"Did you catch it from riding a bicycle?"...British cycling hero 'Lee cancer' given 4 years to live

Some studies say cycling is bad for prostate health, some say it’s not.

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A medical debate has erupted over whether cycling can cause prostate cancer after British ‘cycling hero’ Sir Chris Hoy revealed he suffers from an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Left = Sir Chris Hoy performs the baton ceremony prior to the men’s cycling sprint final at this year’s Paris Olympics. Right = When he won the gold medal in the men’s sprint final at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in China.[사진=영국 방송 BBC 보도 ]The British daily Mail and BBC reported that the medical debate over whether cycling can cause prostate cancer has been rekindled after British ‘cycling hero’ Sir Chris Hoy revealed that he was suffering from an aggressive form of prostate cancer.

Sir Chris (48), who won six gold medals in Olympic cycling, announced last weekend that he had “two to four years to live” due to prostate cancer, and fans expressed shock and sadness on social media. Chris Hoy was awarded the title for his performance at the Olympics.

People reportedly want to know why the relatively young and healthy 48-year-old developed prostate disease, which is usually seen in older men, and whether there is any link between regular cycling and prostate disease, as some studies have previously suggested. There is growing interest in whether this exists.

One in 10 adult men (twice as many as women) ride a bike in the UK, and this may be a question given that it is the most popular exercise among people aged between 50 and 60. So what is the truth?

Scientists have long been concerned that cycling could affect the prostate because the bike seat puts pressure on the perineum, the area underneath the pelvis between the legs. Pressure applied to the perineum can stimulate the prostate, a gland that helps produce semen.

Scientists have found that cycling can increase prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in blood tests. This compound is secreted by the prostate, and higher-than-normal levels may be a sign of a problem with the prostate. Some studies have shown a spike in PSA for up to 48 hours after cycling.

There is also evidence that people who cycle regularly are more likely to suffer from prostatitis. However, prostatitis or elevated PSA levels are not in themselves signs of prostate cancer and are not known to increase the risk of cancer.

There are conflicting studies showing that cycling is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer, while others suggest that cycling actually lowers the risk. [사진=게티이미지뱅크]According to a 2014 University College London research team, men in their 50s who cycled more than nine hours a week were five times more likely to develop prostate cancer than those who cycled less. The research team looked at data from more than 5,000 cyclists and found that men in their 50s had an increased risk when they cycled more than 3.5 hours a week.

However, subsequent studies, such as Cycling and men’s health: A worldwide survey in association the Global Cycling Network, published in 2020 in the Journal of Clinical Urology, looked at data from 8,000 male cyclists. They found no link between riding and an increased risk of prostate cancer.

Other studies have even suggested that cycling may help prevent prostate cancer.

According to a study published last January on about 50,000 men, men who exercised regularly, including riding a bicycle, had a lower risk of developing prostate cancer than men who did not exercise. A Swedish research team found that men who engage in regular cardiovascular exercise are a third less likely to develop prostate cancer.

In particular, the University College London team that published the worrying 2014 study mentioned above even urged men to continue cycling to reap the further health benefits.

“We do not recommend that people reduce the frequency of their cycling,” the research team said. “Cycling has many physical and mental health benefits that outweigh any current risks.”

Experts say, “Regular exercise is a well-established anti-cancer lifestyle habit,” and “Exercise not only fights obesity, which increases cancer risk due to excess fat, but also produces hormones that help reduce the chance of cancer developing or growing.” He says.

According to Cancer Research UK (CRUK), as with most cancers, the exact cause of a person’s specific prostate cancer is usually unknown.