Diagnosis
Exercise and Testosterone levels
http://www.ourvoiceinprostatehealth.com/questions/2012/6/exercise-and-t…
If exercise increases testosterone levels, and given the association of testosterone with prostate cancer, is there a contradiction in recommending exercise for men who are at risk or who have had treatment for prostate cancer?
Dr. Kerry Courneya explains: This is an excellent question. It’s correct that heavy weight training or vigorous exercise can lead to a transient — i.e. temporary — increase in testosterone levels during and shortly after exercise. The clinical implications of this increase for men with prostate cancer, however, are unknown. Most experts don’t believe that it’s of sufficient concern to contraindicate exercise in these patients, for several reasons: 1) the limited data available haven’t shown an increase in testosterone or PSA with exercise training for men receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT); 2) the effects of exercise on testosterone are trivial compared to the control that can be achieved with ADT; 3) epidemiological evidence shows that higher exercise levels, including vigorous exercise, in men with prostate cancer are actually associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer-specific death and death from all causes.
These data suggest that the overall effect of exercise on prostate cancer-related and other deaths (e.g. from cardiovascular disease) is favourable despite the possibility that some specific mechanisms (e.g. testosterone) may operate in the opposite direction. Prostate cancer patients should always consult their doctor about how best to manage their disease, but current research suggests that the positive effects of exercise far outweigh any potential negative effects both for men at risk of prostate cancer and those who have undergone treatment.
Kerry S. Courneya, PhD, is Professor and Canada Research Chair in Physical Activity and Cancer, Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation at the University of Alberta in Edmonton.
http://www.ourvoiceinprostatehealth.com/questions/2012/6/exercise-and-t…
If exercise increases testosterone levels, and given the association of testosterone with prostate cancer, is there a contradiction in recommending exercise for men who are at risk or who have had treatment for prostate cancer?
Dr. Kerry Courneya explains: This is an excellent question. It’s correct that heavy weight training or vigorous exercise can lead to a transient — i.e. temporary — increase in testosterone levels during and shortly after exercise. The clinical implications of this increase for men with prostate cancer, however, are unknown. Most experts don’t believe that it’s of sufficient concern to contraindicate exercise in these patients, for several reasons: 1) the limited data available haven’t shown an increase in testosterone or PSA with exercise training for men receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT); 2) the effects of exercise on testosterone are trivial compared to the control that can be achieved with ADT; 3) epidemiological evidence shows that higher exercise levels, including vigorous exercise, in men with prostate cancer are actually associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer-specific death and death from all causes.
These data suggest that the overall effect of exercise on prostate cancer-related and other deaths (e.g. from cardiovascular disease) is favourable despite the possibility that some specific mechanisms (e.g. testosterone) may operate in the opposite direction. Prostate cancer patients should always consult their doctor about how best to manage their disease, but current research suggests that the positive effects of exercise far outweigh any potential negative effects both for men at risk of prostate cancer and those who have undergone treatment.
Kerry S. Courneya, PhD, is Professor and Canada Research Chair in Physical Activity and Cancer, Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation at the University of Alberta in Edmonton.