According to recent research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, improving your cardiovascular fitness by more than 3% each year can reduce your risk of prostate cancer by around 35%. The study analyzed data from 57,652 men and found a correlation between improved fitness and lower cancer risk over seven years. To learn more about this study, keep reading.
35 Improved fitness is associated with decreased prostate cancer risk
A recent study found that improving your cardiovascular fitness by at least 3% per year can reduce your risk of prostate cancer by nearly 35%. Prostate cancer is cancer that begins in the prostate, a small walnut-shaped gland in men that produces semen, which helps nourish and transport sperm.
According to the International Fund for Cancer Research, prostate cancer is “the second most common cancer in men and the fourth most common cancer overall.” In 2020, more than 1.4 million people were newly diagnosed with prostate cancer. ”
The Mayo Clinic says: “Many prostate cancers grow slowly and are confined to the prostate, so they do not cause significant harm. However, some types of prostate cancer grow slowly and require minimal treatment. However, other types of prostate cancer are more aggressive and can spread quickly.”
For the study, researchers surveyed 57,652 men with measurements of physical activity, lifestyle, perceived health, weight, and height, as well as at least two cardiorespiratory tests measured by steady-state pedaling. Data regarding functional test results were examined. Of 181,673 results.
The men completed at least two fitness tests that helped determine how much oxygen they consumed during intense exercise. If they used more oxygen, it means their fitness level has improved. These findings were compared to men who later developed prostate cancer.
The study found that over an average of seven years, 592 men (1 percent of the total sample) were diagnosed with prostate cancer, and 46 men (0.08 percent) died from prostate cancer.
The researchers found that “after accounting for potentially influencing factors such as age, education level, year of exam, and body mass index (BMI), a yearly increase in absolute cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with a 2 percent reduction in prostate cancer risk. “It was associated with death, but it was not associated with death.” ), smoking status.
“When we grouped participants based on whether their cardiorespiratory fitness improved, remained stable, or decreased, we found that those who improved their fitness by more than 3 percent per year were more likely than those whose fitness decreased. They were 35 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer than men after taking into account potentially influencing factors.”
However, the researchers said this was just an observational study and could not pinpoint the cause, adding that genetic factors play a large role in both a person’s cardiovascular fitness and cancer risk.