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Posted on Sep 25, 2002, 6 a.m.
By Bill Freeman
In a 16-week period, researchers studied patients with established depression (age range: 50-77), whom they divided into three groups. One group was treated either with an antidepressant, the second with an exercise regime (3 days per week), and the third group received both medication and exercised.
In a 16-week period, researchers studied patients with established depression (age range: 50-77), whom they divided into three groups. One group was treated either with an antidepressant, the second with an exercise regime (3 days per week), and the third group received both medication and exercised. While all improved over the course of the study, those who undertook the regular exercise scored as well for mood improvement as those given the anti-depressant, or both treatments. Taking exercise improved fitness as well as mood and carried no risk of drug-related side-effects. This study, while limited in scope and duration, suggests that it may be worthwhile to try a program of exercise before having recourse to drugs to reduce depression in older patients, even though drugs seemed to produce a more rapid initial response.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Blumenthal JA, Babyak MA, Moore KA, et al., "Effects of exercise training on older patients with major depression," Arch Int Med 1999;159:2349-2356.
