Space travel safer with shiraz

Intriguing new research in the FASEB Journalsuggests that the “healthy” ingredient in red wine, resveratrol, may prevent the negative effects of weightlessness that astronauts suffer. The report describes weightlessness simulations with rats in which the resveratrol-fed rodents failed to develop insulin resistance or a loss of bone mineral density, typical health problems encountered by astronauts in space.

“There are overwhelming data showing that the human body needs physical activity, but a low gravity environment makes it nearly impossible for astronauts. For the earthbound, barriers to physical activity are equally challenging, whether they be disease, injury, or a desk job. Resveratrol may not be a substitute for exercise, but it could slow deterioration until someone can get moving again,” explained Gerald Weissmann, Editor-in-Chief of theFASEB Journal.

The study speculates as to some of the underlying mechanisms by which resveratrol may work and also suggests that it may be able to prevent the deleterious consequences of sedentary behaviors in earthbound humans. “If resveratrol supplements are not your cup of tea, then there’s good news. You can find it naturally in red wine, making it the toast of the Milky Way,” quipped Weissmann.

Related:
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One-way Mars missions mooted
The Space Race’s Softer Side
Martian Dreaming

Source: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology

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