Increase in Cardio Fitness Significantly Lowers Prostate Cancer Risk, Study Finds

New research suggests that even minor improvements in cardio fitness can lead to a substantial reduction in the risk of developing prostate cancer among men. According to a report published on Tuesday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, an annual increase in aerobic fitness of 3% or more is associated with a remarkable 35% lower risk of prostate cancer.

The study, led by Dr. Kate Bolam, an exercise oncology researcher at the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences GIH in Stockholm, emphasizes the importance of encouraging improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness among adult men to mitigate the risk of prostate cancer.

While previous research has established the positive impact of physical activity on overall cancer risk, the specific link between fitness levels and prostate cancer risk has not been extensively studied until now.

To investigate this connection, researchers examined the records of nearly 58,000 men stored in a national occupational health profile database. The participants in the study had undergone at least two cardio fitness tests, involving stationary bike pedaling. The database also contained information on physical activity, lifestyle, and body-mass index.

The men were categorized into groups based on their fitness trends, distinguishing those whose heart fitness improved annually by 3% or more, those whose fitness declined by more than 3%, and those with stable fitness levels during the study period.

Over an average follow-up period of nearly seven years, approximately 600 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer, with nearly 50 succumbing to the disease. The results revealed that, overall, men with yearly increases in cardio fitness had a 2% lower risk of prostate cancer compared to those with stagnant or decreasing fitness levels.

More specifically, when researchers examined individual groups, they found that men experiencing a 3% or more yearly increase in fitness were 35% less likely to develop prostate cancer than those whose fitness levels declined. Notably, the study did not establish a statistical link between cardio fitness and the risk of death from prostate cancer.

The study also highlighted the importance of a man’s initial fitness level, indicating that only those with a moderate level of fitness at the beginning of the study period experienced a significant reduction in prostate cancer risk, estimated at about 15%. These findings underscore the potential impact of enhancing cardio fitness in mitigating the risk of prostate cancer among men.