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Regular exercise is associated with a wide range of health benefits, including a reduced risk<\/a> of cancer. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Physical activity is also important during the treatment of certain cancers, such as prostate cancer<\/a>, where treatment itself may lead to weight gain or other metabolic dysfunction.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Scientists previously identified an exercise-induced molecule \u2014 known as N-lactoyl-phenylalanine (Lac-Phe), a compound released during physical activity \u2014 associated with weight loss and decreased appetite, and it appears to be stimulated by metformin<\/a>, a diabetes<\/a> drug. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n In an exploratory study, researchers found that prostate cancer patients treated with metformin had Lac-Phe levels comparable to those seen after strenuous exercise. The findings were published on April 6 in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Researchers \u201cAltered metabolism is one of the hallmarks of cancer. So, what would happen with cancer patients treated with metformin?\u201d said first study author Marijo Bilusic<\/a>, MD, PhD, a genitourinary medical oncologist at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cIn our study, we were very surprised to see that the level of Lac-Phe in our prostate cancer patients was exactly the same as the level of ultramarathoners. This has never been reported before,\u201d he told Healthline.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n While metformin did not predict improved treatment response, such as PSA levels<\/a> or tumor growth, it was associated with improved weight management, including among patients prescribed anti-androgen therapy<\/a>, which is linked with weight gain.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n S. Adam Ramin<\/a>, MD, board certified urologist, urologic oncologist, and medical director of Urology Cancer Specialists in Los Angeles, CA, who wasn\u2019t involved in the research, called it \u201can intriguing preliminary study,\u201d but cautioned that larger studies would be necessary to validate the findings.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Bilusic and his team analyzed blood samples from men with prostate cancer enrolled in a clinical trial called BIMET-1<\/a>, along with an additional group of individuals treated at a cancer center. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n In the trial, 12 patients with overweight or obesity<\/a> (but not diabetes) were studied in detail out of 29 originally enrolled in the cohort. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either standard care alone or metformin at a dose of 1,000 mg twice daily, followed by combination treatment with the hormone therapy drug bicalutamide<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n To confirm their findings, the researchers also studied an additional 25 individuals with prostate cancer across a range of disease stages, including advanced cancer. Of these, seven were taking metformin. Across both groups, the team measured Lac-Phe levels and compared them before and after treatment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The researchers found that metformin consistently increased levels of Lac-Phe in prostate cancer, regardless of cancer stage, body weight, or other treatments. In the clinical trial group, Lac-Phe levels rose significantly after metformin treatment. In the broader participant group, those taking metformin clearly had higher levels than those who were not. The increases reached ranges similar to those seen after intense exercise.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Importantly, people taking metformin also showed better weight control during hormone therapy, which is known to cause weight gain. In the trial, nearly all individuals on metformin avoided weight gain over several months of treatment, while those not taking it were more likely to gain weight. Although not conclusive, researchers believe this may be linked to levels of Lac-Phe in the body, which are associated with reduced appetite and food intake.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n While Lac-Phe is thought to act on the brain to suppress appetite, how it does so remains unclear. And higher Lac-Phe levels did not predict whether a person\u2019s cancer responded to treatment. The study builds on the findings of the \u201cWe know that men on hormone therapy, such as oral anti-androgen therapy, tend to gain weight, develop obesity, and metabolic syndrome<\/a>. Metformin may prove to be effective in preventing these complications,\u201d said Ramin. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n But, he added, \u201cAt this point, it is premature to recommend metformin to patients with prostate cancer on hormone therapy.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n The importance of exercise<\/a> after a prostate cancer diagnosis cannot be overstated. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n