It has been told that researchers working to know the reason of why do skin of astronauts get thinner have now planned to send thousands of microscopic worms on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) hoping that an experiment conducted at ISS will help to increase our understanding of what makes the body build and lose muscle.

Timothy Etheridge from University of Exeter who studies muscle decline in space and potential ways of counteracting it, said, "As the world's space agencies plan longer, more ambitious missions, this poses a major challenge. Astronauts lose as much as 40 percent of muscle mass after 180 days onboard the ISS".

It is said that the results of the proposed experiment have wider potential applications. It can help people with muscular dystrophy and diabetes, and people immobilized by casts and the elderly.

As per sources familiar with the project, the experiment is likely to take place between 2017 and 2020. Scientists associated with the mission hope that it might improve their understanding of human health on Earth, as well as the effects of long duration human space travel.

Muscle loss in astronauts is worrisome because muscles in our body are responsible for carrying out several metabolic processes such as burning glucose and fat for energy. And as per experts loss of this level of muscle wasting could lead to metabolic ailments such as Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity.

Scientists affirmed that these experiments will provide the first definitive demonstration of the mechanisms underlying muscle loss in space. Its results will help to develop targeted therapies to lessen the problem in the future.