Caffeine-exercise combo protects against skin cancer

WASHINGTON: A caffeine-exercise combo may be able to ward off skin cancer caused by exposure to sunlight, a study reveals.

"We found that this combination treatment can decrease sunlight-caused skin cancer formation in a mouse model," said Yao-Ping Lu, associate research professor of chemical biology at the Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy in Piscataway, New Jersey.

"I believe we may extrapolate these findings to humans and anticipate that we would benefit from these combination treatments as well," Lu added.

Researchers evaluated the effects of caffeine and exercise on mice at high risk for developing skin cancer. Results showed that mice that took a dose of caffeine and exercised with a running wheel experienced 62 percent fewer skin tumours.

Researchers observed a 27 percent reduction in tumours in caffeine-only mice and a 61 percent reduction in tumour size. In the exercise-only mice, researchers found that tumour activity decreased by 35 percent and tumour volume decreased by 70 percent, said a university statement.

They also found that exercise and caffeine reduced weight and inflammation, a response of a tissue to injury, often injury caused by invading pathogens. It is characterized by increased blood flow to the tissue causing increased temperature, redness, swelling, and pain.

The link, Lu believes, is inflammation, which dropped as much as 92 percent in mice that exercised and consumed caffeine.

Lu presented these findings at the just concluded American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2012.