New research suggests that when it comes to treating depression and anxiety, running can be just as effective as taking medication. However, it’s important to note that what works best can vary from person to person. Scientists in Amsterdam wanted to find out the most effective way to lessen the impact of these conditions on mental and physical health. This study is the first to directly compare the effects of antidepressants with running on anxiety, depression, and overall health. The findings were presented at a conference and published in the Journal of Affective Disorders earlier this year.
Antidepressants are usually safe and helpful for most people,” said Brenda Penninx, a professor studying mental health in the Netherlands. She also mentioned that not treating depression can lead to worse outcomes, so antidepressants are generally a good option. However, it’s important to have other treatments available because not everyone responds well to antidepressants or wants to take them.
The researchers looked at how running therapy compared to taking an antidepressant called escitalopram in 141 patients with depression, anxiety, or both. Over 16 weeks, the medication group took their pills, while the running group had supervised group running sessions two to three times a week.
At the end of the trial, both groups, about 44% each, felt better with their depression or anxiety symptoms. This means that both running and the medication were equally helpful. The running group also saw improvements in weight, waist size, blood pressure, and heart health. However, the medication group had slight declines in these measures.
Karmel Choi, a psychologist from Harvard Medical School, mentioned that exercise has always been seen as an additional support alongside other treatments like talking therapy or medication. She wasn’t part of this research.
Karmel Choi pointed out that sometimes, exercise can be as helpful as an antidepressant but with fewer side effects and more physical health advantages. However, deciding between regular exercise or medication for treating depression or anxiety depends on different things, and there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.
What the research shows
Deciding which treatment is best depends partly on what a person feels comfortable with. This includes how motivated they are to exercise or if they worry about any possible side effects from medication. According to Felipe Barreto Schuch, an expert in mental health, there’s no need to limit patients to just one option because they don’t interfere with each other. Taking pills and exercising are safe to do together.
It’s also a bit tricky to figure out the best treatment because depression comes in different levels of severity. Most studies tend to focus on milder forms of depression because they’re more common and easier to study, explained Ben Singh, a researcher in health studies. He wasn’t part of this study.
When it comes to severe depression, we don’t have a lot of information about how well exercise works as a treatment. According to Parco Siu, a professor in Hong Kong, exercise alone usually isn’t enough for severe depression.
Severe depression involves very intense symptoms like deep sadness, constant hopelessness, thoughts of suicide, or struggling to do everyday tasks, explained Ben Singh, a researcher. For severe depression, a combination of treatments and close medical attention is often needed.
In a 2015 study, Schuch and his team found that for people who were severely depressed and in the hospital, combining exercise with medication was a viable option. However, being in the hospital provides more resources and support for patients, which makes it easier for them to accept and stick with the exercise. In regular communities, it can be harder for severely depressed individuals to stay committed to exercise.
One problem with studies comparing exercise and medication for depression is that it’s uncertain if the recommended amounts of exercise and medication are biologically equivalent. It’s also unclear if participants followed the prescribed dose of medicine or exercise, or if they did more or less than what was advised, Schuch mentioned.
Some experts also wonder which type of exercise is best for people who benefit the most from physical activity, Schuch added. However, there’s evidence showing that there might not be a big difference between aerobic exercises like running and anaerobic exercises like weightlifting. So, while some people might find running helpful, others might prefer weightlifting.
The recent research wasn’t a randomly assigned trial,” explained Karmel Choi. “Participants got to pick their treatment, and most of them chose the exercise program. So, we can’t say for sure if the effects were because of the treatment itself, whether it was medication or exercise, or if there were other factors like people’s interests in health and how motivated they were.”
The group that chose antidepressants for the 16-week trial were actually feeling more depressed than those who chose running, according to the study.
While both exercise and medication are good options, it’s important to remember that “neither will help every patient,” mentioned Felipe Barreto Schuch. “The success rates are about the same, around 50%, for both antidepressants and exercise.”
What’s best for you?
Experts emphasize the importance of creating individualized treatment plans.
“It’s crucial to have an open conversation with a healthcare provider who can understand your specific situation and guide you towards a decision that suits your needs,” advised Ben Singh.
If you’re considering using exercise to help with depression, it’s important to understand that the time it takes to feel better can vary. “Some people may start to feel improvements after a few weeks of regular exercise. However, for others, it might take several months of consistent effort,” explained Karmel Choi.
That’s why it’s vital to stay committed and make exercise a regular part of your routine. “Being consistent over time is more likely to lead to positive results,” added Choi.
CREDIT: CNN