If you feel better after exercising, know that you’re not alone. Movement can improve mood and, according to the results of a new study, can also help alleviate depression symptoms.
As part of a review of evidence conducted by the Cochrane Collaboration — an independent network of researchers —, scientists evaluated 73 randomized clinical trials that included about 5,000 people with depression, many of whom were also on antidepressant treatment.
“We found that physical exercise was as effective as pharmacological treatments or psychological therapies,” says Andrew Clegg, professor at the University of Lancashire, in the United Kingdom.
The results don’t surprise psychiatrist Dr. Stephen Mateka, medical director of psychiatry at Inspira Health. “This new Cochrane review reinforces the evidence that physical exercise is one of the most effective tools for improving mood,” says Mateka.
He explains how physical exercise replicates some of the effects of medication. “Exercise can help improve the function of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins. Therefore, there is certainly an overlap between exercise and the way antidepressants provide relief,” says Mateka.
In other words, exercise helps release chemicals in the body that are known to improve mood.
And there’s another powerful effect too. Exercise can trigger the release of brain growth factors, explains Dr. Nicholas Fabiano from the University of Ottawa. He says that depression can reduce neuroplasticity, making it harder for the brain to adapt and change.
“It’s believed that the brain in people with depression is less plastic. Therefore, there are fewer of what we call neurotrophic factors, or BDNF,” explains Fabiano. He calls it the “miracle fertilizer” for the brain. “And we know that exercise can increase it too. Therefore, I think exercise is a fundamental pillar that we really need to advise patients on,” he says.
And while medications and therapy are important tools, Fabiano says exercise is recognized as a preferred treatment for depression.
“Physical exercise has been adopted as a first-line treatment in guidelines for depression worldwide, with good acceptability and safety,” he writes. However, he states that it is still underestimated and underutilized.
“It’s much easier for a primary care doctor to prescribe a medication to a patient. Just write the prescription,” says Fabiano. It’s harder to prescribe physical exercise, which requires time and effort and can be difficult to start for people with depression.
Fabiano says that physical exercise works best as part of a combination of treatments. “We can start with an antidepressant — maybe that improves the person’s mood, and they can engage in therapy. And from there, maybe they’ll be more interested in adopting healthy lifestyle habits, like exercising,” says Fabiano.
How much exercise is enough?
The evidence shows that light to moderate exercises — which raise the heart rate enough to cause slight shortness of breath — can be as beneficial as vigorous or intense exercises, at least at the beginning. And Fabiano says there’s no problem starting with a “low dose.”
“The ideal is to gradually increase the intensity. But going from complete sedentariness to just a daily walk already brings exponential benefits,” he says, emphasizing the importance of starting with modest amounts.
The study found that a combination of aerobic exercises and strength training appears to be more effective than aerobic exercises alone. The meta-analysis found that 13 to 36 exercise sessions led to improvements in depressive symptoms, although long-term follow-up was rare. The researchers say there is still much to learn about how regular exercise can help prevent depression.
Mateka says there are many options. “When it comes to exercise, the important thing is to find the activity that works for you, whether it’s yoga or tai chi instead of walking or running,” he says. For some, group activities can add psychosocial benefits.
In the end, the best is to choose something you enjoy or resume an activity or sport you practiced in childhood.
“Physical exercise is something extremely accessible and low-cost. It has minimal side effects. And it has the potential to positively impact you mentally, emotionally, socially, and physically,” says Mateka.
Source: npr.org by Allison Aubrey