Nutritional scientist and professional bodybuilder Dr Layne Norton has revealed how shorter bursts of vigorous exercise, such as running and cycling, could reduce cancer risk.
Exercising for just a few minutes could dramatically reduce your risk of cancer.
Just four minutes of vigorous exercise a day (such as running, cycling or swimming) was associated with a one-fifth lower risk of cancer.
And just 10 minutes of similar exercise reduced the risk of dying from heart disease by 50 percent, according to a study published last year.
Dr Layne Norton, a nutritional scientist and professional bodybuilder, said research increasingly shows that a “disgustingly small” amount of moderate to intense exercise is the key to avoiding an early death.
During an episode of the I found my fitness Last week on a podcast, Florida-based Dr. Norton said, “Your body is built to move against things, and if you don’t, you’re dramatically accelerating your aging and cognitive decline.
‘Exercise is one of the few things you can do, regardless of weight loss, that will improve all of your health parameters.’
Researchers have found that exercising for just 10 minutes a day could reduce cancer risk by up to 30 percent.
Vigorous exercise significantly increases your heart rate, which means your heart works harder to deliver oxygen to your muscles, helping them function and grow.
The Mayo Clinic defines the sweet spot as 70 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. Your maximum heart rate can be calculated by multiplying your age by 0.7 and subtracting the total from 208.
So, for example, a 30-year-old person would have a maximum heart rate of 187 and their heart rate during intense exercise should be between 131 and 159 beats per minute.
But a general rule is that if you’re having trouble breathing or holding a conversation, you’re probably exercising vigorously.
Dr. Norton pointed to research published last year in JAMA Oncology Journalwhich analyzed data from more than 22,000 adults who did not exercise regularly. The average age of the participants was 62 years old and about 55 percent were women.
Researchers found that just four minutes of vigorous exercise a day reduced cancer risk by 20 percent. That figure rose to 30 percent with 10 minutes of exercise.
And three short sessions of exercise a day led to a 40 percent reduction in the risk of cancer and cancer death, along with a 50 percent reduction in death from heart disease.
The researchers did not explain how exercise lowers cancer risk, although experts believe it does so by reducing potentially harmful inflammation and improving immune function, which prevents cancer cells from developing.
Dr. Norton also noted that short bouts of exercise have also been shown to improve mental and cognitive health.
He pointed out a study published last year in Research in Psychiatrywhich looked at men with major depressive disorder who performed two 25-minute resistance training sessions per week for eight weeks.
Recent research has found that just 20 minutes of physical activity a day reduces the risk of cancer, dementia and heart disease.
The researchers wrote that the exercise sessions “significantly improved symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).”
Improvements were measured using effect size. The higher the number, the more effective the treatment. Exercise had an effect size of 1.7.
“1.7 is a huge number. SSRIs range from 0.3 to 0.8,” Dr. Norton said.
“What I’m not saying is that we should get rid of SSRIs and make everyone exercise because sometimes someone might need an SSRI just to get out of bed and exercise. But when you look at how powerful that lever is, it’s amazing.”
In addition, Dr. Norton mentioned a small Study 2023who found that 20-minute periods of moderate to vigorous activity improved memory more than longer periods of exercise.
“Even if you just walk briskly for 30 minutes a day, you’re doing very well,” he said.
Dr. Norton suggested treating exercise like “brushing your teeth” to make it a habit. “Are you motivated to brush your teeth? No, you do it because you know that if you don’t brush your teeth, they’re going to go bad.”
“The same thing happens to your body if you don’t exercise.”