Ace Your Mental Fitness Goals! New Study Claims Running Is Better At Beating Depression Than Medicines

New research claims that running away from your problems might actually be the solution. Yes, you read that right! A new study is claiming that a run could be as effective as medication when it comes to treating depression in people.?

Who Is Behind This New Study?

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The study appeared in the Journal of Affective Disorders and was published by a research group from the Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije University, Amsterdam.

What Does The Study Say?

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A new European study is sending shock waves across the fitness realm with claims that “run therapy” could prove to be an alternative to medication for depression and anxiety patients.?

According to the study, almost half, precisely 44 percent, of individuals dealing with depression and anxiety indicated an improvement in their condition, irrespective of whether they spent 16 weeks participating in regular running sessions or undergoing a 16-week course of antidepressant medication.

When Was The Study Published?

The research was made public in full online on February 23, 2023.

Why Did Running Help?

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Engaging in exercise positively influenced the participants' weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, and heart function. In contrast, individuals who opted for antidepressants experienced a decrease in their overall fitness levels.?

Professor Brenda Penninx revealed, “Antidepressants generally had worse impact on body weight, heart rate variability and blood pressure, whereas running therapy led to improved effect on general fitness and heart rate for instance.”?

She added, “In the end, patients are only truly helped when we are improving their mental health without unnecessarily worsening their physical health.” Nevertheless, the specialist did not fail to highlight that a larger proportion of the running group discontinued the program, with only 52 percent adhering to the regimen, as opposed to 82 percent of those who continued taking the prescribed pills.

The professor noted, “The study shows that lots of people like the idea of exercising, but it can be difficult to carry this through, even though the benefits are significant.”

Penninx concluded, “Our results suggest that implementing exercise therapy is something we should take much more seriously, as it could be a good – and maybe even better – choice for some of our patients.”

How Was The Study Conducted?

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Vrije University, Amsterdam scientists requested 141 patients battling depression and anxiety to pick between a group running routine, held two to three times each week, or undergoing treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants.

After 16 weeks, the researchers evaluated the participants' mental and physical well-being. Out of the total, 96 individuals decided to join the running group, while 45 preferred the medication route.

In a recent Neuropsychopharmacology conference in Barcelona, professor Brenda Penninx revealed that the team found “both interventions helped with the depression to around the same extent.”

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