A recent study has shown that walking for half an hour a day can significantly reduce the risk of breast cancer in women.
Researchers from Riga Stradenc University in Latvia conducted a study on 18 healthy premenopausal women, aged approximately 41, to monitor the effect of aerobic exercise on proteins in the blood known for their anti-cancer properties, called myokines.
The results showed that walking on a treadmill at a low speed for just 30 minutes caused changes in the blood that helped slow the proliferation of cancer cells. High-intensity exercise also showed stronger effects; walking at a moderate to high intensity for 30–45 minutes boosted anti-cancer activity in about half of the measured biomarkers.
To test this, researchers took blood samples immediately after exercise and exposed them to HER2-positive breast cancer cells, a fast-growing and aggressive type of cancer. The results showed that blood rich in myokines (proteins released by muscles during physical activity) significantly reduced the rate of division in these cells.
The researchers explain that these findings support the growing evidence that physical activity can help prevent breast cancer and possibly slow its progression, even in the premenopausal stage, when the disease in young women tends to be more severe and difficult to treat.
Lead researcher Linda Laizan, PhD in medical biochemistry, said: "We can link our findings to global health recommendations. If 30 minutes of high-intensity exercise is enough to activate anti-cancer factors in the blood, then consistency is key to maintaining this protection."
She added: "Our goal is to provide practical protocols. Walking is a normal daily activity, and its speed can be increased slightly to support the body's natural mechanisms for fighting cancer, even if there is no gym or enough time for traditional exercise."
The study confirms that 30 minutes of moderate to high-intensity exercise five times a week provides a steady flow of beneficial myokines and hormones, which may contribute to cancer prevention.
