According to recent research, running is just as beneficial as antidepressants in treating some forms of depression.
The landmark study, coordinated by experts at Amsterdam’s Vrije University, is the first to compare pharmaceuticals and exercise as strategies of treating depression.
For the trial, 141 individuals with anxiety and depression were randomly assigned to either antidepressant medication or a supervised jogging group 2-3 times per week for 16 weeks.
While 96 of these individuals elected to run, the remaining 45 preferred to take medicine.
Overall, the same amount of persons (44%) in both groups reported feeling better after 16 weeks, with those in the running group also reporting improvements in heart health, weight, and blood pressure.
However, researchers also emphasised a number of considerations to consider while reading these results.
Despite being the most popular choice at first, over half (48%) of individuals who signed up for the running routine dropped out before the trial was completed.
Meanwhile, 82% of those who picked antidepressants completed the 16-week experiment and were found to have more severe depression than those who chose jogging.
Professor Brenda Pennix, who spoke about the findings, emphasised that while running was proven to be a beneficial medication-free alternative for depression, antidepressants remain an essential choice for many.
She said: ‘It is important to say that there is room for both therapies in care for depression.
‘Antidepressants are generally safe and effective. They work for most people. We know that not treating depression at all leads to worse outcomes; so antidepressants are generally a good choice.
‘Nevertheless, we need to extend our treatment arsenal as not all patients respond to antidepressants or are willing to take them.
‘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.’
