- Running vs. Antidepressants
- Similar Mental Health Benefits
- Adherence Challenges for Exercise
Running offers additional physical benefits and is just as effective as antidepressants at enhancing mental health, according to one study.
After 16 weeks, patients who began jogging had the same likelihood of reporting reduced levels of depression and anxiety as those who took medication.
Nevertheless, they also experienced physical fitness benefits, including improvements in body weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, and heart function.
In the interim, the metabolic markers of those administered the medications declined, according to findings from researchers at Vrije University in Amsterdam.
“Start your investing journey with a gift! Claim your free Webull shares.”
The researchers compared two therapies for 141 depressed and anxious patients over 16 weeks.
A total of forty-five individuals opted to utilise Escitalopram, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), as an antidepressant.
A further 96 individuals opted to enrol in a running group that provided two to three 45-minute supervised sessions weekly.
By the conclusion of the study, 44% of participants in both groups exhibited ameliorated symptoms of melancholy and anxiety.
Nevertheless, although the running group also exhibited enhancements in physical well-being, individuals in the antidepressant group appeared to have deteriorated.
Significantly lower, 52% of participants in the running group adhered to the schedule in its entirety, in contrast to 82% of those taking the medications, according to research results presented at the conference of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology in Barcelona.
Brenda Penninx, a researcher and professor at Vrije University, remarked, “It is crucial to emphasise that both therapies have a place in the treatment of depression.”
“The study demonstrates that while many individuals appreciate the concept of exercising, putting this into practise can be challenging, despite the substantial advantages.”
“We discovered that the majority of individuals take antidepressants as prescribed, whereas approximately half of the running group adhered to the twice-weekly exercise regimen.”
Merely instructing patients to run is insufficient.
The modification of physical activity patterns will necessitate sufficient oversight and motivation.
Antidepressants are generally efficacious and safe, she continued. They work for most individuals.
“Since it is well known that failure to treat depression results in worsening of symptoms, antidepressants are generally the best option.”
Because not all patients respond to or are willing to take antidepressants, we must diversify our therapy alternatives.
“Our findings suggest that exercise therapy should be implemented with considerably more seriousness, as it could be an excellent option for some of our patients, if not the best.”
Slightly more despondent were the members of the group who elected to take antidepressants as opposed to those who chose to run.
According to researchers, antidepressant treatment necessitates patients to strictly adhere to their prescribed medication regimen; however, this typically does not have a direct influence on their daily activities.
On the contrary, exercise effectively tackles the sedentary way of life frequently observed among individuals diagnosed with depressive and anxiety disorders. To achieve this, practitioners motivate these individuals to engage in group activities, venture outdoors, establish personal objectives, and enhance their physical fitness.
Dr. Eric Ruhe of Amsterdam University Medical Centres said, “These are extremely intriguing results that once again demonstrate that physical health can affect mental health and that exercise can treat anxiety and depression, obviously without the side effects of antidepressants.
Nonetheless, a number of remarks are crucial.
“Initially, the patients adhered to their personal preference, which is standard procedure; however, it is preferable to provide patients with guidance regarding the most effective course of action.”
In cases where patients have solid preferences that must be considered when doing this research, this approach is pragmatically justified.
“One potential drawback is that the comparisons between groups may be subject to bias, which is unlike what would occur in a fully randomised study.”
Patients assigned to the antidepressant group exhibited a higher degree of depression, potentially indicating a reduced likelihood of maintaining their involvement in the exercises.
The authors warn against overinterpreting group similarities.
“Finally, the difference in adherence between the interventions—52% in the exercise group versus 82% in the antidepressant group—is a very significant finding.”
This demonstrates that altering one’s lifestyle is more challenging than simply consuming a pill.
This problem is not exclusive to psychiatry, suggesting that healthy habit adherence must be improved.
This has the potential to significantly affect not only the healthcare industry at large, but also psychiatric disorders.
