Exercise can help in treating depression

Regular exercise can prove as beneficial as an anti-depressant drug in treating depression. There is growing evidence that exercise may be a viable alternative to medicines in the treatment of depression. Till now, there have been several theories discussing why exercise can improve depression. Physical activity seems to affect some key nervous system chemicals like norepinephrine and serotonin that are targets of anti-depressant drugs, as well as brain neurotrophins, which help protect nerve cells from injury and transmit signals in brain regions related to mood. Not only this, exercise can also boost people's feelings of self-efficacy and promote positive thinking. Some even say that when done in a group exercise can have added benefits. To assess the benefits of exercise in treating depression, researchers at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina studied 202 men and women age 40 and older who were diagnosed with major depression. They were randomly assigned to one of four groups: one that worked out in a supervised, group setting three times per week; one that exercised at home; one that took the antidepressant sertraline (Zosert); and one that took placebo pills. After 16 weeks, the patients were measured for depression symptoms. The results indicated that those who went through group-based exercise therapy did as well as those treated with an antidepressant drug. The third group that performed home-based exercise also improved, though to a lesser degree. It was found that 47 percent of patients on the antidepressant no longer met the criteria for major depression. The same was true of 45 percent of those in the supervised exercise group. In the home-based exercise group, 40 percent were relieved of their symptoms, compared with 31 percent of the placebo group. These findings bolster the theory that exercise has an effect on depression. Those who are motivated to exercise can benefit a lot. Although doctors may not start prescribing exercise as a depression treatment, it can be undoubtedly be something worth trying.