16/01/2026
If you have cancer, build up a short intense bout of exercise into your day. Just 10 minutes of hard workout releases molecules into the bloodstream that switch on DNA repair and shut down cancer growth signals.
Researchers at Newcastle University discovered that exercise raises the levels of several small molecules in the blood that reduce inflammation, support healthy blood vessels, and improve metabolism.
When they exposed bowel cancer cells in the lab to blood containing these exercise-driven molecules, they observed widespread genetic changes. More than 1,300 genes shifted their activity, including genes involved in DNA repair, energy production, and cancer cell growth.
Although it’s great to do intense exercise every day, the researchers discovered that even one 10-minute workout started to trigger the healing process.
But it’s not just for people who have cancer. The researchers reckon that any activity—such as walking or biking or doing the gardening—reduces the risk of bowel cancer by around 20 percent. While their focus has been on bowel cancer, it’s likely that exercise will have a similar positive impact on other cancers, too