A new study says that high-intensity interval exercise may help reduce the growth of colorectal cancer tumors.
A team of researchers from the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences at the University of Queensland in Australia knew that previous studies had found a link between long-term exercise and decreases in colorectal cancer mortality. But they wanted to conduct new research to see if short-term bursts of exercise could also produce benefits for those with colorectal cancer.
The research on HIIT and colorectal cancer
A group of volunteers with colorectal cancer were asked to complete an acute session of high-intensity interval training (HIIT for short). Another group with colorectal cancer was asked to complete 12 sessions of HIIT over four weeks.
HIIT training involves switching from high-intensity exercise to either low-intensity exercise or rest in a single session.
For both groups, the scientists took blood serum samples at baseline. For the group that only did one HIIT session, blood serum was also collected right after they finished the session and two hours after they completed it. For the group that did four weeks of training, blood serum was analyzed after the four weeks.
The results of the study
The blood serum from the first group showed that the colon cancer cell number significantly decreased right after the HIIT session, but not after the two hours.
“After an acute bout of HIIT there were specific increases in inflammation immediately after exercise, which are hypothesized to be involved in reducing the number of cancer cells,” explains lead author James Devin. “This suggests that a physically active lifestyle may be important in tackling human colorectal tumors.”
The researchers are careful to point out that studying colon cancer in the lab isn’t the same thing as how colorectal cells grow in our bodies. More research is needed to confirm the effects of HIIT on these and other tumors.
