Experts have long debated the best time to exercise, but now researchers have identified two sweet sweat intervals that may play a “crucial role” in cancer prevention.
According to a revealing new study, being active first thing in the morning or later in the evening can reduce your risk of bowel cancer by 11% – and they’ve even narrowed it down to twice an hour.
The researchers published their findings in the journal BMC Medicine and claim that pinpointing specific times when physical activity is “most beneficial” could lead to targeted cancer prevention strategies.
Led by experts from Germany’s University of Regensburg, the study evaluated 86,252 people aged 42 to 79 whose physical activity was tracked and measured using a wrist accelerometer.
The researchers noted four activity patterns among this population: continuous activity throughout the day, late-day activity, morning and evening activity, and midday and nighttime activity.
During a five-year follow-up period, 529 cases of colorectal cancer, also called bowel cancer, were reported.
The researchers determined that the two daily peaks, at approximately 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., “were associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer, beyond the benefits of overall physical activity.”
According to the study, people active at the beginning and end of the day had an 11% lower risk of colorectal cancer, compared with 6% for daytime activity and no difference for those who exercised in the middle of the day and in the evening. . Data from those who were only active later in the day were inconclusive.
Professor Dr. Michael Leitzmann, chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine in Regensburg, was the principal investigator for the study.
“Our study highlights that not only is physical activity important for reducing the risk of colorectal cancer, but the time of peak activity during the day may play a crucial role,” he said.
He and his team hope their findings can help shape the future of cancer prevention.
“By identifying specific times – early in the morning and late in the day – when physical activity is most beneficial, our findings open new avenues for targeted prevention strategies,” he said.
Bowel cancer develops anywhere in the large intestine, which includes the colon and rectum.
About 150,000 Americans are diagnosed each year with colorectal cancer, which includes colon and rectal cancer, according to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance. It is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.
Colorectal cancer has long been associated with older adults, especially people over 65. However, rates have risen steadily among adults under 50 since the 1990s.
Among these younger adults is 47-year-old actor and “Dawson’s Creek” alumnus James Van Der Beek, who revealed his colorectal cancer diagnosis last week.
Exercising at different times of the day can affect the body in different ways, as almost all cells and biological processes in the body rely on circadian rhythms – the body’s natural clock that runs close to a 24-hour cycle.
A separate study found that exercising in the morning on an empty stomach can increase your metabolic rate and help you burn more calories during exercise.
Meanwhile, explorativeat the University of Sydney, Australia, found that people who exercise at night have a lower risk of developing heart disease and dying than those who exercise in the morning.
Dr. Helen Croker, assistant director of research and policy at the World Cancer Research Fund, which funded the latest study, said the findings further cement the importance of exercise in cancer prevention.
“Being physically active is one of our recommendations for cancer prevention, and we know that it reduces the risk of cancer,” she said. “These intriguing new findings offer the potential for developing more specific recommendations, including patterns and timing of physical activity, for reducing cancer risk.”
And experts say you don’t have to be a gym rat to avoid a cancer diagnosis.
According to a recent study, just four to five minutes of “vigorous physical activity” can significantly reduce the risk of cancer in sedentary people.
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