Exercise may help
ease symptoms of depression, according to a fresh look at past research. Researchers who analyzed data from previous studies found people
who exercised experienced a "moderate" reduction in their depressive
symptoms compared to those who did other activities, such as using relaxation
techniques, or received no treatment.
"This review provides some additional evidence that there may
be some benefit (to exercise)," Dr. Gillian Mead, the study's senior
author, told Reuters Health.
A 2009 review from the Cochrane Collaboration, an international
organization that evaluates medical research, found similar results, but more
studies looking at the link between exercise and depression have since been
published.
"We'd become aware of some new trials in the area and - in
general - the Cochrane review should be kept updated if there is new evidence
that may lead to changes," Mead said. About one in ten Americans reports being depressed, according to
the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The most popular
treatments for depression include antidepressant medications and psychotherapy.
Mead and her fellow researchers write in The Cochrane Library,
however, that many people prefer alternative treatments, and some doctors
recommend exercise as a potential option.
For the new review, they searched databases for all medical trials
conducted through March 2013 that compared exercise among adults with
depression to other activities or no treatment.
Overall, the researchers were able to combine data from 35 trials
that included 711 people who were randomly assigned to an exercise program and
642 who were randomized to comparison groups.
Because the studies used various scales to assess depression, they
converted the results into a single measurement to compare people in exercise
and non-exercise groups. Using that measurement, a difference between groups of
0.2 represents a small effect, 0.5 a moderate effect and 0.8 a large effect. Mead's team found a 0.62-point difference in depressive symptoms
favoring people who exercised.
In one of the included trials from 2007, for instance, researchers
found 45 percent of people who took part in supervised exercise no longer met
the criteria for depression after four months, compared to 31 percent taking an
inert placebo pill.
In another trial from 2002, 55 percent of older people experienced
a significant decline in depression symptoms after 10 weeks of exercise,
compared to 33 percent who attended informational talks during that time.
The difference between groups, however, was greatly diminished
when the review authors only analyzed data from the six trials that were
considered high quality.
Still, exercise appeared to reduce depressive symptoms as much as
psychotherapy or antidepressant medications. But Mead cautioned that those
findings are only based on data from a small number of trials.
Health News published by caribbeanmedicalschools.com
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