The likelihood that the lost density and strength cannot be restored increases with the length of a space trip. According to the study, spaceflight-induced bone loss is a phenomena similar to age-related bone loss, albeit one that occurs more quickly. But unlike the aging process on Earth, bone loss in space has a different pattern and affects different parts of the body.
The negative effects, however, are the same despite the variations. Long-term space travel may hasten the onset of major issues like osteoporosis and an increased risk of fractures. According to the study, altering one’s medication and establishing new exercise regimens may be able to mitigate some of the bone-related problems brought on by prolonged space travel.
Astronauts lose between 1% and 2% of their bone mineral density for each month they spend in space, according to earlier studies. NASA astronaut Scott Kelly’s bone and cognitive development were both significantly down by his time in space, according to a 2018 assessment. Anemia concerns for astronauts on journeys to distant places like Mars and beyond were raised by another study that was published in Nature Medicine that found that red blood cells were damaged in space at a rate that is 54 percent higher than on Earth.
