[Evaluation of effectiveness of water-salt supplement in the long-duration "MIR" missions]

Long-term stay of human in microgravity instigates body hypohydration. Specifically, it leads to noticeable reduction in the extracellular fluid volume and consequent orthostatic instability and some other hemodynamic disorders immediately after flight. To prevent these developments and to improve g-tolerance during descent, the cosmonauts administered a complex of end-of-flight countermeasures consisting of, besides the physical and LBNP training sessions, water-salt supplements (WSS). Basing on the experience of WSS application in long-duration space flights we can assert the effectiveness of this method of pharmacological body hydration maintenance on the phase of preparation for descent and the post-landing period. The present work is an attempt to analyze the data about WSS administration and effectiveness on the program of the MIR long-term missions.