A new study, published by the Cochrane Collaboration, studied the effectiveness of exercise as a treatment for depression in adults.  Specifically, the researchers examined whether or not adults that were receiving no other treatments showed improvement with exercise.  The study used a meta-analysis of other studies, comparing exercise only, placebo treatments, pharmacological interventions, psychological treatment, and other studies involving active treatment.  Based on the meta-analysis, the researchers concluded that exercise had a modest impact in reducing depression.  The more robust studies showed smaller effects.  In conclusion, exercise did not have a statistically significant advantage over pharmacological or psychological therapies.

According to an analysis of the study in MedPage Today, it is important to note the lack of a statistically significant difference between exercise and psychological or drug-based therapies.  This means that exercise may provide a viable option or alternative for those that do not want to deal with the pitfalls or side effects of other options.  For example, drugs have side effects that patients may want to avoid.  Additionally, pharmaceuticals often have a lag time before improvements are seen and the patient must adhere to the drug regimen.  Many may get discouraged before they see improvements.

With psychological interventions, there may not be any common side effects.  However, these treatments usually require seeing a trained mental health professional.  Patients may believe that there is a stigma associated with seeing a counselor and may be embarrassed to do so.  If exercise offers a similar impact, they may prefer to try this option, which they can control.  It will also allow them to keep their condition secret.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes depression as a condition “characterized by depressed or sad mood, diminished interest in activities which used to be pleasurable, weight gain or loss, psychomotor agitation or retardation, fatigue, inappropriate guilt, difficulties concentrating, as well as recurrent thoughts of death.”  Depression is correlated with adverse health conditions and behaviors, including smoking, alcohol consumption, sleep disturbance, and physical inactivity.  In addition to addressing depression itself, exercise can mitigate one of its adverse health impacts.

Exercise also shows a number of other lifelong benefits, explains Medical News Today.  These health benefits include improved cognitive functioning, such as memory and mental clarity, better blood circulation, better sleep, and delays in brain deterioration.  Increasing physical activity throughout one’s life has also been shown to prevent or delay the onset of dementia or a stroke later in life.