Lying down for science: how 10 days of bed rest and fasting could help astronauts
NCT ID NCT07499167
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jul 10, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study puts 10 healthy men on 10 days of strict bed rest with their heads tilted down, combined with a controlled low-calorie diet, to mimic the effects of space travel. Researchers will measure changes in muscle, heart, blood, brain, and metabolism. The goal is to understand how the body responds to these extreme conditions, which could inform future astronaut health protocols.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- head-down bed rest and caloric restriction
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could help scientists understand how to protect astronauts' health during long space missions, especially regarding muscle loss and metabolism.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small pilot study with only 10 healthy men, so results may not apply to women or other populations. It is exploratory, not designed to prove any treatment works.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Medes - Imps
Toulouse, Medes-imps, 31400, France
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