How exercise may lower cancer risk

04/01/18 11:45

The New York Times reported on an interesting study into how exercise may protect us from the development of cancer. The study was published in the journal Cell Metabolism and involved laboratory mice with melanoma. The mice that were provided with running wheels developed far less melanoma and metastases than those mice that remained sedentary.

They found higher levels of adrenaline, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and natural killer (NK) cells in the exercising mice. NK cells are immune cells with a known cancer-fighting ability. It seemed from their study that the increased blood levels of adrenaline in the exercising mice, primed their IL-6 producing cells to activate the NK cells. More data is needed to prove the same mechanism occurs in humans, but other studies have shown adrenaline and NK cells are both increased by moderate exercise in humans.

Exercise is good for our body and mind in so many ways. This interesting study provides further evidence of its benefits.

The full article is available here.