Exercise Can Act Like Drug To Cut Risk of Heart Disease

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Exercise can behave like a drug on the blood vessels, reducing the risk of

heart disease by getting the blood flowing, U.S. researchers said yesterday.

It works by reducing inflammation, which has recently joined high blood

pressure and high cholesterol as a leading cause of heart disease, the

researchers said.

The effect is similar to high doses of steroids, the researchers report in

today's issue of Circulation Research.

" The physical force of blood flow can cause cells to produce their own

anti-inflammatory response, " said lead researcher Diamond of the

University of Pennsylvania's Institute for Medicine and Engineering.