DCU researchers work with European Space Agency to identify new ways to help keep astronauts healthy in space

Researchers at Dublin City University have found evidence to show the significant impact of prolonged inactivity on the body leading to altered energy use, increased insulin resistance and decreased muscle mass.

The findings were made during a collaboration with the European Space Agency to identify new ways to help keep astronauts healthy in space.

It was led by Dr Donal O’Gorman, Dublin City University as part of the 3U Diabetes Consortium with the results published in the journal Diabetologia.

Each of the nine male participants in the study were confined to bed for a period of 21 days as this provided the best simulation on earth, of the physiological changes experienced by astronauts in space.

The results showed changes that are similar to accelerated ageing and also have direct implications for health, especially the development of type 2 diabetes.

It found, for the first time, that during 21 days of complete bed rest, the body’s ability to regulate metabolism is tightly linked to the powerhouse of the cell - the number of mitochondria.

Even though the participants were in energy balance and therefore did not gain fat mass, they lost muscle and became more resistant to insulin.

The study also found that a type of exercise referred to as resistive vibration exercise (RVE) can help to mitigate some of the physiological changes that occurred during bed rest.

The exercises, which were a simple series, involving both resistance and vibration techniques, demonstrated a benefit on both muscle and bone during bed rest.

The results have important implications for general health recommendations, in particular for individuals who undergo long periods of enforced bed-rest and/or individuals who have little or no exercise.

The 3U Diabetes Consortium worked with the Université de Strasbourg, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin; Profil, Neuss, Germany and the Institute of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Bonn on this research.