In a new study, The story becomes complicated when you use exercise To help with depression etc. mental health issues.a In a study, people with depression and anxiety who participated in a running program undergo a course of antidepressants; They found that both groups experienced the same level of improvement in mental health after a few months.. Those who exercised experienced greater physical health benefits, while those taking antidepressants were much more likely to stick to their regimen throughout.
research, carried out by Dutch scientists, This appears to be the first study of its kind to directly compare exercise and antidepressants.
experiment One hundred and forty-one patients diagnosed with depression or anxiety who sought treatment in an outpatient clinic participated. Patients were divided into two groups, one receiving group-based running therapy twice a week and the other receiving selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a common type of antidepressant. In the treatment group, each program lasted 16 weeks. Volunteers were asked if they would like to be randomly assigned to one of these groups, and if not, they selected their preferred group. Most people followed their prior wishes, with about two-thirds choosing to exercise.
By the end of the study period, approximately 44% of volunteers in each group experienced a clear improvement in their symptoms that was considered remission.But there was Important differences between the two groups.
For example, people who exercised lost some weight and had improvements in blood pressure and general heart function on average compared to before the study, whereas people who took antidepressants experienced a small increase in weight and blood pressure. An increase was seen.. At the same time, even though exercise is the preferred choice for most people, only 52% of participants in the running group fully adhered to the program, compared to those taking antidepressants. In groups, it was 82%.
The team results are published in Published in February in the Journal of Affected Disorders It will be discussed this weekend at the annual meeting of the European Society of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP).
Study author Brenda Penninx, an epidemiologist and professor at Vrije University in Amsterdam, said the findings show that both exercise and antidepressants can have negative effects. They play an important role in the treatment of depression and anxiety, but each comes with its own considerations and challenges.
“Antidepressants are generally safe and effective. They work for most people. We know that not treating depression at all leads to worse outcomes. Therefore, antidepressants are generally safe and effective. “It’s a good choice,” Penninx said. statement Released by ECNP. “Still, not all patients respond to or are willing to take antidepressants, so we need to expand our treatment arsenal.”
And while exercise can be an attractive alternative for many patients, the low adherence rates seen in this study suggest that many people need support to maintain daily activities. ing.
“It’s not enough to just tell patients to ‘run away.’ Changing physical activity behavior requires proper supervision and encouragement, as we did with exercise therapy in a mental health facility.” added Penninx.
Past research has shown that the movement, especially outdoor exercisehave Benefits for us feeling and brain health Typically. In a study earlier this year, More than regular exercise pain tolerance. There’s no doubt that staying active is good for your overall health, but we don’t yet know if it can truly treat depression.
