Low-gravity gene therapy

Low-gravity gene therapy allows human musculature and stature to mature in normal ways when in low-gravity environments. This type of gene therapy is legal within the Federation, and is often required for permanent immigration by children and other developing humans to human-populated worlds and colonies with significantly lower gravity than Earth, such as Titan.
Low-gravity is hazardous to traditional human health, and growing up in a low-gravity environment can permanently affect the shape and abilities of a human body. The human body does not need to work as hard to move in a low-gravity environment. Muscles have no need to be as strong, bones have no need to be as resistent to stress and pressure. This lack of stress will lead to lower muscle mass and weaker, more brittle bones. Humans who grow up in a low-gravity environment can ascend to amazing heights, with very thin, gracile limbs. Were these extremely tall, slender humans to return to a normal-gravity environment, they would have difficulty walking, moving about, and even breathing.
Because colonists moving to low-gravity environments might one day want the option of moving away, or might desire their offspring to have that option, the low-gravity gene therapy was created.
This therepy creates a permanent alteration of human DNA, affecting cell generation, growth and maturation. It stunts the development of height, so humans maturing in low-gravity will have the basic appearance and internal body structure of a human who was raised in a normal-gravity environment. It also increases the amount of minerals the body deposits on bone, the density of new muscle, and increases the lungs' ability to process denser air. 
Developing children who recieve the therapy are restricted in where they can travel, and for how long, as they mature. Dramatically changing the gravity levels for lengthy periods of time can have undesirable side-effects on their growth and health. For example, a child with the gene therapy and growing in a normal-gravity environment will develop with a type of dwarfism, called Grummett's Dwarfism. Children who inherit the therapy biologically from their parents are less restricted, as they can take medication that will reduce and occasionally nullify the effects of the therapy.
Adults who have recieved the therapy and have grown up in a low-gravity environment are unrestricted in where they can live. Once past puberty, the gene therapy will have little effect on their height. However, it will continue to have an effect on their bone and muscular growth. Specifically, humans with the therapy are able to develop muscle more quickly than regular humans. If the treated human were to undergo extensive muscle training, their muscle can become unnaturally strong, and cell growth can become uncontrolled and develop into certain types of cancer. It is recommended that low-gravity treated adults in normal-gravity only lightly exercise. Depending on the specific type of treatment, medication exists that will reduce or nullify the effects of the gene-therapy, allowing for normal bone and muscle growth.
Category:Medical Procedures