Could just minutes a day keep cancer away? An electrifying new study suggests that it could be possible, especially if you pick up the intensity. When researchers at University of Sydney explored the impact of short bursts of intense physical activity, they uncovered a game-changing finding: Just 4.5 minutes daily slashed certain cancer risks by 32%.
As the groundbreaking research published in JAMA Oncology reveals, integrating short yet potent “Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity” (VILPA for short) sessions into your day can tap into the body’s natural defenses against cancer. By pushing your limits, even for mere minutes, we can thwart the inflammation that quietly fuels cancer’s fire.
So, what does VILPA look like? Picture short spurts – think 45 to 60 seconds – of all-out exertion multiple times a day. This could mean bursting into an impromptu set of jumping jacks during a commercial break, sprinting to catch a bus, or racing up and down stairs at home or work. It could also mean a structured HIIT workout.
While just 4.5 minutes may sound surprisingly small, it’s the intensity that counts – pushing yourself to your personal max, then recovering, before going full-throttle again. Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, the lead author of the study, compares VILPA to High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), something we’re already familiar with.
Revealing the Connection Between High-Intensity Exercise and Cancer Risk
For the study, which spanned almost seven years, researchers asked 22,000 subjects who didn’t do formal workouts to track their daily activities using wearable technology. Their findings? Participants who engaged in as little as 4 to 5 minutes of VIPLA daily had a lower risk of cancer than those who were less active.
Those who engaged in just 3.5 minutes of daily VILPA witnessed an impressive 18 percent reduction in cancer incidence compared to those who abstained from VILPA entirely. Elevating the daily VILPA dose to 4.5 minutes pushed the reduction in physical activity-related cancer incidence to an impressive 32 percent.
Although this study wasn’t designed to show cause and effect, the correlation is interesting and there are reasons to believe there could be a causal link between exercise and a lower risk of developing some types of cancer.
Previous early-stage trials showed that intermittent vigorous physical activity quickly boosts cardio-respiratory fitness. Moreover, VILPA may contribute to improved insulin sensitivity and reduced chronic inflammation, further bolstering its cancer-fighting potential.
Ways in Which Exercise May Lower Cancer Risk
What are the ways exercise seems to lower the risk of developing cancer? Preliminary research shows these are some of the benefits exercise has for lowering the risk of cancer:
- Hormonal effects – Physical activity helps regulate hormones like estrogen and insulin, quelling signals that can trigger cancer. This can help reduce the risk of several types of cancer, including breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer.
- Rallying the immune system – Exercise keeps the immune system strong, enabling it to better detect and defeat threats. Numerous studies show exercise helps mobilize natural killer (NK) cells that help fight viruses and tumors.
- Maintaining healthy weight – Regular activity helps maintain a healthy weight, which supports balanced hormones and immunity. Obesity accounts for up to 20% of cancer deaths and being overweight or obese, particularly around the middle, is linked with a higher risk of some cancers.
- Reducing inflammation – Exercise can diminish inflammatory responses, which fuels cancer growth.
- Improving insulin sensitivity – Elevated levels of insulin in the blood, related to insulin resistance, is correlated with a higher risk of several types of cancer, including breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer. By improving insulin resistance, exercise may lower insulin levels and reduce the risk of cancer.
While studies link exercise to a lower risk of up to thirteen types of cancer, the evidence is strongest for tumors of the breast, prostate, colon, endometrial, and possibly pancreatic cancers. It’s another reminder that movement matters for your health and for your risk of developing cancer.
Conclusion
This study from the University of Sydney reveals how short bursts of vigorous daily activity may reduce the risk of certain cancer risks. While we need more research, these compelling findings offer hope and a practical prevention strategy we can all adopt. Just minutes a day could boost your body’s capacity to thwart cancer’s assault.
Simple, achievable changes to our daily routines could unlock untapped power. Even if you do a structured workout, add more short bursts of intense exercise into your day. Why walk to the bus stop when you can sprint? Add more short bursts of high-intensity activity into structured workouts too. When you’re lifting weights, do a set of squat jumps between certain sets. You’ll get more cardiovascular benefits too.
And don’t forget: Your health is your most valuable asset. The key to safeguarding it already lies within reach through brief moments of effort. By consistently pushing past our comfort zones, we can awaken the innate defenses that might just conquer cancer’s specter. VILPA gives us an attainable way to take control. Our future health rests in both this emerging science and our own determination to try.
References:
- Emmanuel Stamatakis, Matthew N. Ahmadi, Christine M. Friedenreich, Joanna M. Blodgett, Annemarie Koster, Andreas Holtermann, Andrew Atkin, Vegar Rangul, Lauren B. Sherar, Armando Teixeira-Pinto, Ulf Ekelund, I-Min Lee, Mark Hamer. Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity and Cancer Incidence Among Nonexercising Adults. JAMA Oncology, 2023; DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2023.1830.
- “Study: Getting Enough Exercise Lowers Risk of 7 Cancers.” 09 Jan. 2020, https://www.cancer.org/research/acs-research-news/study-getting-enough-exercise-lowers-risk-of-7-cancers.html.
- “Exercise Linked With Lower Risk of 13 Types of Cancer.” 17 May. 2016, https://www.cancer.org/research/acs-research-news/exercise-linked-with-lower-risk-of-13-types-of-cancer.html.
- McTiernan A, Friedenreich CM, Katzmarzyk PT, Powell KE, Macko R, Buchner D, Pescatello LS, Bloodgood B, Tennant B, Vaux-Bjerke A, George SM, Troiano RP, Piercy KL; 2018 PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GUIDELINES ADVISORY COMMITTEE*. Physical Activity in Cancer Prevention and Survival: A Systematic Review. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019 Jun;51(6):1252-1261. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001937. PMID: 31095082; PMCID: PMC6527123.
- “Physical Activity and Cancer Fact Sheet – NCI – National Cancer Institute.” https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/obesity/physical-activity-fact-sheet.
- “Study Finds Physical Fitness Can Decrease Your Risk of 9 Cancers.” 16 Aug. 2023, https://www.healthline.com/health-news/physical-fitness-lowers-cancer-risk.
- “Exercise Oncology: High-Intensity Interval Training for Cancer … – LWW.” https://journals.lww.com/acsm-healthfitness/Fulltext/2021/09000/Exercise_Oncology__High_Intensity_Interval.11.aspx.
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