For years, doctors have considered exercise to be a “natural antidepressant,” a new study cited by UPI and Agerpres recently confirmed.

The conclusion came after a four-month study that looked at the effects of running on anxiety and depression compared to a conventional antidepressant.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) increase levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is important in mood regulation as well as depression and anxiety.

Among 140 patients with depression, those who practiced group running — two or three 45-minute runs a week — had lower levels of depression compared to people who took escitalopram, a drug in the class of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

In addition, those who treated their depression with exercise received an additional reward, and improvements were also seen in physical health. This group “lost weight, improved fitness, and lowered heart rate and blood pressure,” said study author Brenda Pennix.

These benefits were not observed in the drug group. Brenda Pennix, professor of psychiatric epidemiology and associate chair of the department of psychiatry at the University Medical Center in Amsterdam, Netherlands, presented her findings this weekend at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) congress.

The study was published earlier this year in the Journal of Affective Disorders. The results of the study suggest that “we should be paying much more attention to lifestyle improvements in mental health care,” the author said.

What a new depression study shows

All patients included in this study suffered from depression and/or anxiety. When given a choice between two options, nearly two-thirds chose to treat their depression with scheduled running sessions over four months. The rest of the group chose escitalopram.

The research team noted that there were patients in both groups who did not benefit in terms of reductions in depression or anxiety. Just over 4 in 10 patients (44%) in both the running and drug groups experienced improvements in mental health.

But people who chose running and noticed a positive effect continued to lose weight and reduce their waist circumference. Improvements in blood pressure and overall heart function were also observed. This was not the case for those taking escitalopram.

A disadvantage observed in the group of subjects who chose to run was that they were less likely to continue with the full exercise program compared with patients who chose escitalopram.

Between 52% and 58% of the runners stuck to their daily routine throughout the study period, compared with 82% to 85% in the drug group.

“Changes in lifestyle are notoriously difficult,” Pennix explained. However, patients may see benefits if they are given the opportunity to choose what they think might work best for them, she said.

“Unfortunately, we still don’t know what works for whom,” the researcher admitted, adding that a combination of both treatments “may be the best” solution to increasing the chances of overcoming depression.

Physical activity can alleviate symptoms of depression

Ahmed Jerome Romain, an associate professor at the University of Montreal’s School of Kinesiology, who was not part of the team that led the study, was not surprised by the findings, “because it is well documented that physical activity can be used to alleviate depression. symptoms, as well as for the prevention of depression.”

He noted, for example, that in Canada “physical activity is included in the recommendations for the treatment of depressive disorders.”

“So physical activity like running is definitely an important strategy for people with depression because it can help both mental and physical health,” Romain said.

Another thing to consider, Romain noted, is that exercise doesn’t have the side effects that drugs can have. Regarding ways to reduce dropout over time, he offered some strategies for patients.

“First, it’s important to focus on exercise enjoyment, because patients who don’t enjoy exercise are likely to have a harder time maintaining it,” Romain said.

He also emphasized the importance of social support, such as having a training partner, as well as setting goals to boost confidence, monitoring depression symptoms before and after training and having a physical activity plan.

“Physical activity is medicine for physical, mental and psychological health, so it’s time to start,” he said.

“If this is too difficult, try to find a physical education specialist to help you through the process. And, more importantly, find something enjoyable. The biggest (problem) is not in the intensity of the exercises, but in maintaining them for a long time,” he added.