NutritionforSpaceExploration ScottM.Smith Nutritionhasproven tobecritical throughoutthehistoryofhumanexploration,onboth landandwater.Theimportanceofnutrition duringlongdurationspaceexplorationisno different.Maintainingoptimalnutritionalstatusiscriticalforallbodilysystems, especiallyinlightofthefactthatthatmanyarealsoaffectedbyspaceflightitself.Major systemsofconcern arebone,muscle,thecardiovascularsystem,theimmunesystem, protection againstradiationdamage,andothers.

Thetaskaheadincludesdefiningthenutritionalrequirementsforspacetravelers, ensuringadequacyofthefoodsystem,andassessingcrewnutritionalstatusbefore, during,andafterflight. Accomplishingthesetaskswillprovidesignificantcontributions toensuringcrewhealthonlongdurationmissions. Inaddition,developmentandtesting of nutritionalcountermeasurestoeffectsofspaceflightisrequired,andassessmentof the impactofothercountermeasures(such asexerciseandpharmaceuticals)onnutritionis alsocriticalformaintainingoverallcrewhealth. VitaminDstores ofcrewmembersareroutinelylowafterlongdurationspaceflight. Thisoccurseven whencrewmemberstakevitaminDsupplements,suggestingthat vitaminDmetabolismmaybealteredduringspaceflight.VitaminDisessentialfor efficientabsorption ofcalcium,andhasnumerousotherbenefitsforothertissueswith vitaminDreceptors. Proteinisamacronutrientthatrequiresadditional studytodefinetheoptimal intakefor spacetravelers. Administrationofproteintobedrestsubjectscaneffectivelymitigate musclelossassociatedwithdisuse,buttoomuchortoolittleprotein canalsohave negativeeffectsonbone.Inanotherbedreststudy,wefoundthattheratioofproteinto potassiumwascorrelatedwiththelevelofboneresorption:thehighertheratio,themore boneresorption.Theserelationshipswarrantfurtherstudytooptimizethebeneficial effectofproteinonbothboneandmuscleduringspaceflight. Omega3fattyacidsarecurrentlybeingstudiedasameansofprotectingagainst radiationinducedcancer.They havealsorecentlybeenimplicatedashavingarolein mitigatingthephysicalwasting,or cachexia,causedbycancer.Themechanismof musclelossassociatedwiththistypeofcachexiaissimilartothemechanism ofmuscle lossduringdisuseorspaceflight.Omega3fattyacidshavealready been showntohave protectiveeffectsonboneandcardiovascularfunction. Omega3fattyacidscouldbean ideal countermeasureforspaceflightbecausethey haveprotectiveeffectsonmultiple systems. Adefinitionof optimalnutrientintakerequirementsforlongdurationspacetravelshould alsoincludeantioxidants.Astronautsareexposedtonumeroussourcesofoxidative stress,includingradiation,elevatedoxygenexposureduringextravehicularactivity,and physicalandpsychological stress.Elevatedlevelsofoxidativedamagearerelatedto

increasedriskforcataracts,cardiovasculardisease,andcancer.Manygroundbased studiesshowtheprotectiveeffectsofantioxidantsagainstoxidativedamageinducedby radiationoroxygen.Balancingthedietwithfoodsthathavehighlevelsofantioxidants wouldbeanotheridealcountermeasurebecauseitshouldhaveminimalsideeffectson crewhealth. Antioxidantsupplements,however,areoftenusedwithouthavingdataon theireffectivenessorsideeffects. Highdosesofsupplementshavebeenassociatedwith boneandcardiovascularproblems,butresearchonantioxidanteffectsduringspaceflight hasnotbeenconducted. Muchwork mustbedonebeforewecansendcrewsonexplorationmissions.Nutritionis oftenassumedtobethesimpleprovisionoffooditemsthatwillbestablethroughout the mission.Asoutlinedbrieflyabove,thesituationismuchmorecomplexthanfood provision. Asexplorersthroughouthistoryhavefound,failuretotrulyunderstandthe roleofnutrition canbecatastrophic.Whenhumansareinenvironmentsunlikeany they haveseen before,thisismoretruethanever.