Aerobic Exercise can Prevent the Spread of Cancer

Aerobic exercise can reduce the risk of the spread of cancer by 72%. According to researchers, aerobic exercise can increases the sugar consumption of internal organs, thereby reducing the availability of energy to the tumor. Prof. Levy and Dr. Gepner from Tel Aviv University said that, “Studies have demonstrated that physical exercise reduces the risk for some types of cancer by up to 35%. This positive effect is similar to the impact of exercise on other conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes. In this study we added new insight, showing that high-intensity aerobic exercise, which derives its energy from sugar, can reduce the risk of metastatic cancer by as much as 72%. If so far the general message to the public has been ‘be active, be healthy’, now we can explain how aerobic activity can maximize the prevention of the most aggressive and metastatic types of cancer.”

Animal Model to Study the Impact of Physical Activity on Cancer Spread

The study involved an animal model in which mice were trained to perform a particular set of exercises and was compared to the human data, and it indicated that 72% less in the spread of cancer in participants who reported doing regular aerobic activity at high intensity, compared to those who did not engage in physical exercise which was similar to the animal model.

Prof. Levy: “Our study is the first to investigate the impact of exercise on the internal organs in which metastases usually develop, like the lungs, liver, and lymph nodes. Examining the cells of these organs we found a rise in the number of glucose receptors during high-intensity aerobic activity - increasing glucose intake and turning the organs into effective energy-consumption machines, very much like the muscles. We assume that this happens because the organs must compete for sugar resources with the muscles, known to burn large quantities of glucose during physical exercise. Consequently, if cancer develops, the fierce competition over glucose reduces the availability of energy that is critical to metastasis. Moreover, when a person exercises regularly, this condition becomes permanent: the tissues of internal organs change and become similar to muscle tissue. We all know that sports and physical exercise are good for our health. Our study, examining the internal organs, discovered that exercise changes the whole body, so that the cancer cannot spread, and the primary tumor also shrinks in size.”

With researches done earlier, it was noted that physical activity can help in reducing the spread of cancer but with this study there is a clear sight of what exercise can help with the spread of cancer (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
The Regulation of the Metastatic Cascade by Physical Activity: A Narrative Review

Go to source).

Dr. Gepner adds: “Our results indicate that unlike fat-burning exercise, which is relatively moderate, it is a high-intensity aerobic activity that helps in cancer prevention. If the optimal intensity range for burning fat is 65-70% of the maximum pulse rate, sugar burning requires 80-85% - even if only for brief intervals. For example: a one-minute sprint followed by walking, then another sprint. In the past, such intervals were mostly typical of athletes’ training regimens, but today we also see them in other exercise routines, such as heart and lung rehabilitation. Our results suggest that healthy individuals should also include high-intensity components in their fitness programs. We believe that future studies will enable personalized medicine for preventing specific cancers, with physicians reviewing family histories to recommend the right kind of physical activity. It must be emphasized that physical exercise, with its unique metabolic and physiological effects, exhibits a higher level of cancer prevention than any medication or medical intervention to date.”

Exercise helps cancer survivors to cope up with recovery from treatment and improve their long term health (2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Exercise in cancer

Go to source). But with this new breakthrough study it is evident that high intensity aerobic exercises can help in preventing cancer and the spread of cancer.
References:

1. The Regulation of the Metastatic Cascade by Physical Activity: A Narrative Review - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31936342/)
2. Exercise in cancer - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20596305/)

Source-Medindia