Balance shaft for balancing mass forces and/or mass moments, in particular for balancing mass forces and/or mass moments of a reciprocating internal combustion engine, comprising: - an elongated base body; - at least one bearing region which is formed on the base body and via which the balance shaft can be beard by means of a bearing for rotational bearing about an axis of rotation; and - a first unbalance section and a second unbalance section, -- whose centres of mass each lie outside the axis of rotation of the balance shaft, and -- which are formed on the base body on opposite sides of the bearing region as seen in the longitudinal direction of the base body; wherein, during operation of the balance shaft, the first unbalance section tilts with respect to the axis of rotation by a first angle and the second unbalance section tilts with respect to the axis of rotation by a second angle; wherein the balance shaft is configured such that the first unbalance section and the second unbalance section tilt to the same side, wherein the balance shaft has a further bearing region via which the balance shaft can be beard by means of a further bearing for rotational bearing about the axis of rotation; further comprising - a third unbalance section and a fourth unbalance section, -- whose centres of mass each lie outside the axis of rotation of the balance shaft, and -- which are formed on the base body on opposite sides of the further bearing region as seen in the longitudinal direction of the base body, wherein during operation of the balance shaft the third unbalance section tilts by a third angle relative to the axis of rotation and the fourth unbalance section tilts by a fourth angle relative to the axis of rotation wherein the balance shaft is configured such that the third unbalance section and the fourth unbalance section tilt to the same side, characterised in that the second angle is greater than the first angle and the third angle is greater than the fourth angle. - an elongated base body; - at least one bearing region which is formed on the base body and via which the balance shaft can be beard by means of a bearing for rotational bearing about an axis of rotation; and - a first unbalance section and a second unbalance section, -- whose centres of mass each lie outside the axis of rotation of the balance shaft, and -- which are formed on the base body on opposite sides of the bearing region as seen in the longitudinal direction of the base body; -- whose centres of mass each lie outside the axis of rotation of the balance shaft, and -- which are formed on the base body on opposite sides of the bearing region as seen in the longitudinal direction of the base body; wherein, during operation of the balance shaft, the first unbalance section tilts with respect to the axis of rotation by a first angle and the second unbalance section tilts with respect to the axis of rotation by a second angle; wherein the balance shaft is configured such that the first unbalance section and the second unbalance section tilt to the same side, wherein the balance shaft has a further bearing region via which the balance shaft can be beard by means of a further bearing for rotational bearing about the axis of rotation; further comprising - a third unbalance section and a fourth unbalance section, -- whose centres of mass each lie outside the axis of rotation of the balance shaft, and -- which are formed on the base body on opposite sides of the further bearing region as seen in the longitudinal direction of the base body, -- whose centres of mass each lie outside the axis of rotation of the balance shaft, and -- which are formed on the base body on opposite sides of the further bearing region as seen in the longitudinal direction of the base body, wherein during operation of the balance shaft the third unbalance section tilts by a third angle relative to the axis of rotation and the fourth unbalance section tilts by a fourth angle relative to the axis of rotation wherein the balance shaft is configured such that the third unbalance section and the fourth unbalance section tilt to the same side, characterised in that the second angle is greater than the first angle and the third angle is greater than the fourth angle.