Losing just a little bit of body fat - even 5 percent - can reduce levels of circulating estrogen that lead to breast cancer. Researchers from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, in a first study, showed high risk post-menopausal women who exercised and dieted for weight loss lowered their levels of sex hormones that lead to aggressive types of breast cancer. The intervention is a drug-free; simple approach that any woman can accomplish. Medications taken to thwart breast cancer block estrogen receptors but have side effects that are intolerable for some. The study showed diet and exercise to reduce body fat can have a positive effect for thwarting the disease.
Weight loss and diet combo best for thwarting breast cancer
The researchers explored data from four groups of women from the Seattle area who were sedentary, overweight or obese; age 50 to 75. At the end of the study sex hormones were measured, including estrone, (estradiol and free estradiol); two types of testosterone (total testosterone and free testosterone.)
The women were assigned exercise – primarily brisk walking - diet, exercise plus dieting or no intervention.
Women who exercised and who exercised and dieted both met the goal of 10 percent weight-loss.
After weight loss all of the women had lower hormone levels, but the results were greater for women who dieted and exercised.
Anne McTiernan, M.D., Ph.D said in a press release, “The amount of weight lost was key to changes in hormone levels. The biggest effect was through diet plus exercise; exercise by itself didn’t produce much of a change in weight or estrogen.” For the long-term she recommends women do both to keep weight off and keep estrogen levels down.
She cautions that the finding only applies to overweight or obese women who are not taking hormone replacement therapy.
Losing just 5 percent of body fat that contributes to estrogen production had a beneficial effect for raising levels of a protein known as SHBG that binds to sex hormones and makes them less biologically active; in turn lowering the chances of breast cancer. The finding is published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
The finding shows weight loss and diet to reduce body fat – even if it’s just 5% - is a simple drug-free intervention for women for lowering their breast cancer risk. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, cut your calorie intake, consume plenty of fiber and walk briskly.
Source:
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Source : http://emaxhealth.com//1020/one-simple-lifestyle-change-lowers-risk-breast-cancer
No comments:
Post a Comment