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#1 2026-07-03 14:55:27
- Oldfart1939
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- Registered: 2016-11-26
- Posts: 2,510
The use of hormonal manipulation & prolonged exposure to Microgravity
I'm opening this new topic as a potential discussion area for chemists, biochemists, and biologists.
I personally undertook writing--or doing the initial literature research--on the bone loss problem as early as 2010. I surmised that this bone loss was a problem related to Osteoporosis here on Earth and there are growth factors and hormones currently available for treatment of this condition.
The real treatment is generation of artificial gravity as suggested by Bob Zubrin using his tethers and centripetal acceleration around a capsule or spacecraft.
Since NASA and SpaceX haven't properly addressed this problem--I'm opening this discussion thread to begin a dialogue on this topic
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#2 2026-07-03 16:46:05
- SpaceNut
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- From: New Hampshire
- Registered: 2004-07-22
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Re: The use of hormonal manipulation & prolonged exposure to Microgravity
All that Nasa kept is the ISS during the 2010 to today and its following the IL‑6 signaling, NELL‑1 therapeutic protein, and NASA‑STD‑3001 medical countermeasure requirements. Microgravity causes 1–2% bone density loss per month even with exercise.
High altitude and microgravity both produce:
Reduced mechanical loading (less ground reaction force; similar to microgravity unloading)
Hypoxia‑driven IL‑6 and HIF‑1α signaling → accelerates bone resorption
Fluid redistribution → similar to ISS headward shift
Endocrine changes → cortisol elevation, altered calcium metabolism
This is why high‑altitude research often informs NASA’s countermeasures.
of course we need to know what is still in between as mars and the moon are just numbers that can not be made linear to the points that we have.
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#3 2026-07-03 23:48:23
- Oldfart1939
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- Registered: 2016-11-26
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Re: The use of hormonal manipulation & prolonged exposure to Microgravity
The standard treatment for osteoporosis is Calcitonin injections; getting information on other hormones that control bone structural changes is somewhat difficult for me now that I'm retired.
Look up Osteoblasts and Osteoclasts for a start. It's been over 10 years since I did any literature research on this topic--but it should be worthwhile.
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#4 2026-07-03 23:55:55
- Oldfart1939
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- Registered: 2016-11-26
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Re: The use of hormonal manipulation & prolonged exposure to Microgravity
The control of Hematocrit is also capable of hormonal manipulation via Erythropoietin, a growth factor commercially available and has been abused by professional bicycle racers. Commonly referred to as "Epo." It stimulates the bone marrow to accelerate the maturation of new erythrocytes, and is a standard treatment for anemia as induced by kidney dialysis.
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