Page 156 - International Space Station Benefits for Humanity, 3rd edition.

studies— Nine crew members followed low- and high-salt diets
in ground-based simulations and in space—and it during their long-duration missions. The expected
was found that not only is sodium retained (probably results may show that additional negative effects can
in the skin), but it also affects the acid balance of the be avoided either by reducing sodium intake or by
body and bone metabolism. Therefore, high salt intake using a simple alkalizing agent like bicarbonate to
increases acidity in the body, which can accelerate counter the acid imbalance.
bone loss. This space research directly benefits everybody
The European Space Agency’s (ESA’s) SOdium LOad in on Earth who is prone to osteoporosis.
microgravity (SOLO) study zoomed in on this question.

European Space Agence (ESA) astronaut André Kuipers (left) and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko (right) with
food items on the International Space Station in December 2011. In the SOdium LOad in microgravity experiment,
astronaut subjects undergo two different diet regimes to determine the physiological effects of sodium on the body.
Image credit: ESA

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