Create a Body Where Cancer Cannot Thrive: 9 Key Ways Exercise Helps Prevent Cancer
🏋️♀️ The Power of Movement: Why Exercise is Non-Negotiable
We all know that exercise is good for us, but do we truly understand the biological mechanisms behind its profound protective power? Especially concerning cancer, knowing how can exercise reduce the risk of cancer is crucial for anyone affected—whether you're navigating treatment or seeking powerful prevention strategies. Making movement a part of your daily routine is more than just a healthy habit; it is a potentially life-saving strategy.
It's natural for the word 'cancer' to conjure up fear, but the science is clear: it is possible to create a body in which cancer is much less likely to grow, develop, and thrive. The traditional 'Western' lifestyle is simply not conducive to long-term health, but exercise is a major modifiable factor that can stack the deck in your favour.
Simply being told that exercise is 'good' is often not enough to spur daily action. My hope is that by explaining the 9 key physiological ways exercise helps prevent cancer, I can provide the next level of inspiration you need to pop on your trainers and get moving!
"I love exercise; it helps keep me healthy, makes me feel happier, and ensures that I stay physically strong. As a breast cancer thriver, it is especially pleasing to know that each time I put my gear on and head out for a run or to the gym, I’m also protecting myself against any potential recurrence."
Let's dive into the science behind this powerful Lifestyle Pillar and discover the 9 ways your body benefits.
Important Safety Caveats
Medical Oversight is Essential: Always consult with your medical oncologist or doctor before starting any new exercise regimen. If you are currently undergoing cancer treatment (such as chemotherapy or radiation), or recovering from surgery, extra care must be taken. We strongly recommend consulting with an appropriately qualified physiotherapist (PT) or oncology fitness specialist to determine the safest and most effective level of activity for your current health status.
The Importance of Moderation: It should be noted that while regular, moderate exercise can powerfully boost the immune system, intense or prolonged high-stress activity (often seen in endurance athletics) can have the opposite effect, potentially suppressing immune function and increasing cortisol levels. Focus on consistency and well-being over extreme exertion.
🔬 The 9 Key Biological Mechanisms
Exercise helps prevent cancer in a myriad of ways, offering both powerful physiological and psychological benefits through moderate, regular movement. Below, we detail the 9 key biological mechanisms that directly explain how exercise helps prevent cancer and actively contributes to long-term health.
1) Supports Healthy Weight and Reduces Fat Tissue
Excess body weight and poor body composition represent one of the biggest modifiable risk factors for cancer. Adipose tissue (body fat) is not inert; it is highly active, generating chronic inflammation and producing hormones that fuel a pro-cancer physiology. Exercise is instrumental in reducing excess body fat, thereby reducing your disease risk.
The statistics in the UK underscore this importance:
Overweight and obesity are the second biggest cause of cancer, responsible for more than 1 in 20 cancer cases (1).
The risk is higher the more overweight you are and the longer you are overweight for (1).
Maintaining a healthy weight reduces the risk of 13 different types of cancer (1).
2) Maintains Lean Muscle Mass and Enhances Bone Strength
Maintaining lean muscle mass is critical for cancer survival. The loss of muscle mass (known as cachexia) is a major risk factor for cancer progression. This is especially important for cancer patients, as treatment itself can contribute to significant weight and muscle loss.
It is key to work proactively to minimise muscle wasting. I recommend that anyone recently diagnosed with cancer works with a suitably qualified nutritional therapist and a specialised fitness professional to implement strength training during chemotherapy and ensure appropriate nutritional support.
Be conscious that a stable body weight does not necessarily equate to maintained muscle mass, as muscle can easily be replaced by fat with poor food choices and reduced exercise, and we know that excess body fat contributes to a pro-cancer state.
Furthermore, exercise helps to keep bones strong. Healthy, strong bone tissue is less prone to loss and is more resistant to cancer cell invasion (i.e., bone metastases), reducing the risk of cancer spreading to the bones.
My Personal Experience: I myself lost almost all my lean muscle mass in the months following my chemotherapy treatment, which I believe is the fundamental reason why I subsequently suffered a sacral stress fracture. With appropriate and sufficient nutrition and exercise during and after chemo, I could have retained more muscle mass and believe I could have avoided this fracture. This lesson is central to my approach to getting fit after chemo.
3) Normalises Blood Sugar and Insulin Signalling
Cancer cells preferentially utilise sugar (glucose) as fuel. Therefore, conditions characterised by chronically high blood sugar—such as pre-diabetes, insulin resistance, or metabolic syndrome—create an ideal fuel source for cancer cell growth and progression.
Exercise is a powerful intervention because it influences hormone signalling to normalise blood sugar metabolism. Regular physical activity directly cuts off a major fuel supply line for rogue cells and reduces your risk of diabetes and related metabolic issues.
4) Strengthens and Modulates the Immune System
Research consistently supports the link between regular, moderate exercise and a strong immune system. Physical activity has been shown to increase the production and circulation of immune cells, including Natural Killer Cells (NKCs), which are the body's primary assassins, targeting both cancer and viral cells. By promoting the rapid circulation of NKCs, exercise helps the body actively seek out and eliminate potential threats.
Exercise: A Key Component in Creating a Body Where Cancer Cannot Thrive.
Ready to turn this science into your personal anti-cancer strategy? Our structured programmes provide the exact roadmap you need.
5) Supports Healthy Hormone Balance
Exercise reduces your risk of cancer through its positive impact on key hormone levels within the body:
Insulin and IGF-1: Exercise lowers levels of both Insulin and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1), which have been associated with cancer development and progression (2).
Oestrogen: Since excess body fat, especially around the mid-section, produces oestrogen, exercise leads to reduced body fat and, in turn, reduced circulating oestrogen levels. Lowering excess oestrogen is critical for preventing hormone-sensitive cancers (e.g., breast, uterine, and prostate cancers).
6) Improves Digestive Health and Detoxification
Studies support exercise-induced improvements to digestive motility, which significantly reduces your risk of cancers of the lower digestive tract (e.g., bowel, colon, and rectal cancer).
Bile Acid Metabolism: Exercise alters the metabolism of bile acids, decreasing the exposure of the gastrointestinal tract to these suspected carcinogens (3, 4).
Reduced Exposure: Exercise also reduces the time it takes for food to travel through the digestive system (transit time), decreasing the gastrointestinal tract's exposure to possible carcinogens.
7) Promotes Healthy Mood and Emotional Resilience
Exercise has been robustly demonstrated to positively impact mood, reducing feelings of depression, anxiety, and fatigue—all feelings commonly experienced following a cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment.
Physical activity during and after cancer treatment can help manage these mental health struggles, alongside improving patients’ self-esteem and overall mood (5).
My Personal Experience: For myself, there is a direct correlation between my ability to exercise and my feelings of wellbeing. Consequently, it was essential for my mental health that I could continue to adapt my routine throughout my cancer treatment and beyond. The ability to adapt exercise post chemotherapy is a key part of maintaining mental health.
8) A Key Component of Stress Management
Exercise has been shown to powerfully reduce psychological stress, anxiety, and tension, with regular movement associated with improved resilience to acute stress (6). Furthermore, regular moderate exercise directly counters the negative impact of chronic stress on the immune system by bolstering your Natural Killer Cells—the immune cells which fight cancer and infection.
9) Contributes to an Anti-Cancer, Health-Promoting Lifestyle
The cumulative effect of these 8 mechanisms is the creation of an overall anti-cancer physiology. Cancer patients who exercise regularly enjoy numerous clinical advantages:
They are better able to complete their prescribed treatments and suffer from fewer side effects compared to those who are sedentary.
They demonstrate better overall rates of survival and lower rates of recurrence.
A Note on Intensity: Exercise helps to prevent high blood levels of insulin, which has been linked to cancer development and progression (2). However, be wary of very intense, high-stress exercise, as this can trigger the release of cortisol, a hormone that increases blood sugar and can negate some of the positive effects. Focus on consistent, moderate movement.
🏃♀️ Exercise Recommendations: How Much is Enough?
For substantial health benefits and to effectively reduce the risk of chronic diseases, including cancer, the recommended guidelines for adults are (7):
Aerobic Activity: 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity, 75 to 100 minutes of vigorous activity, or an equivalent combination, spread across the week. This physical activity can be done in episodes of any length.
Strength Training: Muscle-strengthening activities should be performed at least 2 days a week.
Balance: Incorporate balance training in addition to aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity.
Your Next Step: Structured Support & Clarity
Exercise and better nutrition are indeed powerful tools in the prevention of cancer. Making informed choices about movement and nourishment can greatly reduce your risk and improve the chances of a positive outcome. However, I appreciate from my own experience that the information available regarding cancer can be overwhelming and conflicting. It can be especially challenging for those with a recent diagnosis, who may not know what steps to take first.
I have been in your situation and I too felt totally overwhelmed. If this is you, I want you to know that there are so many positive steps you can take to improve your situation. I can help you determine where best to focus, introduce health-promoting habits, and support you on your journey back to health.
Find Your Roadmap to Prevention or Recovery
If you are interested in creating a structured, preventative lifestyle based on the 6 Pillars of Health and dedicated to reducing your risk of chronic disease and cancer, our Optimise Health & Wellbeing Programme is your roadmap.
If you are currently facing a diagnosis or in recovery and need structured support for getting fit after chemo, maintaining muscle mass, and managing side effects, our Cancer Support Programme provides personalised guidance.
👋 Let's Stay Connected
If you would like to read more about my personal experience with breast cancer and my journey back to great health—which is the foundation for all my programmes—you can find more in-depth information here:
I look forward to connecting with you and supporting your journey! You can also follow me and join the conversation on:
References
(1) Cancer Research UK. (2023). ‘How does obesity cause cancer?’ Available at https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/bodyweight-and-cancer/how-does-obesity-cause-cancer#:~:text=Overweight%20and%20obesity%20is%20the,13%20different%20types%20of%20cancer. (Accessed 18 April 2023)
(2) Winzer BM et al. (2011). 'Physical activity and cancer prevention: a systematic review of clinical trials.' Cancer Causes and Control. Vol 22(6). pp811-826. [PubMed Abstract]
(3) Wertheim BC et al. (2009) ‘Physical activity as a determinant of fecal bile acid levels.’ Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Vol 18(5). pp1591-1598. [PubMed Abstract]
(4) Bernstein H et al. (2005). ‘Bile acids as carcinogens in human gastrointestinal cancers.’ Mutation Research. Vol 589(1). pp47-65. [PubMed Abstract]
(5) Mishra SI et al. (2012). ‘Exercise interventions on health-related quality of life for people with cancer during active treatment.’ Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Aug 15; 2012(8):CD008465. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008465.pub2. PMID: 22895974; PMCID: PMC7389071.
(6) Childs E, de Wit H. (2014). ‘Regular exercise is associated with emotional resilience to acute stress in healthy adults.’ Front Physiol. Vol 5:161. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2014.00161. PMID: 24822048; PMCID: PMC4013452.
(7) National Cancer Institute. (2023). ‘Physical Activity and Cancer.’ Available at https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/obesity/physical-activity-fact-sheet . (Accessed 11 April 2023)