How hibernating ground squirrels recycle urine to maintain their muscles: Significance for Astronauts and Aging Humans

My guest today is Dr. Matthew Regan, assistant professor of animal physiology in the Département de Sciences Biologiques at the Université de Montréal. We discuss how hibernating animals find it hard to get the nitrogen they need to maintain muscles – but ground squirrels have gut microbes that can break down urea to free up the nitrogen it contains. How knowledge gained in these experiments may, in the future, benefit people who lose muscle mass simply by the aging process or because of being  by bedridden. Similarly, it applies to astronauts who spend many months in a weightless environment. We talk about Matthew’s musical achievements and his interest in sports cars.

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