Exercise treats depression as well as therapy or medication, review finds

A dose of gym could do wonders for both an ailing body and mind. A report released today finds that exercise may provide similar benefits to other widely used treatments for depression.

British scientists reviewed the medical literature on exercise and depression, reviewing dozens of clinical trials. They found compelling evidence that exercise can reduce symptoms of depression, at least in the short term, as well as evidence that its effects match those of treatment or antidepressants. Although more research is needed to fully quantify these benefits, exercise should be considered part of the toolkit used to help treat depression, researchers say.

“Exercise provides an option for people with depressive symptoms, as well as pharmacological treatments or psychological therapies,” lead study author Andrew Clegg, a professor at the University of Lancashire, told Gizmodo.

An in-depth analysis

Clegg and his team study was conducted on behalf of the Cochrane Library, a UK-based research organization known for its comprehensive reviews of clinical trial data related to important public health topics.

They looked at 73 randomized trials that collectively included almost 5,000 adults with depression. Fifty-seven trials directly compared exercise to no treatment or a control; ten trials compared exercise to therapy, and five trials compared exercise to antidepressants.

Overall, Clegg’s team determined that exercise is more effective at reducing depression than no treatment, although this reduction is likely modest on average. That said, the long-term benefits of exercise for depression are less clear.

They also concluded that there was “probably little or no difference in depressive symptoms” between people who exercise regularly and those who receive therapy. The same seems to be true when comparing exercise to antidepressants, but the evidence is less certain.

The team’s results also suggest that light or moderate-intensity exercise may be more effective against depression than vigorous exercise. And while no form of exercise appears significantly better than the others, a mixed exercise program or resistance training might be better than aerobic exercise alone, researchers say.

Remaining questions

The Cochrane review is the latest research to indicate that exercise can reduce symptoms of depression at least as well as other conventional treatments. But the authors say there are still important aspects that could be better understood with larger, better-quality randomized trials.

“If further research were to be funded, it would need to determine what type of exercise is most effective in the long term, how much exercise should be done and for how long. Additionally, it would need to be determined who benefits from exercise, as it may benefit some people but not others,” Clegg explained.

Exercise is undoubtedly one of the best things you can do for your general healthhowever, and it is likely to cause few side effects (the study noted that reported “adverse events” following exercise were rare). Some research has also suggested that combining exercise with other interventions like therapy may be beneficial. even more effective than one or the other alone.

People suffering from depression should ultimately be encouraged to pursue the treatments they are most comfortable with, Clegg says. But this list of options can certainly seem to include exercise.