Space Exploration Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for spacecraft operators, scientists, engineers, and enthusiasts. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this community
Is the effect of micro-gravity on bone structure similar to osteoporosis? If so, do they often take simple pills like calcium or more advance medicine such as ones listed here? Lastly, are they effective?
I am aware that daily workouts on the ISS are crucial. Just wondering if a medication alone could be enough to help with bone density.
This is commonly known as Spaceflight osteopenia . This results in loss of average bone density.
Increasing dietary calcium and vitamin D is a standard countermeasure for osteoporosis. Clay is reportedly used by NASA for retaining calcium. A variety of drug remedies currently used or proposed for osteoporosis may work for spaceflight, including hormone therapy (estrogen and/or progestin), selective estrogen receptor modulators, bisphosphonates , teriparatide , and others. Whether they can provide the same benefits for spaceflight as they do for osteoporosis is not yet known.
External source
