Running Might Be Better For Health Than Antidepressants Among Those With Depression Or Anxiety, Small Study Suggests

Forbes Business Breaking Running Might Be Better For Health Than Antidepressants Among Those With Depression Or Anxiety, Small Study Suggests Ty Roush Forbes Staff I cover breaking news. Following Oct 6, 2023, 06:00pm EDT | Press play to listen to this article! Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline Running regularly might be better for improving overall health among those with depression or anxiety than using antidepressants, according to a small study announced Friday, amid debate over whether exercising is more effective for treating depressive and anxiety disorders than medications. An estimated 29% of adults in the U.

S. have been diagnosed with depression at some point in their . .

. [+] lifetime. Getty Images Key Facts A study involving 141 patients with anxiety or depression offered participants a choice between group-based running therapy or antidepressants to treat depression and anxiety, according to a report Friday by the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology.

Of the 141 patients, 45 opted for antidepressants while the remaining 96 chose running, requiring both groups to participate in a 16-week schedule for medication intake or running sessions. The group that chose to run aimed to run for two to three “closely supervised” 45-minute running sessions, though researchers noted the “adherence to the protocol” was lower for the running group (52%) than the antidepressant group (82%), suggesting not all participants who chose to run completed each 45-minute session. The group that chose antidepressants was prescribed the SSRI—a form of medication that increases the level of serotonin in the brain—escitalopram, with an unspecified intake schedule.

About 44% of the participants from both groups showed an improvement for both depression and anxiety, while the running group showed improvements in weight, waist circumference, blood pressure and heart function when compared to the antidepressant group, which did not. The researchers noted that the antidepressant group was “slightly more” depressed than the running group prior to the study. Crucial Quote Brenda Pennix, a researcher from Amsterdam-based Vrije University, said the study was intended to give “anxious and depressed people a real-life choice,” noting 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.

” Big Number 29%. That’s the estimated number of adults in the U. S.

who have been diagnosed with depression at some point in their lifetime, according to a Gallup poll published earlier this year. This is the highest percentage ever recorded by Gallup, which recorded a previous record-high of 28. 6% in 2021.

Key Background Studies have previously suggested that exercise could be more effective for depressive or anxiety disorders than antidepressants. A report published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in February, which included more than 2,000 participants across 41 similar studies, found that exercise was effective when treating depression and depressive symptoms and should be offered as a treatment option. Michael Craig Miller, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, suggested exercise can work “as well” as antidepressants for treating depression, though he added, “exercise alone isn’t enough for someone with severe depression.

” The World Health Organization also promotes exercise for improving mental health when complemented with medication. Further Reading The Best Treatment For Depression? It Could Be Exercise. ( Washington Post ) Follow me on Twitter .

Send me a secure tip . Ty Roush Editorial Standards Print Reprints & Permissions.