91av

Health

Experimental drug boosts muscle and bone mass of mice in space

By Michael Le Page

7 September 2020

House mouse (Mus musculus)

The experimental drug was tested in mice

imageBROKER / Alamy

An experimental drug has dramatically increased muscle and bone mass in mice that spent a month on the International Space Station. The hope is that a human version could help people who spend long periods in bed due to illnesses, as well as astronauts.

“It could help any condition, any prolonged illness, in which someone is bedridden,” says Emily Germain-Lee at the University of Connecticut.

Maintaining muscle and bone is costly, so they lose mass when we don’t use them, whether due to spending time in bed or in microgravity.…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with 91av events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, today with our introductory offers

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account
Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop