Increased Fitness Lowers Risk of Prostate Cancer by 35 Percent

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Good news for active men: Even minor improvements in cardio fitness can decrease the risk of developing prostate cancer.

According to a new prospective cohort study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, increasing one’s aerobic fitness by 3 percent can reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer by 35 percent.

“The findings in the present study contribute significantly to our knowledge of the relationship between [cardiorespiratory fitness] and prostate cancer as it is the first study to investigate change in [cardiorespiratory fitness] rather than [cardiorespiratory fitness] at a single time point, and to focus on prostate cancer specifically,” the researchers wrote.

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Cardiorespiratory fitness is how well the heart and lungs can deliver oxygen to the muscles during exercise. It is an important marker of overall health.

In the study, the research team looked at records of nearly 58,000 men from a Swedish national occupational health profile database. The men in the study took at least two cardio fitness tests wherein they rode stationary bikes. During the tests, the men’s oxygen intake was measured. A higher volume of oxygen indicated a greater fitness level. The database also included information on the men’s physical activity, lifestyle, and body mass index.

The study’s participants were divided into groups according to their fitness trends; individuals whose heart fitness improved by 3 percent or more annually were placed in one group, while individuals whose heart fitness decreased by 3 percent or more were placed in another. Men whose heart fitness remained stable were placed in a third group.

Over about seven years of follow-up, roughly 600 of the men were diagnosed with prostate cancer; 46 died from the disease.

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The results indicated that the men whose cardio fitness increased year over year had a 2 percent lower risk of prostate cancer compared to men whose fitness decreased or didn’t increase. However, when researchers looked at the specific groups, they observed that the men with a 3 percent or more increase in fitness per year were 35 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer than those whose fitness decreased.

Unfortunately, the study did not show a link between cardio fitness and a decreased risk of dying from prostate cancer.

A Little Goes a Long Way

According to the American Cancer Society, about 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. However, each man’s risk of developing prostate cancer is different based on his age, race, ethnicity, and other factors, including lifestyle. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men behind lung cancer.

While the numbers sound scary, most men diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die from it. Only about 1 in 44 men will die of the disease. The American Cancer Society reports that over 3.3 million men in the United States who have been diagnosed with the disease at some point are still alive.

The new study suggests that, along with early detection and advances in treatment, improving cardiorespiratory fitness can play a vital role in preventing prostate cancer in the first place.

“The results of this study highlight the important role of supporting the general public to increase their [cardiorespiratory fitness] or aim to reach moderate fitness levels,” the research team wrote.

According to the most recent report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than two-thirds of Americans aren’t getting the recommended amount of aerobic exercise needed to stay healthy. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggests adults spend at least 150 minutes, or 2.5 hours, per week doing aerobic exercises at a moderate intensity. In addition, adults should spend at least two days a week doing a muscle-strengthening activity, like lifting weights.