Bone loss in space

[scintor]

I was thinking about the problem with bone loss.

Bone loss doesn't occur because of lack of gravity per se. It is because the bones of the legs and spine especially, are not being used for support.

We are made with incredable adaptability. It's said that our skeleton is constantly rebuilding itself, and that it completely rebuilds itself every ten years. While it is doing this it responds to the stresses that we put on our body to make it able to do those tasks we do regularly more easily.

This is where we get into trouble in low or zero-G. Without any of the pressure that is on our legs, spine and hips, the body starts adapting to a smaller, less dense structure in these areas as it is suffecient for the demands made upon it.

So far, the answer to this has been short periods of vigerous exercise to counteract bone loss. While effective, this approach only works for athletes and will definately not work for the young, old and out of shape.

An alternate idea is to this would be tension siuts that use springs or other streachy material to place the equivalent pressure on the back and legs to keep the bone density up or prepare those who live in no or low-G enviroments for higher gravity environments.

The major caviots here would be the time it would take to make such changes. the time would be measured in months if not years.

Scincerely,

[e-mail]

[Divides the Waters]

I remember one night at ACU cracking up over a friend of mine (you remember Mouse, Mark?) joking about the "peach haze" surrounding an astronaut. I think his assumption was that you lost more than bone...

In all seriousness, though, you're right. Bone does adapt to need. As Jack Cuozzo pointed out, the Eskimo jawbones are nearly twice as dense as most people's because they use their teeth as clamps. The bone grows in response to the muscle. And as I found out recently, a lifetime of pencil-pushing does not create strong bones in the hands. (I also read that drinking pop will leach the calcium from the bones. I don't know if this is true, but it might explain why my metacarpal snapped like a twig--I drink the stuff like water.)

[scintor]

Yes, I remember Mouse and that special time when he met Micky (true story.) A lot of people assume that all the things that the body gets rid of come out with the "waste," but that's not exactly true. I think that a lot of peoplewill be surplised by this and many other things if and when we start living in space. (I personally doubt the prediction that spaceborn will not be able to live on Earth. I think we were better designed than that.)

Scincerely,

[e-mail]

[Jeff Gerke]

What about the idea of centrifugal (or is it centripetal?) force? Spin the living area around an axis to create artificial gravity close to Earth's. Then no special exercises will be required.

Of course I think such an arrangement would totally throw off the inner ear and leave everyone throwing up for the whole trip, but at least their bones would be good!

Jeff

[Vaporwolf]

What about getting around the problem without having to worry about gravity or force? Such as taking a synthetic supplement that artificially reinforces the bone structure on a molecular level? Perhaps even making the bones stronger than through natural means? Could have some odd side effects such as abnormal bone growths that give people spikes & horns.

[scintor]

Jeff,
Spinning is the simplist form of artificial gravity which works great in space, but it doesn't work on lower gravity places like the moon. It also has limits on how small an object can be spun, which you alluded to.

Vaporwolf,
All that would do is make ALL of your bones thicker if it worked, which would not necessarily be a good thing. The odd things like bones and spikes might make for a good light Sci-Fi piece.

Scincerely,

[e-mail]

[metalikhan]

Is centrifugal force what produced gravity in the Ringworld books? It's been so long since I've read them I can't remember. (No wise cracks about old-timer's disease, por favor!)

[scintor]

metalikhan

Yes, it is. Of courst the obvious question for a ringworld or Dyson sphere is what kind of material could withstand the stress of that kind of rotation for any period of time without breaking apart.

That brings up the idea of a lunar settlement which is on a rotating base with everything set at an angle to simulate Earth Gravity.

Scincerely,

[e-mail]

[Jeff Gerke]

New article on bone loss in space:

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28860055/