As the new year begins, many people are heading back to the gym or trying to become more active after a long break.
While exercise is already known to be good for the heart, weight control, and mental health, new research suggests it may also help protect the body against cancer in a surprisingly fast way.
According to a recent study, even just 10 minutes of intense physical activity may slow cancer growth and help the body repair damaged DNA.
Cancer develops when cells begin to grow out of control, often because their DNA has been damaged and not properly repaired. Many things can damage DNA over time, including aging, inflammation, poor diet, obesity, and exposure to harmful substances.
When the body cannot fix this damage, cells may turn cancerous. Scientists have long observed that people who are physically active have a lower risk of developing certain cancers, including bowel cancer, but exactly how exercise creates this protection has not always been clear.
Researchers from Newcastle University set out to understand what happens inside the body right after a short burst of hard exercise. They discovered that vigorous activity quickly changes the mix of small molecules and proteins circulating in the blood.
These substances act like messengers, carrying signals throughout the body. Many of them are known to reduce inflammation, improve how cells use energy, and support healthy blood vessels.
To test the effect of these exercise-related changes, scientists took blood samples from volunteers after they completed a short but intense cycling session that lasted around 10 minutes. They then exposed bowel cancer cells in the laboratory to this post-exercise blood.
The results were striking. The cancer cells showed major changes in how their genes behaved. More than 1,300 genes changed their activity, including genes linked to DNA repair, energy use, and cell growth.
In simple terms, the blood collected after exercise seemed to send a signal telling cancer cells to slow down. Genes that encourage fast cell division were turned down, while genes that help cells repair DNA were turned up.
One important repair gene became more active, helping cells fix damaged DNA more efficiently. This is important because better DNA repair can reduce the chance that damaged cells turn into aggressive cancer.
The study also found that exercise boosted genes related to mitochondrial function. Mitochondria are often described as the power plants of the cell because they help turn oxygen and nutrients into energy. Healthier energy use may make the environment less friendly for cancer cells, which often rely on inefficient energy systems to grow quickly.
The research involved 30 volunteers between the ages of 50 and 78. All were overweight or obese, which is known to increase the risk of bowel cancer, but they were otherwise healthy.
After just one short session of hard cycling, their blood showed clear biological changes. Thirteen specific proteins increased after exercise, including one that plays a role in repairing damaged DNA and supporting immune responses.
Bowel cancer is a major health problem, especially in the UK. It is the fourth most common cancer and causes tens of thousands of new cases each year. Many cases are linked to lifestyle factors such as low physical activity, poor diet, and excess body weight.
Research suggests that regular physical activity can reduce the risk of bowel cancer by around 20 percent. Importantly, this protection does not require intense gym workouts. Walking, cycling, household chores, and other daily movements all contribute.
The findings from this study suggest that exercise does not only help healthy cells. It may also actively create conditions that make it harder for cancer cells to survive and grow. Even a single workout appears to send powerful signals through the bloodstream that affect how cells behave at a genetic level.
Looking closely at the study, the results are promising but should be interpreted carefully. The research was done in a laboratory using blood samples and cancer cells, not by directly testing cancer growth in people. The number of participants was small, and the effects were measured shortly after exercise rather than over long periods.
This means the study does not prove that one short workout can prevent cancer on its own. However, it does provide strong biological evidence explaining why regular physical activity is linked to lower cancer risk.
The study also opens the door for future research. Scientists now want to explore whether repeated exercise sessions create long-lasting changes in the body and whether these exercise-driven signals could work alongside treatments like chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
There is also interest in whether some of the benefits of exercise could one day be copied in medical treatments for people who are unable to be physically active.
Overall, this research strengthens the idea that exercise is not just about fitness or weight loss. It is a powerful biological tool that affects the body at the deepest cellular level.
Even short periods of hard movement appear to help the body defend itself by slowing cancer growth and improving DNA repair. While exercise cannot replace medical care, it remains one of the simplest and most effective ways people can support their long-term health.
If you care about cancer, please read studies that artificial sweeteners are linked to higher cancer risk, and how drinking milk affects risks of heart disease and cancer.
For more health information, please see recent studies about the best time to take vitamins to prevent heart disease, and results showing vitamin D supplements strongly reduces cancer death.
The study is published in International Journal of Cancer.
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