Research supports effective, natural option in fighting depression
Exercise can be as effective as a prescription for an antidepressant drug when it comes to treating the symptoms of major depression.
So says a recently released study providing strong evidence for this startling conclusion.
The study included 202 adults age 40 and older that had been diagnosed with major depression. They were assigned to one of four groups. In one group, participants worked out together under supervision three times per week. A second group performed their workouts at home. Another group was given the antidepressant Zoloft, and the last group was given placebo pills.
At the conclusion of the study 16 weeks later, all of the participants underwent testing to measure their levels of depression symptoms. And what was found was pretty amazing.
First of all, the three groups that were prescribed something, whether it was exercise or an antidepressant, did better than if they did nothing at all like in the placebo group. This shows that you can't ignore those symptoms of depression and just hope they'll go away.
Here's what I found astounding: 45 percent of the folks in the supervised exercise group had improved to such an extent that they could no longer be classified under a diagnosis of major depression. The same was true for 47 percent of those who took the drug.
For those who exercised at home, 40 percent of them experienced a reversal of their symptoms, while only 31 percent of the placebo group did.
We've heard for some time that exercise boosts mood and lessens the symptoms of many diseases and disorders. Specifically for depression, the way exercise works is similar to the effect that the drug companies are trying to achieve. It enhances the chemicals that are associated with depression— norepinephrine and serotonin. If you don't have enough of these chemicals, the symptoms of depression will appear. Exercise also enhances brain neurotrophins, responsible for protecting nerve cells and moving those signals around in the brain that are associated with mood.
Also, adding the social setting for the group that worked out with other folks would explain why they fared better than those who worked out alone at home. Spending time with other people and getting in some casual talk therapy is beneficial. Spending too much time alone has been known to exacerbate symptoms.
If you're currently taking an antidepressant, I wouldn't recommend just shucking it without first working closely with your doctor. I highly recommend that you let your doctor do his job and monitor you if you are interested in trying to wean yourself from these drugs in favor of exercise.
Or, you may not currently be taking a prescription for depression, but have been considering getting one. Again, work closely with your doctor. This would make for a reasonable stepped approach to treatment. He can monitor you as you begin an exercise program and work with you to see if exercise truly is the best treatment for your symptoms. The main point is to treat it and feel better.
The great thing about exercise is that unlike a drug prescription, it will confer general health benefits that transcend the problem at hand, in this case depression. Solid research tells us that exercise reduces the risk of major chronic degenerative diseases, including dementia, heart disease and diabetes, to name just a few.
Another nice thing about exercise is that it doesn't come with the negative side effects we've been reading about recently, such as the risk of increased suicidal thoughts. That is truly a cure that's worse than the disease, should you be the one afflicted with such an awful side effect.
