Running could ease depression as much as medication, study finds: ‘Extend the treatment arsenal’

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We’ve all heard about the "runner’s high" — but could that exercise-induced euphoria be as effective as antidepressants?

A new study from Vrije University in Amsterdam compared the effects of antidepressants and running on anxiety, depression and overall health during a 16-week period.

The study included 141 patients who had depression and/or anxiety. They were given the option to choose to take SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) antidepressants or to participate in group-based running therapy for a 16-week period, according to a press release from the university.

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Most of the patients — 96 of them — chose running, while 45 chose antidepressants.

The results of the study, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders and presented at the ECNP Congress in Barcelona this weekend, showed that running and medications offer about the same benefits for mental health.

A new study compared the effects of antidepressants and running on anxiety, depression and overall health over a 16-week period. (iStock)

In terms of physical health, the running demonstrated improvements, while the antidepressants had a slightly negative impact.

One drawback of the running was that it had a much higher dropout rate, the study found.

"We wanted to compare how exercise or antidepressants affect your general health, not just your mental health," said lead researcher Brenda Penninx, a professor from Vrije University, Amsterdam, when she presented the work at the ECNP conference in Barcelona.

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