What does happen to bones in space travel?

 

Since 19th century man trying to find more information about space. Therefore, probably they should travel to space. Some times satellites and robots travel to space without humans. Humans already travelled to moon and international space station. The situation of space is different from the earth while astronauts work in the space. They face lots of problem in the space.

                                                                                                                     Some times their health is getting badly. Their cardiovascular system, skeletal system, nerves system, Gastrointestinal system are getting changing. Most dangerous fact is loss of strength of bones while they are in the space. There are 206 bones in the human body. They support to body to maintain its functions and health.

·         Gives mechanical support

·         Storage nutrition (calcium)

·         Blood production (via bone marrows)

·         Protection internal organs (Brain, spinal cord, heart, lungs, nerves)

 

Mainly bones are made by organic and inorganic components. Organic components are collagen, elastin, proteins. Inorganic components are hydroxy apatite which contain calcium rich minerals. Together, the interwoven organic and inorganic components of bone create a sturdy yet flexible skeletal structure.

                                                        

                                      There is the gravity in the Earth but there is minimal gravity in the space. So in the space astronauts are flying because minimum gravity in the space. While in the space humans’ bones are getting weaker. Normally there is a balance between bone loss and bone formation. Always bones loss occurs but bone formation occurs equally to maintain the equilibrium. When bone loss occurs Ca 2+ ions are released from the bones to blood. When bone formation occurs Ca2+ ions are transported to bone. That’s the normal protocol of the bone homeostasis.

                                                    But in the space bone loss occurs more than bone formation. There fore astronauts who are in the jets have high Ca2+ levels in the blood than in the Earth. Cause for this is unknown. In the space there is no any stress to bones due to minimum gravity. But in the earth, there is a stress to bones. So we can walk and movement our limbs easily. When there is more stress to bones it leads to bone remodeling. Old bones begin to loss and then new bone formation occurs. Due to lack of stress in the space bone remodeling does not occurs. So most astronauts bones get more fragile in the space. Scientists think major cause is lack of gravity but they research continuously to find other reasons.  Astronauts who travel long space trips likes in Mars face this trouble. They travel many months. After 5 months in the space get more fragile bones. Astronauts who travel short period trips gets low damage to bones rather than long trippers. When they come to Earth their bone, remodeling occurs properly. But they can’t get their original perfect bones. So, their newly formed bones are not 100 % good.

                                                                  Because of this problem astronauts do some exercises to avoid these troubles in the space. Lets see how does astronauts prevent bone loss. They use treadmills to run and they use dumbbells. And they get good diet which have Calcium and Vitamin D rich foods. And also, they meditate and don’t use alcohol and don’t smoking. These regular exercises give more comfort to astronauts to safe their bones.

Not only in the space but also in the earth some people also have osteoporosis. At older age bones become more fragile because bone loss occurs more than bone formation.