Can Exercise Prevent Ulcers?

Although many people are infected with Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria that cause ulcers, few people actually develop ulcers.

Other factors, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), stress and smoking, influence the chance of developing an ulcer.

In their search for other lifestyle factors at work, researchers studied the effect of exercise in a survey of more than 11,000 people.

Men who were moderately active — defined as walking or jogging up to 10 miles per week, or equivalent activity — had 46 percent less risk of developing intestinal ulcers than their sedentary counterparts.

Men who were active — defined as walking or jogging more than 10 miles per week — reduced their risk by 62 percent.

This correlation held only for intestinal ulcers, not stomach ulcers, and there was no evidence that exercise protects against ulcers in women.

Source: Western Journal of Medicine, August 2000; 173, 2, 101-107