Exercise Cuts Breast Cancer Risk

September 24, 2003

Moderate physical activity, such as walking or biking, reduces the risk of

breast cancer by 20 percent, even when started later in life. Researchers found

that regular exercise lowered breast cancer risk even among postmenopausal women

and those at high risk for the disease.

Exercise did not help women who were obese to reduce their risk for breast

cancer, however. Researchers suggest that extra fatty tissue may promote the

development of cancer and say that exercise will help obese women reduce breast

cancer risk after their weight is normalized.

Journal American Medical Association September 10, 2003

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

This information is not new as I posted a study expanding on this two years ago.

However, the wonderful finding in this study is that it is never too late to

start exercising to receive the benefits. The women in this study were in their

menopause.

The researchers believe that exercise works to lower cancer risk by lowering

body fat, but it is more likely it works through optimization of insulin levels.

Although this study was done for breast cancer, many forget that exercise is

also useful for lowering nearly all cancer rates.

When using exercise as a drug it is important to set your goal at at least one

hour per day, every day. Obviously, depending on your current condition, you may

need to work slowly up to this level.

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