PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE IS MAINTAINED IN WOMEN CONSUMING ONLY FOODS USEDON THE US SPACE-SHUTTLE

In-flight reductions in caloric intake, body weight, lean body mass (L BM), aerobic capacity, and other measures of physical performance have been consistent findings in the U.S. and Russian space programs. The diet provided for astronauts in space has been suggested as a possible contributor to these changes because toed selection, preparation, and storage facilities are limited on spacecraft. In this ground-based st udy, consuming only foods used on the Space Shuttle for 28 d did not a ffect aerobic capacity, LBM, or measures of muscle strength or enduran ce in 12 healthy women (ages 28-47 years). However, normal consumption patterns were affected by restriction to the Space Shuttle diet, name ly a proportional increase in carbohydrate consumed, with compensatory decreases in protein and fat. These results suggest that physical per formance and LBM can be maintained under normal gravity conditions in active women who consume a Space Shuttle food system diet for 28 d.