Overview of the NASA 70-day Bed Rest Study

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the NASA 70-day Bed Rest Study. The integrated complement of investigations and the standardized bed rest environment that served as the platform for this study complement are described. Outcomes of the studies will not be presented here, but will be reported in separate publications. Methods A set of studies running in an integrated fashion along the entire period (pre-, in- and post-bed rest) and utilizing the same subjects is referred in this paper as "the campaign" or "complement". NASA selected 8 individual studies to participate in the 70-day bed rest campaign. These studies were integrated to increase efficiency in the utilization of resources and to share common measures among the investigations. In addition to the individual studies addressing specific aims, a battery of standardized measures was included. Standard measures target a wide range of physiologic systems and represent some of the testing routinely done on astronauts. Bed rest subjects underwent rigorous medical and psychological screening. Standardized conditions included 70 days of bed rest in a 6° head-down tilt position. Subjects' vital signs, body weight and fluid intake and output were measured daily. A standardized diet was provided to ensure consistent nutritional intake across subjects. Exercising subjects were prescribed individualized aerobic and resistance training 6 days per week performed in a horizontal body position. Subjects in the testosterone supplementation countermeasure group received testosterone enanthate injections at 2-week intervals during bed rest. Conclusion Long duration head-down tilt bed rest provided a suitable platform for examining physiologic effects of spaceflight and testing countermeasures in a ground-based model. Integrating studies into a complement is an effective way to support multiple-investigations while minimizing the number of subjects to answer many research questions. Corresponding Author: Lori Ploutz-Snyder, PhD, Dean, School of Kinesiology, Professor, Movement Science, 4170 Observatory Lodge, 1402 Washington Heights, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2013, Phone: 734-764-5210. Email: lorips@umich.edu Study infrastructure and operations were supported by the NASA HRP Flight Analogs Project, and the University of Texas Medical Branch, Institute for Translational Sciences – Clinical Research Center (ITS-CRC) through an NIH/NCATS Center for Translational Science Award (UL1TR000071). Individual research studies were supported by the NASA Human Research Program (HRP) and the National Space Biomedical Research Institute. The authors have no conflict of interest to declare. The results of the present study do not constitute endorsement by ACSM. The results of the study are presented clearly, honestly, and without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data manipulation. Accepted for Publication: 6 February 2018 © 2018 American College of Sports Medicine

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