Pharmaceutical development for spaceflight gut biome maintenance

Paper number

IAC-20,A1,VP,22,x61134

Author

Ms. Fiona McAllister, France, International Space University (ISU)

Year

2020

Abstract

The spaceflight environment contains many physical stressors that can negatively impact astronaut health. Whilst the negative effects of the environment on circadian rhythms and musculoskeletal atrophy are well known, its impact on other systems in the body are not fully understood. Significant change to the gut biome has been observed during spaceflight and may cause gastrointestinal distress in astronauts; this may be linked to the preservation of astronaut food. 
On Earth, a large portion of gut flora is derived from the consumption of fresh foods. Due to strict limitations on the microbial content of astronaut food, this results in reduced biodiversity of gut flora in astronauts over the course of spaceflight.
 With regards to this, we are considering the current understanding of the gut biome by looking at foods on Earth that may be linked to higher overall gastrointestinal health, such as probiotics, and critically analysing these links. 
It is already possible to grow and eat approved foods on the International Space Station (ISS), and exploring the growth of additional foods to introduce microbiota could mitigate the reduced biodiversity of gut biomes in space. Additionally, there are similarly extreme environments on Earth, such as submarine missions and Antarctic missions. Information regarding how nutrition for these environments is designed could be useful in preparing food for future spaceflight missions. As missions grow longer in length to prepare for interplanetary travel, a better understanding of these microbiomes is needed and how to mitigate the effects of the spaceflight environment on them. In regards to current approaches to astronaut nutrition, we suggest that it will need to be reviewed before the beginning of future interplanetary missions, as well as considering current pharmaceutical countermeasures for gastrointestinal distress and its place in maintaining the gut biome.

Abstract document

IAC-20,A1,VP,22,x61134.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-20,A1,VP,22,x61134.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.