Researchers from Newcastle University have found that even short bouts of exercise can protect against bowel cancer, which is the fourth-most common cancer in the UK, accounting for 11 per cent of all new cancer cases.

There are 42,900 people diagnosed in the UK every year – that’s nearly 120 each day. The scientists discovered that exercising for just 10 minutes a day could halt bowel cancer growth and speed up DNA damage repair.

They collected blood samples from 30 overweight or obese, but otherwise healthy, men before and immediately after a 10-12 minute exercise session – in this case in the form of a cycling test.

When these exercise-induced molecules were applied to bowel cancer cells in the lab, researchers found the activity of 1,364 genes was altered, including those involved in DNA repair, energy production, and cancer cell growth. 

Here, Dr Sam Orange, an expert in exercise physiology at Newcastle University, who led the study, explains how to make the most of this research to reduce your risk of bowel cancer and other serious illnesses. 

Source:Inews