Space travel is an exciting and unique adventure, but it can come with some unexpected health risks. A recent study has revealed that astronauts on long-term space missions may experience significant bone loss due to a compound that is naturally found in their bodies. The findings of this study could help us to better prepare astronauts for missions to more distant destinations, such as Mars.

The compound in question is known as sclerostin, which is produced by the bones and helps to regulate the process of bone formation. Scientists found that the levels of this compound were much lower in the astronauts that had participated in long-term space missions, which could explain why they were experiencing bone loss.

This research could have far-reaching implications for space exploration in the future. If we can find a way to limit the amount of bone loss astronauts experience on long-term missions, it could make it much easier to travel to more distant destinations. Researchers will be continuing to investigate this issue in the hopes of finding a way to protect astronauts from this potentially serious health risk.

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source: Phys.org