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 Jun 27, 2026

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.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Study contacts

  • Contact

    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

Locations

  • Medes - Imps

    RECRUITING

    Toulouse, Medes-imps, 31400, France

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••