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You already know that exercise regularly can improve your health in many ways, and the health benefits of take vitamin D and omega-3 supplements have been widely reported. Now, there are more good reasons to consider adding these tools to your preventive health plan: a new studio published in the magazine frontiers of aging reports that combining exercise with vitamin D and omega-3 supplementation may also help reduce the risk of developing invasive cancers by 61 percent.
Over the course of the three-year trial, which took place in Switzerland, France, Germany, Austria and Portugal, the researchers tested the impact of daily doses of vitamin D3 (a supplemental form of vitamin D, which is known to reduce the growth of cancer cells), omega-3s (which help keep cells healthy), and strength training at home (which can boost your immunity and prevent inflammation ) in 2157 volunteers. The participants, who were at least 70 years old, completed each treatment individually and together to see which tactic (or combination of tactics) might help reduce the risk of invasive cancer.
The result: Although more research is needed for doctors to make definitive recommendations, Dr. Heike Bischoff-Ferrari of University Hospital Zurich in Switzerland concluded that vitamin D3, omega-3s, and exercise helped prevent cancer risks invasive among study participants. In doing all three, the researchers noted that the benefits were the most successful, as cancer risks were reduced by 61 percent. “Our results, although based on multiple comparisons and require replication, may be beneficial in reducing cancer burden,” said Bischoff-Ferrari.
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This study is the first of its kind to explore the use of three separate preventive methods health tactics to reduce the risk of invasive cancers, which grow through the original tissue or cells. Bischoff-Ferrari noted that the team intended to look beyond general recommendations to avoid smoking and excessive sun exposure in the research. “Preventive efforts in middle-aged and older adults today are largely limited to screening and vaccination efforts,” he said.
