TEL AVIV: According to a new study, aerobic exercise can reduce the likelihood of cancer metastatic spread by 72 per cent.
According to the researchers, during vigorous aerobic exercise, the amount of glucose (sugar) absorbed by internal organs increases, which reduces the amount of energy cancer has access to. Professor Carmit Levy from the Department of Human Genetics and Biochemistry and Dr Yftach Gepner from the School of Public Health and the Sylvan Adams Sports Institute at TAU's Sackler Faculty of Medicine led the study. Prof. Levy notes that the new study has produced a significant discovery that could aid in the prevention of metastatic cancer, the main cause of mortality in Israel, by merging scientific expertise from many schools at TAU. The article was accepted for publication in the esteemed journal Cancer Research, and its cover was picked for the November 2022 issue.
Prof. Levy and Dr Gepner: "Studies have demonstrated that physical exercise reduces the risk for some types of cancer by up to 35 per cent. 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 per cent. 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."
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 cancer cannot spread, and the primary tumour also shrinks in size."
Dr Gepner added: "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 per cent of the maximum pulse rate, sugar burning requires 80-85 per cent - even if only for brief intervals. 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." (ANI)
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