The effect of prescribed exercise volume on biomarkers of chronic stress in postmenopausal women: Results from the Breast Cancer and Exercise Trial in Alberta (BETA)

Abstract

There is epidemiologic and biologic evidence for a role of stress in breast cancer etiology and physical activity mitigates the negative effects of stress. We examined the potential for a dose-response relationship between two volumes of aerobic exercise and biomarkers of chronic stress in post-menopausal women. The Breast Cancer and Exercise Trial in Alberta is a randomized controlled trial with post-menopausal women randomized to either a MODERATE (150 min per week) or HIGH (300 min per week) volume of exercise over a one year intervention period. Fasting serum concentrations of cortisol, cortisone, corticosterone and 11-deoxycortisol at baseline, 12 months (the end of the intervention), and 24 months. Intention-to-treat analyses were performed using general linear models, adjusted for baseline biomarker concentrations. There were modest but non-statistically significant decreases in cortisol (HIGH: −4%, 95% CI: −7%, 2%; MODERATE: −1%, 95%: CI: −14%, 4%) and corticosterone (HIGH: −4%, 95% CI: −12%, 6%; MODERATE: −5%, 95% CI: −14%, 4%) concentrations for both exercise groups between baseline and 12 months, and no difference in cortisone concentrations. Intention-to-treat analysis of 386 (97%) participants showed no statistically significant group differences for changes in biomarker levels at 12 months. Between baseline and 12 months, there were no differences in cortisol or cortisone and, at 24 months all stress hormone levels increased to near-baseline levels with no significant differences between the two intervention groups.

Exercise-induced modulation of monocytes in breast cancer survivors

“…It has been hypothesized that endogenous ligands, such as heat shock proteins, increase with a bout of exercise, and with the frequent occurrence, it creates a cross-tolerance, which may decrease monocyte TLRs expression while reducing the inflammatory response ( Flynn and McFarlin, 2006 ). In a large randomized controlled trial, exercise training was associated with decreased levels of stress hormones such as cortisol and corticosterone ( Friedenreich et al., 2019 ). Reduced stress hormone levels might play a role in the reduced inflammatory response of immune cells to exercise.…”

Effects of Eight-Week Combined Resistance and Endurance Training on Salivary Interleukin-12, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Cortisol, and Testosterone Levels in Patients with Breast Cancer

“…These results were consistent with our findings, which showed that the testosterone/cortisol ratio significantly increased. Friedenreich et al reported that the alteration in the cortisol: corticosterone ratio in breast women suggests the possibility of an alteration in the adrenal steroid biosynthesis pathway as a result of an exercise intervention (12).…”

“…cardiovascular fitness, physical fitness (3,11). Also, the combination of resistance and aerobic exercises is associated with decreased risk of breast cancer via different biological processes, including regulation of the physiological and metabolic process, changing sex hormones, maintaining a healthy weight, reducing inflammation, and improving the immune response (12). Therefore, catabolic/anabolic and pro/anti-inflammatory biomarkers panel can be used to determine the improvement status and anti-tumor effects of exercise therapy.…”

Effects of Exercise Training on Anabolic and Catabolic Hormones with Advanced Age: A Systematic Review

“…The effects of long-term training on insulin concentrations in older adults are summarised in Table 6. Nine studies [15,64,65,[70][71][72][73][74] reported decreased basal insulin (effect size: 0.04 < d < 2.30, small to very large) and four studies [4,69,75,76] observed increased concentrations (effect size: 0.32 < d < 0.56, small).…”

“…Skeletal muscles are responsible for > 60% of glucose metabolism [72], and thus exercise in older adults is an important regulator of glucose metabaolism. HIIT improves insulin sensitivity, body composition and cardiovascular health [76], and several studies suggest the increase in insulin sensitivity due to exercise training is directly proportional to exercise intensity and volume [70,71], although there is also evidence that combined training may be more efficacious than one form of training alone [64,[69][70][71].…”