Vigorous Exercise Lowers Risk of Prostate Cancer Death

For those one in six men who have been or will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health have some advice: start exercising. A lot. A recent study conducted at the school has shown that men who did vigorous activity had a 61 percent lower risk of prostate cancer-specific death compared with men who did less than one hour per week of vigorous activity. A HSPH news release reports that the study looked at 2,705 men diagnosed with prostate cancer over an 18-year period. The participants reported the average time per week they spent doing physical activity, including walking, running, bicycling, swimming and other sports and outdoor work. The results showed that both non-vigorous and vigorous activity were beneficial for overall survival. Compared with men who walked less than 90 minutes per week at an easy pace, those who walked 90 or more minutes per week at a normal to very brisk pace had a 46 percent lower risk of dying from any cause. Only vigorous activity—defined as more than three hours per week—was associated with reduced prostate cancer mortality. Men who did vigorous activity had a 61percent lower risk of prostate cancer-specific death compared with men who did less than one hour per week of vigorous activity.

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