass. “I am hopeful that this analysis will assist folks get better from immobility on Earth in addition to in space,” mentioned Dr. Trudel. “Our analysis might additionally make clear illnesses comparable to osteoporosis, metabolic syndrome, getting older and most cancers, that are related to will increase in bone marrow fats.”