Treatments targeting the gut microbiota such as prebiotics and proiotics could protect astronauts against the negative effects of space travel on their health.
- Long missions in space can affect the health of astronauts, especially their gut microbiota.
- However, taking probiotics and prebiotics can help them maintain their health by stimulating microbial metabolism in the intestine.
While it is estimated that a first trip to Mars will be possible by 2035, building a space shuttle that will take astronauts to the red planet safe and sound is not the only challenge that scientists will have to face. Indeed, long periods spent in space can have detrimental effects on the health of travelers, affecting their metabolism, bone and muscle health, gastrointestinal health, immunity and mental health.
Researchers may have figured out how to protect astronauts from the effects that long space missions could have on their health. In an article published in the journal Frontiers in Physiologythey explain that gut microbes and bacteria could protect travelers from the rigors of space travel.
A risk of intestinal inflammation
Numerous studies have focused on intestinal microbes and their role in the health of astronauts on space missions. Professor Silvia Turroni from the University of Bologna (Italy) and Professor Martina Heer from the University of Bonn (Germany) have sifted through these various works to propose a synthesis.
Thus, a study has shown that the microbiota of astronauts during the same mission resemble each other more and more during the trip. Other work has highlighted an increase in bacteria associated with intestinal inflammation and a decrease in those with anti-inflammatory properties. “Changes in the microbiota are likely to lead to the breakdown of the balanced and complex relationship between microbes and their human host, with potentially serious repercussions on the functionality of bodily systems”explains Sylvia Turroni.
However, it is possible to reverse this trend by taking microbial treatments during the space mission. “The literature suggests that nutritional countermeasures based on prebiotics and probiotics hold great promise for protecting space travelers.”continues the researcher.
Balanced meals and individualized treatments
What would these microbial treatments consist of? According to the researchers, they could simply be nutritionally balanced meals, with lots of fiber to stimulate microbial metabolism in the gut. Other options might be more targeted, including microbial supplements, such as bacteria that secrete immune-boosting substances, or those that synthesize vitamins needed for bone growth.
While there are a wide variety of probiotics available to protect astronauts from the specific problems they might encounter in space, however, it remains to be determined what would be the most effective treatments and how best to use them for each member of space missions. . “The well-being of the gut microbiota of space travelers should be one of the main goals of long-duration exploratory missionsbelieves Martina Heer. To ensure mission success, we must not overlook the myriad of microorganisms that reside in our digestive tract and ensure they are in balance.”
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