According to the latest reports, it seems that increased fitness is able to lower prostate cancer risk by 35%. Check out the latest reports about the medical discovery below.
Lowering prostate cancer risk
Recent research has shown that even small improvements in cardiovascular fitness can significantly lower the risk of developing prostate cancer.
A new study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that increasing aerobic fitness by just 3% can reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer by up to 35%.
“The findings in the present study contribute significantly to our knowledge of the relationship between [cardiorespiratory fitness] and prostate cancer as it is the first study to investigate change in [cardiorespiratory fitness] rather than [cardiorespiratory fitness] at a single time point, and to focus on prostate cancer specifically,” the researchers wrote.
Cardiorespiratory fitness refers to the ability of the heart and lungs to provide oxygen to the muscles during physical activity. This is an important indicator of overall health.
In a recent study, researchers examined the medical records of approximately 58,000 men from a national occupational health database in Sweden.
The men in the study underwent at least two cardio fitness tests, which involved riding stationary bikes while their oxygen intake was measured.
A higher volume of oxygen indicated a higher level of fitness.
The database also contained details about the men’s physical activity, lifestyle, and body mass index.
The participants of the study were categorized into three groups based on their heart fitness trends. One group included individuals whose heart fitness improved by 3 percent or more annually.
Another group consisted of individuals whose heart fitness reduced by 3 percent or more. The third group comprised of men whose heart fitness remained stable.
During a period of about seven years, around 600 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer, and 46 of them died from the disease. The study found that men who improved their cardio fitness year over year had a 2 percent lower risk of developing prostate cancer compared to men whose fitness decreased or didn’t increase.
However, researchers found that men who increased their fitness level by 3 percent or more per year had a 35 percent lower risk of developing prostate cancer than those whose fitness decreased.
Unfortunately, the study did not find any evidence of a link between cardio fitness and a decreased risk of dying from prostate cancer.
