Exercise relieves depression as effectively as medication, study finds : NPR
Even light to moderate exercise can boost mood and reduce symptoms of depression. Maskot/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Maskot/Getty Images If you feel a lift after exercise, you’re in good company. Movement can boost mood, and according to the results of a new study, it can also help relieve symptoms of depression. As part of a review of evidence by the Cochrane collaboration — an independent network of researchers — scientists evaluated 73 randomized controlled trials that included about 5,000 people with depression, many of whom also tried antidepressant medication. “We found that exercise was as effective as pharmacological treatments or psychological therapies as well,” says Andrew Clegg, a professor at the University of Lancashire in the U.K. The findings are not a surprise to psychiatrist Dr. Stephen Mateka, medical director of psychiatry at Inspira Health. “This new Cochrane review reinforces the evidence that exercise is one of the most evidence-based tools for improving mood,” says Mateka. He explains how it mirrors some of the effects of medication. “Exercise can help improve neurotransmitter function, …
