Exercise more effective than meds for mental health: study

A run a day keeps the depression away.

Researchers from the University of South Australia have discovered regular exercise may be more effective than medication for the treatment of mental illness, such as depression.

Published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the study used 97 reviews, 1,039 and 128,119 participants, marking it as one of the most extensive pieces of research to date. Based on their findings, they concluded that exercise improved symptoms of depression and anxiety.

“Physical activity is known to help improve mental health. Yet despite the evidence, it has not been widely adopted as a first-choice treatment,” lead researcher Dr. Ben Singh said in a statement.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 50% of Americans will be diagnosed with some sort of mental health problem or disorder in their lifetime, and one in five will experience it in a given year.

The agency lists counseling, medication, psychotherapy and rehabilitation as possible remedies to mental illness – but not exercise.

Professor Carol Maher, one of the study’s researchers, claimed that the research is the first of its kind to evaluate how any kind of physical activity could impact psychological disorders and distress in adults, hoping it can serve as a guideline for clinicians.

“Examining these studies as a whole is an effective way to for clinicians to easily understand the body of evidence that supports physical activity in managing mental health disorders,” she said. “We hope this review will underscore the need for physical activity, including structured exercise interventions, as a mainstay approach for managing depression and anxiety.”

Study authors found that intervals of exercise 12 weeks or less were most effective for improving symptoms related to mental illness, suggesting that even small changes for a short period of time could have beneficial effects.

While higher-intensity exercises had “greater improvements for depression and anxiety,” all kinds of physical activity could “significantly reduce symptoms.”

The groups who most benefited from increased physical activity were patients with depression, women who were pregnant or postpartum, people with kidney disease, HIV-positive individuals and even people who were totally healthy.

“We also found that all types of physical activity and exercise were beneficial, including aerobic exercise such as walking, resistance training, pilates and yoga,” Singh said.

“Importantly, the research shows that it doesn’t take much for exercise to make a positive change to your mental health.”

Past research has shown exercise to positively impact mental health, as well as a slew of other health benefits, including cancer growth reduction, cognitive decline prevention and even life longevity.

Physical activity has also been shown to ward off cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and some cancers, and can also strengthen bones and muscles.