The surprising cancer fighting power of a single workout.

Most of us think of exercise as something that keeps our waistlines in check and helps us justify an extra biscuit with tea. Scientists are discovering it may do something even more impressive. Researchers at Australia’s Edith Cowan University found that a single session of either resistance training or high intensity interval training can trigger the release of proteins called myokines, which appear to have anti-cancer properties.

In laboratory tests, these proteins reduced the growth of breast cancer cells by 20 to 30 percent. The findings came from a study involving breast cancer survivors and were published in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment.  

Francesco Bettariga, a PhD researcher at Edith Cowan University and lead author of the study, says exercise has emerged as a form of medicine during and after cancer treatment. His team measured levels of myokines before exercise, immediately afterwards and again 30 minutes later. Both weight training and high intensity interval training produced a rise in these muscle made proteins. Exercise creates powerful biological signals that can directly suppress tumour growth. Interestingly, interval training appeared to produce the strongest effect because it caused a greater increase in interleukin 6, or IL 6, a protein involved in inflammation and immune responses.  

Before you start planning an Olympic comeback, there is an important reality check. No one is suggesting that a single spin class can replace chemotherapy or other medical treatments. Researchers stress that exercise should be viewed as an additional tool rather than a miracle cure. Bettariga also found that consistent exercise which builds muscle and reduces body fat may help lower chronic inflammation, which is associated with cancer progression and recurrence. In other words, your muscles are not just there to help you open stubborn jars. They may also be quietly producing chemicals that create a less welcoming environment for cancer cells.  

The findings add to a growing body of evidence linking physical activity with better cancer outcomes. Professor Kerry Courneya, professor of physical activity and cancer at the University of Alberta, says exercise has already been shown to reduce the risk of recurrence in some cancer survivors. Meanwhile, other researchers found that even ten minutes of vigorous activity can trigger molecular changes linked to DNA repair and the slowing of bowel cancer growth.

So, if you have ever grumbled your way through a workout, it may be comforting to know that your body is doing much more than simply burning calories. Sometimes, it is carrying out some remarkably clever housekeeping behind the scenes.