Nutritional countermeasures may help ameliorate muscle loss in space. Dr. Robert Wolfe is testing whether an enhanced essential amino acid dietary supplement high in leucine will more efficiently prevent the loss of and preserve lean muscle mass. This ground-based bed-rest study is designed to closely mimic the hormonal and muscular activity alterations in spaceflight.
Overview
Nutritional Countermeasures to Ameliorate Losses in Muscle Mass and Function
Principal Investigator:
Robert R. Wolfe, Ph.D.
Organization:
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Technical Summary
We have completed this project. Throughout 14 days of bed rest, we studied the effects of chronically elevated cortisol and a hypocaloric diet on muscle protein, lean body mass and muscle function. We have completed 13 subjects. Preliminary evidence indicates that combined elevation of cortisol and a hypocaloric diet throughout bed rest increases muscle resistance to the action of insulin and increases the loss of lean body mass. This investigation is relevant to both clinical and astronaut populations, as both are prone to under-nutrition during a stress state. Further, we intend to investigate nutritional and exercise countermeasures with this model to determine an optimal operational countermeasure that can be economically (in terms of crew time and payload) utilized to ameliorate muscle loss during prolonged spaceflight.
Earth Applications
Prolonged inactivity is inherent to trauma, serious injury or major surgery. These events represent a significant stress to the patient such that the resultant muscle loss and weakness impairs subsequent rehabilitation. The requirement for hospital intensive care often entails hypocaloric intake in the patient, thereby further exacerbating the deleterious effects of hospitalization. This project is designed to investigate countermeasures which will maintain muscle mass and function during periods of prolonged inactivity. The proposed interventions are primarily nutritional, with the idea that minimal activity will enhance nutritional effectiveness. The nutritional intervention is of unique design and composition so as to have a maximal benefit on a gram per gram basis. Thus, these investigations are directly applicable and translatable to patient populations.
This project's funding ended in 2009