Psychologists have known for many years that aerobic exercise is beneficial to mood. James Blumenthal of Duke University has led the way in providing empirical data of exercise’s effects.

reducing stress the antural way

In his most recent work, Blumenthal and his colleagues looked at 202 men and women who had been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder. Participants were randomly assigned to four groups: exercise at home, exercise in supervised group, antidepressant medication (Zoloft), or placebo.

After 16 weeks, 47% of the Zoloft group no longer met MDD criteria, but 45% and 40% of the group and home exercise groups respectively no longer were depressed either.

For those of us who continue to be wary of the “quick fix” of medication for many conditions, this is welcome news. I hope that Blumenthal and his colleagues continue to explore this area, possibly looking at the following questions:

  1. Blumenthal studies older adults (over age 40). Is exercise equally effective for younger people with MDD?
  2. We know that cognitive-behavioral therapy alone is about as effective as medication alone for MDD, and that combining the two approaches is better still. What would happen if we combined aerobic exercise with CBT, with medication, or tried all three approaches simultaneously?
  3. What are the implications for today’s epidemics of obesity and lack of exercise for the prevalence of MDD in the future?
  4. We have noticed that eating our eminently balanced Jenny Craig diet has also been associated with improved mood. Could healthier eating also be a factor in reducing depression?

So many research questions….so little time!


8 Comments

jsaqqa · September 28, 2007 at 1:19 pm

Research shows that exercise positively helps humans both mentally and physically, but as individuals I think it is a shame that we constantly look for quick fixes to solve our problems. I think as a society we need to not rely so heavily on medication, but look toward ourselves to create healthy lifestyles.

jsaqqa · September 28, 2007 at 1:19 pm

Research shows that exercise positively helps humans both mentally and physically, but as individuals I think it is a shame that we constantly look for quick fixes to solve our problems. I think as a society we need to not rely so heavily on medication, but look toward ourselves to create healthy lifestyles.

L.Brightwell · September 28, 2007 at 3:20 pm

I know from personal experience that a simple exercise routine can have a major impact not only on health but also mood and overall daily life. As I make an attempt at getting reacquainted with the a busy school and work schedule I am seeing what an adverse affect a lack of exercise can have on me. I feel tired, out of energy, and often in need of some stress relief. It will be nice to get back into the swing of things and boost my mood in a positive and healthy manner. This article continues to illustrate how dependent our society has become on finding the faster easier way to solve issues that normally wouldn’t require medication or special solutions.

c.busso · October 2, 2007 at 8:38 pm

In my own experience exercising gives me a ton of energy and can up my mood. It is also a good break from school, work, and crazy room mates. I personally can see how it would help with depression. When I am feeling down it is really hard to have to motivation to go to the gym, but once I go it is a lot easier to keep going.

kbushman · October 6, 2007 at 5:48 pm

I’m not surprised by the findings of this experiment. In my own life, I see this to be true as well. I by no means have MDD but as a college student I do find myself getting majorly stressed out and depressed at times and a little jog never fails me. Something about being outside and getting my heart going seems to help me be able to relax and forget my stresses.
I also have found that sunlight as provided the same relief for me as well. Sitting out in the sun helps me relax and takes my mind off of things. We shouldn’t be so quick to go out and buy the newest drug in hopes of washing down our sorrows. Get outside once in a while. It will do your body, and your mind, good.

denatz · October 12, 2007 at 2:33 pm

This is good news. I often receive laughs, when I explain that exercise is relaxing to me. In my experience, a good run is often that needed time out or moment of peace, during a busy day. I hope more studies continue on this path and further develop upon the possibilty of alternative methods to medication alone.

KatyL · October 17, 2007 at 11:19 am

I have had my own experiences with the positive affects of exercize, it is great especially when done in an outdoor setting. But like anything it needs to be done in moderation and balanced with other positive life experiences. I believe excersize and medication can be benificial for deppression- it is completely dependent on each individuals body chemistry and lifestyle alos on the severity of the deppression
I would be interested to see the difference in people who take antideppresants and excersize, compared to the outcome of people who only excersize or only take antidresants.
Katy Lees
PSY 430

Bodybuilding » Exercise yourself to a better mood…. · September 20, 2007 at 10:06 pm

[…] jakepatrick wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptIs exercise equally effective for younger people with MDD? We know that cognitive-behavioral therapy alone is about as effective as medication alone for MDD, and that combining the two approaches is better still. … […]

Comments are closed.