Exercise is a ‘safe option’ for managing depression

New study shows working out ‘may be as good at treating depression as psychological therapies’

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EXERCISE may be just as good at treating depression as psychological therapies and possibly even antidepressants, a study suggests.

A review of 73 studies from researchers at the University of Lancashire found exercise may have a moderate benefit on reducing symptoms of depression when compared with no treatment or a placebo.

Exercise was also just as beneficial as psychological therapies, based on evidence from 10 clinical trials.

It was also comparable to antidepressants, though researchers warned this evidence was limited and of low certainty.

Any long-term benefits were unclear as most studies followed people up for the duration of the treatment in the study.

Professor Andrew Clegg, lead author of the Cochrane review, said: “Our findings suggest that exercise appears to be a safe and accessible option for helping to manage symptoms of depression.